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Pastor Elias told me, “The women bury the babies,” to help me understand that babies are not valued in his nation, Tanzania. They are not even important enough for the men to attend their burials.

Pregnancy help was considered a taboo in the church when I first visited Tanzania nine years ago to teach on this topic.

In 2016, when I stood in a small church with a dirt floor and no plumbing and began teaching about God’s heart for the unborn and our need to care for their mothers, I was met with much resistance.

One by one, the pastors began to stand and tell me that I was wrong, that I did not understand. They told me that in Africa, the unwed pregnant mothers needed to be kicked out of the church as a lesson to all that sex outside of marriage is a sin.

Pastor Elias was one of the most outspoken. He was respectful and resolute. What I was teaching about caring for unwed mothers was wrong.

I will never forget Pastor Elias, wearing an impeccable suit and tie in the church with no air conditioning or fans, holding his Bible and explaining to me that the church in Tanzania could never care for unwed moms. He was kind and he was confident.

At the end of the two days of ’s training, Pastor Elias approached me and asked if I had the training I had taught in writing.

I hesitantly answered yes, wondering what he planned to do with the material. He proceeded to tell me that he taught in the public schools every other Friday and wanted to teach this material.

To say I was shocked would be a great understatement. The Lord, in His mercy and love, had changed his heart and shown him the truth through His Word.

I joyfully gave Pastor Elias the training.

Soon after my return to the United States, Pastor Elias began sending me pictures of him teaching the sanctity of human life to dozens of people.

A few years later, he contacted me and let me know that he was ready to begin a pregnancy ministry in his village. What a joy to see the Lord growing the seeds we had planted.

Last month, I had the blessing of returning to the same church where we had taught nine years ago.

The church looked the same; many faces were familiar. But how the Lord had changed the hearts of the pastors in attendance!

They eagerly accepted the training we provided and shared with us many stories of babies saved and lives transformed.

This time, Pastor Elias stood up while I was teaching, not to correct me, but to speak to the others in attendance. He spoke about the belief they had held about the need to remove unwed pregnant moms from their churches.

He said simply, “It was a mistake.”

He went on to say, “Because we are changed, our communities are changed.”

During these nine years between our trainings in Tanzania, Pastor Elias has started 15 pregnancy ministries. Pastor Enock, the pastor who had the courage to bring this training to the nation of Tanzania, has planted 60 pregnancy ministries through Pastor Elias and many other pastors.

of , and , there is a lack of teaching in the church regarding the sanctity of human life. For this reason and others, is a huge problem, including in the church.

Teaching the churches God’s Word surrounding issues of life is transformative. When God’s people are taught the truth of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit changes their hearts and moves them to action. We are blessed to see God change hearts and save lives throughout the world.

Teaching the churches God’s Word surrounding issues of life is transformative.

  is the founder and of Beautiful Feet International. She is also a speaker and author.