Siblings

“I probably would not even be here if you did not have that abortion.”

Those are sentiments expressed by many siblings of aborted babies, sentiments that bring up a host of feelings. Guilt for being alive, yet gratitude for the gift of life. Love for their parents, but disappointment and anger over the abortion. Questions of whether they were wanted, desperation to understand, and more often than not, a loneliness born out of the assumption that they’re isolated in their feelings. Would my name be the same? Where do I go with all of these feelings?

Providing a safe place for those who suffer from sibling survivor guilt is crucial. A place just for them, where they can express all their feelings without fear: Fear of being judged because of feelings they have, fear of others judging their parents, and fear of hurting those who are already suffering because of an abortion.

At Lumina’s “Entering Canaan Day of Prayer & Healing for Siblings” they are free to do just that. For the past five years, the Day of Prayer & Healing has provided a safe refuge for siblings from across the country as they share their feelings and work through some of the issues surrounding their lost brothers and sisters. A place where they are free to be themselves and find out they are not alone as they experience the retreat with others who have suffered the same loss.

As one sibling shared, “At the Lumina retreat, I made peace with my siblings. In fact, I’ve sensed them as a benevolent presence in my life, as people whose souls were sent by God to our family and who are still linked to us. I am thankful to Lumina for helping me to connect to them in a more spiritual way. A lot of people have lost siblings to abortion and we need to be aware of our invisible family on the other side. For me, it’s a comforting thought that no matter how broken my earthly family is, I still have more family members to relate to, somewhere! And, while I may never understand God’s will, that doesn’t seem to matter so much as the love that can still possibly exist between me and my siblings, born and unborn.” ~IR

And another, “For the first time in my life I was in the presence of other siblings who could totally relate to my pain/issues. It gave me the confidence to keep sharing my pain/story in the hopes that others can also receive the healing and connections I was blessed by.” ~Renee

For information on upcoming retreats, please call us at 877-486-4621 or email lumina@postabortionhelp.org.