"Any abortion is too many," said Evelyn "Avon" Wade, a member at St. John's, Antigua.

Keeping this in mind, the West Indies/Antigua branch of WELS Lutherans for Life (WLFL) has decided to open the first, and only, pregnancy counseling center on the island this September.

Abortion is illegal in Antigua, but women still have them, even though medical technology in Antigua is about 30 years behind the United States. Sexually transmitted diseases are also an issue.

Mary Snyder, an RN working at the WLFL national office, went to Antigua in February to determine the feasibility of opening a counseling center. She said: "The love is there. They want to reach out and help."

The members of St. John's can help in many ways--advertising the center, manning the hotline, serving as mentors, collecting and sorting clothing, and doing other odd jobs. A government-owned health clinic will house the center. Wade, a nurse at the clinic, will be the counselor.

This center will differ from those in the United States. As a nurse and a midwife, Wade will be able to diagnose the pregnancy as well as provide pre-natal care and a post-partem check-up. In the United States, counselors cannot even confirm pregnancy, but must refer women to their doctors.

To open the center, the West Indies/Antigua branch must become a chapter. This is also a first--all other WLFL chapters have more than one church.

The members of St. John's aren't the only ones excited about the center. According to Snyder, Wade's supervisor at the health clinic keeps asking when the center will become a reality.

WLFL has 26 pregnancy counseling centers in the United States, as well as medical clinics in Ukraine and Bulgaria.