Saving Babies in Oklahoma City—Part 1
Saving Babies at Calvary Chapel Oklahoma City & Crossroads Clinic—Part 1
Story by Kathy Symborski and Barb Maher
Photos by Christian Traina and Brandi Traina
Lynesha was considering an abortion, so she went to Google—and found life not only for her baby but for herself.
Lynesha, who chose to keep her baby after visiting Crossroads Clinic in Oklahoma City, OK, loves on her baby boy during a return visit to the clinic. She proclaimed, “Tonya [Schuster, clinic director,] sat and talked with me, and I made the choice to give my life to Christ. I do believe that led me to make the decision to keep my baby. I believe God stepped in and intervened on my decision.”
“I found Crossroads Clinic when I googled abortions,” she said. After reading the content on the Crossroads website, she scheduled an appointment. Seeing her baby waving during her second ultrasound, Lynesha knew she couldn’t go through with an abortion. “Tonya [Schuster, clinic director,] sat and talked with me, and I made the choice to give my life to Christ. I do believe that led me to make the decision to keep my baby. I believe God stepped in and intervened on my decision,” she proclaimed. Lynesha texted the [clinic staff] later that day, “You guys saved a life today!”
Digital Media Marketing Outreach
After 25 years of ministry, Crossroads Clinic located in both Guthrie and the heart of Oklahoma City, OK, has learned to integrate advanced marketing techniques and capitalize on current social media resources to reach abortion-minded women.
Clinic Director Tonya (right) and Lynesha pray together during her visit. The staff at Crossroads Clinic emphasizes the importance of sharing the Gospel with abortion-minded women and discipling them later. Crossroads has been successful in reaching abortion-minded women by learning to integrate advanced marketing techniques and to capitalize on current social media resources.
The clinic exists “to present alternatives to abortion and promote biblical sexuality, all while demonstrating the love and salvation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,” declared Director Tonya Schuster, a longtime member of Calvary Chapel Oklahoma City. By having a laser-like focus on abortion alternatives and sharing the message of salvation through Christ, they have been recognized as one of the most effective agencies in connecting with women wanting to abort their babies. In fact, 9 out of 10 women who come to Crossroads are seeking abortion.
“Behold, I [Jesus] send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16
In order to magnify its mission, Crossroads discovered the key to reaching people in the digital age. “Today, people do things mostly with their smart phones, so we started working with two pro-life media experts that utilize Google AdWords and landing pages that drive traffic toward us,” Tonya pointed out.
Prospective clients arrive from their browser search to a webpage where they can call or click to see other information about abortions or Crossroads’ services. They can choose to fill out a simple form to contact staff. Or they can provide their contact information and schedule an appointment for a service.
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Crossroads Clinic is locally in the top Google search results for abortion. Tonya noted that the clinic’s website may have been rising to the top lately in part due to high SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on their new client website and also because Crossroads began hosting Google ads on its own webpage.
Educating Other Clinics
The Crossroads Clinic staff attends pro-life conferences throughout the year, and directors of other pregnancy centers often ask how to reach abortion-minded people. “They don’t know. It’s not their fault, they just don’t know,” Tonya remarked. This observation has been the driving force to share their “secret sauce” with others in the ministry.
Tonya enjoys playing with baby Braxtyn, son of clients Madison and Payton. Madison learned she was pregnant at age 17 and considered an abortion. At Crossroads, she learned that she and boyfriend Payton were expecting twins and chose life for them. Although one of the twins died, Madison became a believer in Christ and is raising Braxtyn in the goodness of God’s love.
Tonya shared that Crossroads had been working with a nearby pregnancy center on their digital outreach. “We took them under our wing, coming alongside in a spirit of humility, to share what we have learned,” she said. “So, the staff and their nurse all came for an entire day of onsite training. They listened to every phone call so that they would know how to handle them. Linda [Stewart, Crossroads Clinic’s executive director,] showed them how to turn on ads on their webpage and they got an abortion call the very next day. The woman came in and the baby was saved!”
Ministering to Abortion-Minded Women
Crossroads primarily ministers to women seeking an abortion. Tonya said she believes that each appointment for a free ultrasound to check for the baby’s viability represents a divine appointment from God. Counselors share the truth about abortion with all clients and discuss the far-reaching consequences that affect women and men physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Tonya enthused, “Most importantly, we share the Gospel, and this is where it gets real. The fruit of the Gospel is absolutely miraculous. In the past 12 months 150 babies were saved from abortion. We shared the Gospel 364 times, resulting in 94 women and men trusting in Christ as their Savior. I’ve never been a part of a ministry with such fruit.”
Rachel visits Crossroads Clinic with her healthy baby girl, Dior, 7 months old. During her pregnancy, Rachel attempted a chemical abortion. In God’s grace, after Crossroads Clinic staff led her to a chemical abortion reversal hotline, the baby was born healthy.
Reversing Chemical Abortion
Rachel was worried about her future and not being able to accomplish her goals when she found out she was pregnant while attending nursing school. “I started googling different clinics and saw an ad for Crossroads Clinic. I was reading that they had certain beliefs that I share as well, so I made the call.” Rachel went in for her first appointment, had her ultrasound, and learned about her options if she chose parenthood. Still fearful of how she was going to manage all that was going on in her very busy life, she went through with a chemical abortion pill regimen (not through Crossroads Clinic).
She explained, “You take the first pill in person and the other three you take at home, which I did. … After the [attempted] abortion … I just knew she was still there.”
During a return visit to Crossroads, the staff prays for Rachel and her baby, Dior, grateful for both lives.
The next day, she had the strong maternal sense her baby was still alive. “That’s when I decided to go back to Crossroads Clinic and get another ultrasound. We were all prepared for the worst. … But on the monitor, her heartbeat, she was still there! We were all laughing and cheering, and it felt right, amazing!” She knew God had given her a second chance to undo her mistake and choose life for her baby. “The Crossroads staff helped me call the Abortion Pill Reversal hotline and get the prescription I needed to protect my baby and turn the situation around.”
Nadia embraces her son, Izzy, thanking God every morning for him. While looking for an abortion, the Christian college freshman found Crossroads online and chose to keep her son, Izzy. “Having Izzy has really caused me to trust God more and to look to Him as my help,” Nadia admitted.
Choosing Life
Nadia, a Christian college freshman, had a similar story. After two positive pregnancy tests, she feared she would lose everything she was trying to achieve. In desperation, she went online searching for a medical abortion option. Texting the first clinic that came up in the search results, she reached Tonya at Crossroads Clinic. Working with the counselors and the dean of her college, she finally decided to keep her baby, Israel. “Having Izzy has really caused me to trust God more and to look to Him as my help,” Nadia easily admitted.
At 17 and still in high school, Madison found out she was pregnant. Scared and afraid, she immediately considered an abortion and googled abortion, pregnancy test, ultrasound, which brought up a landing page for Crossroads Clinic. She texted for more information and scheduled her ultrasound. It was there that she and her boyfriend, Payton, learned she was pregnant with twins. At that moment, they both became so overwhelmed with emotion they decided to choose life. The twins, Braxtyn and Bentley, were born at 24 weeks. Sadly, Bentley passed away three weeks later; but after Madison saw the miracle that God did with her babies, she became a believer and is now raising Braxtyn in the goodness of God’s love.
Madison and Payton laugh as they rejoice over their miracle baby, Braxtyn.
Learn more about Crossroads & CC Oklahoma City at:
• Crossroads Clinic: friendsofcrossroads.org or call 405-609-6674
• Calvary Chapel Oklahoma City: calvaryokc.com
This is Part 1 of a 2-part story. Click to read Part 2
This story first appeared in Issue 90, Winter 2022, of Calvary Chapel Magazine.
(To learn more about Calvary Chapel University, visit their website or read our past coverage on the school)
All verses above are quoted from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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