Singing in the Rain

It was a monsoon on the sidewalks of the abortion mill Monday. I haven't seen such torrential rain since being in the outer bands of a hurricane. While being a pro-life sidewalk counselor at an abortion mill is not a place one usually associates with "fun," I do have some fun fellow workers. As the rain poured forth in buckets, and lightning clashed and thunder roared, Celia began dancing with her umbrella. We both seemed to have had a similar childhood and knew all the words to the song, Singing in the Rain. Now please know that 99% of our time on the sidewalk is spent in spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil. Most of the time is gut wrenching and serious-- deadly serious. But for a few brief seconds, when there were no cars pulling in to disgorge their sorrowful occupants and no one was standing on the abortion mill porch for us to plead with, Celia and I danced and sang.

I'm singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin',
Singin' in the rain

I paused in our dancing and thought of those words in the context of the place we were standing before:  
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place

Oh, if only that were possible! No mothers that we know of who came to that terrible place chose to let their babies live that day. The abortionist arrived, but wouldn't get out of his car until a worker from the mill came to his car with her umbrella. She held it over him as he scurried to do his deadly work. I called out to him, "You can hide under the protection of that umbrella. What protection will the babies have that you are going in to murder today?" He didn't answer. I don't know if he could hear me over the thunder and rain, even with my megaphone.

There was one hopeful event. A taxi cab driver dropped a woman off and on his way out, paused at the driveway to talk with one of the counselors. He thanked us for being there. Some years ago, a counselor like us had stopped his mother at the doors of an abortion mill. She decided not to go through with it. He owed his life to a sidewalk counselor who begged his mother to let him live. He asked for our literature, and promised that now that he knew this location was an abortion mill, he would try to talk the women he drove there from making such a horrific decision.
"Bless you for being here," he said.

God always does that. In the midst of the most terrible places, He sends beacons of Hope. I don't think He minded us dancing for a few moments, even in that place of death. His work is hard, but it should not be without joy.

A lightning bolt struck within a hundred feet of us, and Celia decided we should leave. Our dancing in the rain, and hoping stormy clouds would chase everyone from this evil place ended, as we dispersed with heavy hearts, but not without hope.

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 A training session for those interested in bringing hope to the sidewalks of Charlotte abortion mills is scheduled for this Saturday. If interested, please contact Lisa Metzger at lisametzger@cities4life.org.

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Romans 12:12 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Romans 5:2-5

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Isaiah 40:31 

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 39:7 

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.