Dear friends of Care Net of Puget Sound,
Trick-or-treating may be fairly benign in practice nowadays; if we fail to give kids candy when they knock on our doors, we generally don’t have to worry about being egged or having our doorbells rung incessantly into the wee hours of the morning, as was common in the early 1900s. The original trick-or-treating concept has much darker roots than all that.
One example: The ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people believed that the harvest season ushered in a temporary overlap between the worlds of the living and the dead, allowing demons and ghosts to freely roam the earth. The Celts wore scary costumes as a defense, hoping it would trick real demons into thinking they were fellow spirits. They also offered various sacrifices to appease the spirits. This was an original trick or treat, the practice morphing dramatically across cultures, traditions, and history.
At the root of trick or treat origins, though, are two primary concepts: deception and the attempt to subdue evil by appeasing it. Satan uses these strategies often. Satan promises a treat, but the promise is always a trick. It’s been this way since the Garden of Eden, and his formula is still popular today.
We see it with many of the clients who come limping through our doors. “Olivia” recently came to us after receiving a false promise of “help” from a local abortion clinic. She knew she was pregnant and that she didn’t want to be. Her boyfriend was aggressively pushing for her to terminate the pregnancy, so she booked an intake appointment at the clinic. She had no idea how far along she was, so she requested an ultrasound in order to make an informed decision. When she arrived at their clinic, they refused to perform an ultrasound except as part of an abortion appointment. She was shocked. The help that had been promised her came with a cost she was ultimately unwilling to pay: “Trick or treat?”
We are so grateful to report that we were able to provide helpful treatment for her. Olivia was given an ultrasound at no cost, and she was surprised to discover her unborn baby was already 15 weeks along. We treat all those we serve with dignity and respect. Understanding her needs, Olivia was given resources and referrals for support. Her attending nurse was able to pray with her.
Olivia left the appointment declaring, “I can’t abort this baby. I just can’t.” She decided that day to take our parenting classes at Care Net. It is our joy and privilege to walk alongside her in this journey.
Please pray for Olivia in the days ahead. Pray that the darkness in her life will not be merely appeased but that it will be fully overcome through the grace and power of Jesus Christ.
At Care Net of Puget Sound, we won’t trick or bribe anyone for the help they need. The help we offer is rooted in Christ, who has already paid the price in full. We are committed to faithfully and openly sharing the hope we have within us with the clients we serve. It is our joy to see God tear down the strongholds in peoples’ lives.
Will you give what you can to help us continue offering life-affirming hope to those who need it most? Your financial contribution helps women like Olivia get the support they need.
Thank you for joining us in this stand.
Together, we partner to enhance the physical and spiritual needs of women and families across the Puget Sound with life-affirming hope that drives away darkness and replaces it with the light of Christ. This October, please help us serve even more.
Gratefully in faith and hope,
Kim Triller