Lydia - A Beating Heart - Macedonia 

Lydia – A Beating Heart is the first and only pro-life pregnancy resource center in Macedonia. Abortion is used without a second thought as the primary form of birth control in Macedonia and throughout the Balkans. Often, when a woman is asked why she wants an abortion, she simply shrugs her shoulders and says she doesn’t really have a reason other than she wasn’t planning on getting pregnant at this particular time. Most of the women having abortions in Macedonia already have a family. Having more than two children is very anti-cultural, so most women abort all pregnancies after the first two. Many women will have multiple abortions in their lifetime.

From 2013-2019, there were some laws in place restricting abortion.  A woman less than 12 weeks pregnant was required to wait 72 hours, have counseling, and get an ultrasound.  If she was over 12 weeks pregnant, she must obtain the signatures of three physicians approving the abortion. In 2019, these laws were reversed. Currently, unrestricted abortion is allowed up through 22 weeks of pregnancy, and late-term abortions are allowed after approval by a medical consultation with two physicians and a social worker. The abortion pill also became legal in 2019. 

We were so grateful for the more restrictive laws, but regardless of legal status, our goal is to change the cultural concepts surrounding abortion and adoption. The Lydia Center is dedicated to counseling and helping women while promoting the value of life and the rights of the pre-born baby.  Our goal is to love, support, and assist women facing unplanned pregnancies, post-abortion trauma, and other family-related crises.

Client Stories:

“C’s” Story

To experience a reproductive loss is hard, but to go through three miscarriages is unthinkable and very hard to describe.

A few months passed when “C” came to us for the first time. She and her husband were trying to get pregnant, but they were experiencing miscarriages one, after another. “C” s husband was the one who initiated her visit. They were having marital problems for a while. In the beginning, she wasn’t open to talking about her losses, and she didn’t believe the counseling would help her. But with time, she started to open up and she realized she really needed someone to talk to, to share her emotions, and her feelings, to talk about her relationships with her husband and everyone around her. Through a creative task, “C” was encouraged to allow herself to mourn and grieve her losses.

One day she decided to get a balloon and together with her husband and daughter write letters to their angels in Heaven. They put the notes in the balloon, took a walk, and they let the balloon into the sky.

She shared that she never knew she is allowed to grieve the loss of her three children. She never knew that she is allowed to make significant losses. “C” was encouraged to continue to come and together with her husband to work on themselves, on their marriage so they can understand each other better and give the mutual support they need.

Client testimonial

"I look at myself and I can't believe that this is me.

In just a few months you have made a different person

  out of me, you brought me back to life, back to normal...

You are my light at the end of the tunnel.

Just when I thought I was finished, you showed up,

you gave me back my faith, hope and love for myself.

I can't believe that there are people who still want

  to help. In the most difficult time you helped me a lot.

I don't know how to thank you.

If I had 100 lives, it wouldn't be enough to repay you!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you

have done for me. Be blessed!”

All financial gifts received designated for our approved “alliance” affiliates will be forwarded to them in a reasonable timeframe (usually upon exceeding $250US). Heartbeat International deducts $30 plus 3% from the transfer, to help defray internal cost for money transfers, currency conversion, clerical costs, bank fees and any processing fees that might be charged. Should any funds be unable to be forwarded – primarily related to the recipient - they may be re-allocated for similar international work.