Dave Wilkinson, an evangelical pastor, runs three Ventura County pregnancy clinics that encourage women to choose alternatives to the procedure. He believes the prevalence of abortion is the biggest test Christians face. . . . He said God answered his prayers with a directive to "go where the battle is." So last September, he brought his work to Watts. Every Tuesday since then, Wilkinson and a handful of like-minded Christians have driven into the city in a donated motor home equipped with an ultrasound machine and parked it near the Imperial Courts housing project.
They come here because Watts is one of the city's poorest neighborhoods, and abortion rates tend to be higher in low-income areas, according to the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute, a leading authority on sexual health issues. For four hours, Wilkinson's group offers free pregnancy tests, using the ultrasound to show women images of their fetuses and leading prayer-filled counseling sessions in which they urge the women to keep their unborn babies. . . . Frequently, the encounter becomes a religious experience, Wilkinson said."It can be a real catalyst for people finding God, or refinding God," he said. "Because of the crisis they're in, they're more open -- and that's when we introduce God." LA Times
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