In God's Image

Interesting day at the abortion mill yesterday. (I always learn something new there....) It was frigid, a mix of rain, and occasional white things that looked like snow. I thought I would be all alone on the sidewalk speaking on behalf of the doomed children today, but a whole bunch of unexpected fellow counselors showed up, braving the damp cold with me. I had to keep pacing or I would've frozen to the sidewalk. Most of the people scurrying into the mill didn't pause to do much more than give us the finger. They were cold, too.

Sadly, the mobile ultrasound unit was not there. Normally, the big RV parks just up the street, and we can walk women over to the free ultrasound unit on the RV. It is a fantastic resource, although some days, no one goes on it. Most women choose life after seeing their baby on the sonogram. Of course,  we needed it the most just when it wasn't available yesterday!

I called out to one young couple going into the mill that we could bring them to a free ultrasound ( as in drive them to the local pregnancy resource center a few miles away.) They swung on a dime and headed over to us. "Free" had hooked them. They were very sweet, and didn't appear to be abortion minded but they said "We need to get the ultrasound ASAP." It took me a while to figure out why they needed it ASAP. Please pray for 'S'. She is not certain if the father is the old or new boyfriend. I am assuming they need to know fetal age ASAP because if it is not the new boyfriend's baby, abortion may be on the table. I can't imagine why else they are in such a hurry to confirm the pregnancy and how far along she is. She didn't want to wait even a week for the ultrasound.

Anyway, after several calls to various pregnancy resource centers, we got them scheduled for an ultrasound on the mobile RV unit today. I will be meeting them there this morning and will counsel them. Not only will we talk about choosing life, but also about choosing God, and following His very wise and protective commands for purity and abstinence outside of marriage. (Prayers appreciated on this as well.) I love counseling on the RV because I get to see the little baby, with the little heart beating its clarion call of humanity.

In the midst of our concerted efforts to arrange the ultrasound, the poor young mama was shivering, with only a light sweatshirt to ward off the cold. I settled them in my car and blasted the heat while my fellow counselor and I made frantic phone calls to schedule the ultrasound. I gave them one of our "blessing bags" filled with baby gifts which supporters of Cities4Life sidewalk ministries had made for mamas that choose life. The shivering girl seemed very touched, and clasped her boyfriend's hand as the heat from my car finally began seeping into her. Finally, the ultrasound was scheduled. I drove them to a nearby McDonalds to wait for their ride to pick them up. We didn't want them going in the abortion mill, even just to warm up. I was happy to drive them away from there. As we drove, I told them about what a terrible place that abortion clinic was. I urged them to research it themselves.

Later, when I got home, the young man called me. He was confirming our appointment today, and also wanted me to know they had gone online to research Latrobe "women's preferred health clinic." He and his girlfriend were so grateful we had kept them out of there. They were horrified by what they found out about it online, and wished they could stop others from going there. He thanked me over and over again.They were so thankful for our help setting up the ultrasound. I am hoping they are grateful enough to accept God's purity and salvation message. I found myself very drawn to both of them, despite the fact that I do not like the choices they have obviously made in life. They were so young, so poor, so frail...but so sweet. I am rooting for them. I have good feelings about this young couple.

After returning from depositing them in the warm, safe haven of happy meals, I returned to the mill sidewalk. Another couple chose life, giving us a thumb's up as they drove away. We all cheered, and hugged each other, as we always do. It is a grim place, and I had been tearful as I drove there, but every life saved makes all the horror, and cold, and abuse heaped upon us worth it.


When I got home, I gathered a stack of papers on purity and God's word on marriage/sex, and then reviewed my "salvation  speech."  Then I printed a stack of verses on the sanctity of human life in the womb, just in case the baby is not the current boyfriend's and they decide that fact suddenly erases the baby's humanity or personhood or sanctity before God. As I sipped hot tea to try to stop my own shivering, I was warmed by God's word, as well. I am very hopeful as I head back out to the gates of Hell today.
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If interested in being a source of warmth and light at one of the darkest places on earth, please contact Lisa Metzger at lisametzger@cities4life.org
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Matthew 5:21-22 

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Genesis 1:27 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Genesis 9:6 

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Exodus 20:13

“You shall not murder.

Psalm 139:13-16 

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 127:3 

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.