This past Friday I had the opportunity to join Students for Life at Oakland University outside Northland Family Planning Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan. As active as I have been on social media and in my interpersonal interactions for the pro-life movement, I wanted to experience and see what it was like to be at ground zero of the battle to save America’s unborn children.
This one hour experience will likely give rise to many more writings, but the one I want to focus on in this article is maybe the most important: Doing Something.
Thinking
For me, heading out to Northland has been something I’ve thought of doing for awhile. I had been emailing Mirna (President of Students for Life @ OU) since February of 2013 (over a year ago, as of this writing) about joining their prayer vigil/sidewalk counseling.
First, I got sick. Then I got busy. Mornings are never good for me. Then one excuse led to another. It doesn’t help I’m extraordinarily shy (go figure, right?). Everything was an excuse to avoid going out there.
I grew tired of my avoidance and excuses and kicked myself in the butt. Last week, I forced myself to stay up (long story, I woke up around 1am) and actually go out to the prayer vigil.
I can’t describe in words the experience. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the experience. There is very little enjoyable about standing in front of a facility that specializes in slaughtering unborn children. There is even less enjoyable about watching one woman after another drive past you, trying hard to not make eye contact with you, all the while knowing full well her baby was about to lose its life.
Get Up! Get Out!
But I’m not the focus of this post. One person in particular stands out to me. His name is Ian. Everyday on the way to work he passes this abortion clinic and sees the prayer vigil with their life affirming signs. Ian told me that seeing the energetic people trying to make a difference encouraged him to want to do the same.
Last Friday, Ian decided to stop by and join the prayer vigil.
Many who passed us honked their horns, waved, and gave a thumbs up. It felt good to see that affirmation. I appreciate it. I’m sure the other men and women who are out there every week appreciate it even more.
Good Intentions
Good intentions are great. Supporters are needed by the droves. But unborn babies need more than supporters and good intentions. We need more people like Ian who are willing to stop and do something. Whether it’s joining sidewalk counselors, donating to a pro-life organization, volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center, or contacting your state representatives and asking them to Nullify Abortion, it’s all needed and now.
Not all of us have a lot of time or a lot of money, but every person who gets involved is another person standing between babies and death.
Urgency
Approximately, 3,200 babies are killed by abortion everyday in America. An infamous quote,
One death is a tragedy. But a million? A statistic.
That sums up the mindset in America. Even amongst those who claim to be “pro-life.” They want to ignore the truth. They view abortion as an unstoppable force that’s better not thought about and will either keep happening or take care of itself. Wrong. Each woman that drove by us last Friday had a baby, and all of those babies lost their lives. Each baby was like you and me.
That will be a pungent thought this Friday as I join the prayer vigil again—on my birthday.
Not Unstoppable
Abortion is not an unstoppable force. Hearts and minds are being changed. Laws are slowly being enacted around the country protecting the unborn. It’s not enough, but it’s a start. Make no mistake, it’s hard work that very often seems to be going nowhere. That’s why we need you. We need more people and more resources. We need more people taking a stand and joining our side as we struggle with this great injustice.
We need you.
On that thought, I leave you with this timely video from Mirna Awrow and Christina Lo Piccolo of Students for Life at Oakland University.
