A Pennsylvania pastor is planning to built a new ministry in a building that was formerly an abortion clinic.
A pastor and his wife are seeking to build a new ministry on a lot in Schuylkill County where thousands of abortions took place. The property was formerly an abortion clinic in Pennsylvania that was owned by Dr. Robert Spencer back in the 1920s, when he delivered medical care to injured miners and even went out to the mines himself. But the doctor was also known as an abortionist who performed more than 100,000 abortions way before Roe v. Wade made it legal in the U.S. The doctor was referred to as "The Angel of Ashland."
Dr. Spencer reportedly would carry out abortions in the early hours of the morning before his clinic at 531 Centre Street opened for the day, ABC 16 reported. Throughout the years, the "Angel of Ashland" would perform hundreds of thousands of abortions.
But Pastor Paul Eby of Restoration Ministries in Shamokin has different plans for the historic building. When he and his wife Beth learned about the history of the place in 2016, they started praying for the community. They were surprised when one day, they saw a "for sale" sign on the building. Eby said he felt "called" to purchase the property, so he reached out to the owner.
After the building closed down, someone had told the owner about its gruesome past and the 100,000 or more unborn children who were aborted in the facility. The owners "never stepped foot in the building" adn later decided to sell it to the Ebys.
Pastor and Wife Decide to Transform an Abortion Site into a Place for God
The Ebys said they wanted to preserve the purchased building and build the Mercy House of Ashland ministry there. However, structural damage to the building forced them to demolish it in 2020. Beth Eby admitted that they had to tear the place down "for safety reasons," but it was also meaningful for them to "start fresh." They are now also working to acquire the adjacent lot to build a new facility.
"Our heart is to have a building and to be able to minister people before they go down that road," Beth explained. "We also know that there's women and men out there that are suffering trauma because of the abortion."
Beth promised "no judgment" for pregnant women who come forward and seek help if they are scared. They "just want to help," she said. The Ebys shared that they have received support from some significant donors, which has helped propel the project forward, one that they call a place for healing.
Pro-life Movement Under Attack Following Roe v. Wade Leak
In recent days, the pro-life movement has been under attack from abortion advocates. In Denton, Texas, one Catholic pro-life pregnancy resource center was vandalized over the weekend, Fox 4 reported. Surveillance footage showed a woman spray painting the outside of the building with the messages "forced birth is murder" and "not a clinic."
Related Article: Catholic Priest Arrested Simply For Praying Against Abortion
