As I ponder new life in the womb, I think of a dear
family friend who is hanging between life and death today. This mother was
diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of last year. Several months later she
discovered that she was expecting. She is now in advanced stages of cancer and
their baby boy was delivered at about 28 weeks by emergency C-section this
afternoon. We do not know how much longer she will live, but without a miracle
from God (which we are hoping and praying for) it won’t be long. Many in her
situation would have so quickly been willing to kill her child so that her own
life could be spared. What a beautiful example of love and sacrifice this
mother and her family is! Although it is a very sad time and many tears have
been shed, we rest in knowing that our dear friend loves the Lord and her
family, including her newest little one.
This past Tuesday was our first day out to this
particular clinic on our new schedule. It had been a while since I had been to
this clinic and the strategy for engaging those who enter is a bit different
from the other clinic that we have been going to. It will take a little bit of
getting used to and learning the most effective ways to minister.
Although even one car in the parking lot is too
many, we thank the Lord that there were only about 12 there on Tuesday as there
have often been more in recent weeks. Most people ignored our offers of help
and support and words of warning, but we did witness one situation that we are
praying was what we think it was! A vehicle with a Georgia license plate pulled
in with two women in it. One got out and went inside and the other pulled up to
leave. One of the other ladies out there with us stopped her and told her that
we have a free ultrasound and asked her to go back inside and get her friend
out. She looked like she was going to, but then she pulled away. Just a little
bit later, we saw the woman she had dropped off on her phone out in the parking
lot. We called out to her, but she did not respond. The driver came back and
picked her up. On their way out we tried to ask them if they had changed their
minds and chosen not to have the abortion. We also told them that we would be
glad to help them with anything they needed, but they just drove away. That
type of situation is usually a “save”, but we don’t know for sure. God does,
though, and we pray that He was able to use us to make a difference in those
women’s lives!
Another interaction that I had was not with a
mother, but rather with a salesman. I stopped him as he was pulling in and
asked what he was there for. He said that he was a salesman. I noticed that his
shirt said something about air -- he must do air conditioning work or something
like that. I told him what abortion does and what God says about that. He said
that he agreed with me. So then I explained that if he did any work for them,
he would be getting paid with money that came from killing babies. He said he
understood. So I told him that even if he wasn’t the one killing the babies he
would be just as guilty if he received money from them. He then told me that he
had gone to Bible College and had been in church since before he was born. I
explained that going to church and agreeing with me did nothing for him if he
didn’t do what was right. He listened very quietly while I told him that what
he did was very serious before God and the eternity of his soul was at stake in
this decision. “Oh, I scarred that up long ago,” he replied in a careless tone.
“As long as you are still alive it’s not too late. God is still giving you
time! You can turn around right now and God can give you a new heart.” He just
shrugged his shoulders. I told him that this was not just about his job; this
was not just a light matter and that he needed to think about it. He said he
would and then drove in.
Another pro-lifer out there with us spoke to him on
the way out and he told her that he agreed with our position, but that what we
were doing was ineffective. When she asked him what he was doing about it, he
didn’t have anything to say. She told him about the 380+ babies that have been
saved in that city alone through this ministry. It didn’t seem to change his
mind at all. We’ve heard this before -- people who think that what we are doing
is ineffective, but when asked or challenged they don’t have anything to say. This
is a good reminder for us. Instead of going around condemning those who are
trying to do something, do something yourself! We need to be people of action!
May God give us each the wisdom to labor for him in
the sphere that he has given us whether that is in our homes, in our workplace,
in front of the abortion clinic, or in some other ministry he has called us to.
He said “GO”, and that is a word of action!
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