Into the Fire

The vet told me yesterday morning that it would be best for her to see Honeybun since she had had an unexplained seizure. She couldn't see her till the afternoon, however, so I went for my morning at the abortion mill as a brand new (terrified) sidewalk counselor.

Having been there once,  albeit only shadowing the other counselors, I was not quite as frightened as I had been the first time. Also, I prepared myself better. I read an hour of scripture, reviewed baby development information, and asked friends for prayer before I left.

Good thing I did.

When I arrived, no one was there. The sidewalk was empty except for one frail woman in a nurse's uniform. She waved, and looked relieved as I approached.

"Are you the team leader?" I asked hopefully.
"No, I am the nurse from the mobile ICU. But when no one is here, I stand on the sidewalk to try to urge women to come for the ultrasound we offer. I am glad you are here. We are not trained like you counselors are."

ohoh. I was now the expert, with exactly 2 hours of shadowing the counselors under my belt?

"Well," I said, "I guess it is the blind leading the blind."
At that moment, a car pulled into the lot and a young man and woman opened the doors. No one is at the facility for any reason other than an abortion. I may be untrained, unknowledgable, and unequipped, but I was all there was between that evil darkness and light. I would have to do.

"Please," I called out, "Please! There are other options. You do not have to do this. Please come and get a free ultrasound. There are so many resources in the area to help you. Let me show you...."

The door slammed on the heels of the young couple as they entered the abortion mill.
The nurse looked at me and sighed sadly.

Gradually, other counselors arrived. I learned that I never really knew what to say, but none of my words could change anyone's heart anyway. That process belongs to God alone. I was only trying to be the faithful conduit of His love. Since there were so few of us there and the stream of women was frequent, we all stepped forward to plead for life at varying times. There was one young man who almost approached me, and then turned back. There were two frightened teens ushered in by older men and women who glanced back at me, almost pleadingly. One sidewalk counselor sobbed, thinking the young lady might have been the victim of sexual slavery, and there was nothing we could do to free her. But there were no saved babies that morning that we knew of. The mobile ICU left at noon, not having shown a single prospective mother the image of her child's beating heart.

I came home from the abortion mill and went off to the vet with sweet Honeybun. Fortunately, her seizure from yesterday seems to be an isolated event. Just to be certain, the vet took blood and will run some basic tests. But Honeybun looks normal and we are hopeful all will be well.

It was an emotion filled day. Earlier, I had written my pastor to thank him for his message Sunday of doing the impossible when weak and outnumbered. He had written back. He told me the church might consider helping support Cities4life, and he would forward my email to the appropriate people. It was a breath of life and hope on a dark, dark day.

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Psalm 34: 19-22
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
 but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
 not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.