ROUND ROCK, Texas, August 23, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) ― Abby Johnson has a new plan to help abortion workers out of their grisly trade. She’s sending them DVDs of a film depicting how and why she got out of it herself.
Abby Johnson is both the author of Unplanned, now also a controversial but best-selling film, and the founder of And Then There Were None, a pro-life organization whose mandate is to help abortion workers out of the abortion industry in a loving way.
Last week Johnson announced that she was going to send copies of the film version of Unplanned to every abortion business in the U.S. Like her book, the film shows how she went from being a committed Planned Parenthood clinic director to joining the pro-life group that regularly prayed outside her abortion facility. Crucial to her change of heart was both seeing an ultrasound-guided abortion for the first time and realizing that Planned Parenthood relies on abortion to make money.
Johnson told LifeSiteNews via email that she has a comprehensive list of the addresses.
“We have, from what I can tell, the most updated and comprehensive database of abortion facilities in the United States,” she said.
“We keep it updated regularly and keep up with closures and openings of new facilities.”
And Then There Were None will send via the U.S. postal service one DVD and digital download code into every clinic in their database.
“Inside the package will also be a letter from me, encouraging the facility workers to watch the film as critics and to email me their thoughts to my personal email address,” Johnson told LifeSiteNews.
“Even if they hate it, I still want to hear from them.”
She anticipates sending approximately 850 packages.
Johnson told EWTN News that she was sending clinic workers the film so that they can “see the truth” and realize that her story is their story, too. Sending the film will also create awareness of And Then There Were None and its willingness to support abortion workers as they look for new employment, both financially and spiritually.
“[We] can provide that transitional financial help, job resources, and can get them into a relationship with Christ to help them find healing,” she said.
In Unplanned, Johnson wrote about how impressed she was, even as a clinic director, that the pro-life leaders who prayed outside her Planned Parenthood encouraged fellow pro-life witnesses to speak to abortion-minded women and clinic workers in a sincerely loving and peaceful way. Johnson said the makers of the film version of Unplanned strove not to depict clinic workers in a nasty way.
“We did a really good job of showing people that these are just everyday women who are working in these clinics. They have families, they have children. They’re wives. And a lot of times they just need a lifeline. They just need a hand up to help them get out.”
She hopes they will get from the film that “conversion is possible,” that “there is a place for them to go that will help them” and that they are “welcome here in this movement … among us.”
Clinic workers who want to leave the industry can contact And Then They Were None through their website abortionworker.com. It has a 24 hour hotline. Counsellors will talk to them about their unique circumstances and establish how the pro-life ministry can meet their needs.
Johnson is delighted by the impact Unplanned has already had. She told EWTN News that they had referred thousands of men and women who have seen the film to abortion recovery programs and also helped dozens of abortion workers who saw the film to criticize and then decided that they had to leave the industry.
“The impact has really been amazing and it’s been tremendous just to be part of something that God is doing,” she said.
The pro-life leader contrasted the joys of witnessing conversions to the uncertainty of ordinary pro-life street activism, in which pro-life witnesses know that some babies at least are being saved but rarely get to see tangible evidence.
“It’s incredibly rewarding,” she said. “Being able to partner with God with Him as the lead is really amazing.”
She said that Unplanned is being released all over the world and so she hopes it will “impact many, many nations.”
Perhaps the highest profile abortion worker Johnson has reached out to is Dr. Leana Wen, the recently ousted president of Planned Parenthood. After Wen revealed on Twitter that her employment had been terminated by the abortion giant in a “secret meeting,” Johnson tweeted back.
“Leana, I know exactly how Planned Parenthood works and know all about their secret meetings,” she wrote. “If you ever want to talk about your experience (in complete confidence), I’m here. I will help in any way I can through your transition.”
She told EWTN’s Catherine Hadro that she had experienced what Wen must be feeling.
“I wasn’t fired by Planned Parenthood, but I know what it’s like to feel incredibly betrayed by them,” she said.
Unplanned became the Amazon’s top selling film on the day it was released. Between its March release and August 7, the six-million-dollar film made $18,988,743 in cinemas.