Conshohocken, Pa.—“I actually have three babies in heaven. And God has put on my heart, just to share with other women and to give them options. This is why I have a burden to help women that have chosen life,” said Rita Whitaker, tears welling in her eyes.
Rita Whitaker, founder and executive director of Life Turning Point of Philadelphia, shared her personal story with The Epoch Times during the 2024 Life Advocate Resource Conference at St Matthew Church Hall in Conshohocken, PA, on April 6, 2024.
“When I was 15 years old, the first time that I had a sexual encounter, I got pregnant. And my mother told me that I could not bring a baby into the house. And so, I felt that I didn’t have any other options. And so, I ended up actually aborting my first baby,” Ms. Whitaker recounted.
“Later on, about two years later, and I was 17 years old, I got pregnant again by a boyfriend. And again, my mother said you cannot bring a baby into this house. And so, I ended up avoiding that child as well.”
“A few months later, I was raped by a family friend. And I became pregnant as a result of that rape. And I did not want to have another abortion. My mother really didn’t want me to have another abortion either. And so, my mother actually conspired with me to force myself to have a miscarriage,” Ms. Whitaker shared.
“That’s my story as to why I became a part of pro-life ministry, because of my post-abortive experiences, and I just want to be there to support other mothers, other women who have the courage to go forward and to have their children,” Ms. Whitaker said.
“Life Turning Point of Philadelphia is a ministry that is there to protect and preserve and encourage life, as we say, from the womb to the tomb.”
The organization provides an 18-month residential Christian discipleship program for homeless women and children, as well as those facing a crisis pregnancy. Ms. Whitaker has been involved in this ministry for about 26 years.
“I’ve been on both sides of the fence. So I know it is a very difficult choice for women to face. I know it’s a very scary situation,” Ms. Whitaker acknowledged. “So for those women that have actually had the courage to follow through with their pregnancy, and deal with the hardships that come along with being a single parent, I just want to be there to support them.”
Ms. Whitaker noted that her organization did not receive government funding and emphasized the need for financial partnerships to sustain their work.
“God is a healer,” Ms. Whitaker affirmed. “I know I’m forgiving. God has forgiven me, and He has healed my heart of that, and that’s why I’m here. And that’s why I’m able to help other moms that are considering abortion.”
The Life Advocate Resource conference was organized by the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia. Tom Stevens, president and CEO, hosted the conference, which saw approximately 27 organizations and over 100 attendees gather to promote a culture of life throughout the Delaware Valley.
Founding Story of the Pro-Life Union in Philadelphia
Patrick Stanton, the eldest son of John Stanton, founder of the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia, shared his father’s story.
“In the late 60s, my father saw the crowds circling New York, where people were starting to promote abortion. A group called National Abortion Rights (Action League) began to propose having abortions in New York City,” Mr. Stanton recounted.
His father initiated the Philadelphia pro-life coalition, using slides to illustrate the realities of abortion and spreading awareness. This effort grew over the years.
Mr. Stanton also mentioned Dr. Bernard Nathanson (1926-2011), once an abortion provider who presided over 60,000 abortions but later became a pro-life advocate after studying embryology and evidence from emerging technologies to monitor and examine intrauterine fetal development.
Continuing his father’s legacy, Mr. Stanton serves as co-chair of 40 Days for Life’s Philadelphia chapter, actively engaging in peaceful protests outside abortion clinics.
Mr. Stanton said: “When the abortion clinics opened in Philadelphia, we went there and through the late 80s, in the 90s, we did rescues where we would get 100 or 200 people. We go to an abortion center and sit down in front of it. We were all arrested, sometimes we got out that night, sometimes one day after.”
“No innocent life should ever be taken in our country. It’s in our Declaration of Independence,” Mr. Stanton emphasized.
Abortion Pill Reversal
At the conference, experts delivered talks on various topics. One of them, Monique Ruberu, obstetrician and gynecologist, discussed the dangers of chemical abortions.Dr. Ruberu urged attendees to remember the website AbortionPillReversal.com. Abortion Pill Reversal is a protocol used to reverse the effects of the first abortion pill, administered by the Abortion Pill Rescue Network with a team of over 1,000 healthcare professionals, ready 24/7 to help women at a moment’s notice—giving their baby a second chance.
“When we show up with kindness, with love, with compassion, we share the truth about abortion pills, and that they can be reversed and these babies’ lives can be saved, then we’re in a much better place,” Dr. Ruberu spoke to the audiences.
‘Open Centers Even During the War’
Save a Life International, an organization with ten centers in Ukraine, one in Poland, one in Philadelphia, and soon one in Chicago, was represented at the conference.Victoria Moshkovskiy, the development manager, explained, “We started off in Ukraine because there was a huge need to promote the sanctity of life. And as an organization, we stand for the sanctity of life, dignity, of women’s dignity and love.”
“By the grace of God, we have been able to open centers even during the war. And with the war in Ukraine right now, making sure that people understand what dignity and sanctity of life is and how important it is, has never been more important than now,” Moshkovskiy added.
