The escort looked stonily ahead and did not comment as I tried to engage with her in discussion.
"Do you know the record of this place?" I asked. "Do you know it has been closed several times due to 'imminent danger to women.' That's a quote from the health department. Did you know that all three abortionists here have had their licenses revoked at various times for either sexual misconduct, medical malpractice, or conducting medical practice while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs? Did you know none of them have admitting privileges to area hospitals? None! If you don't believe me, you can look it up yourself. It's public domain info."
She glanced at me and then looked angrily ahead. Her escort friend blasted radio music to drown me out.
"If you are going to support this place and hamper our ability to help the women who come here, you ought to know the record of the place you support," I added before turning away.
It was a cold day, and my wonderful team carried on, speaking of God's love and provision, offering tangible help in myriad ways, and pleading with the women. I saw three yesterday crying as they put their purses in their trunks, the signal they were going in for the abortion. We begged them to let us help them, that they were not alone, that we had helped many others, and that God would never leave them nor forsake them if they trusted and followed Him.
As it neared 1:00, I had been there 3 1/2 hours with no women we knew of yet choosing life. Other members of my team had been there even longer. Part of our team headed home, and the rest of us were getting ready to leave. I saw a woman on the porch whom I'd spoken with quite a bit throughout the morning, and especially in the last half hour. I could tell she was conflicted. Since she was back on the porch, I called out to her again with offers of help. She glanced at me, and stood up. One of the escorts talked with her. Then the woman went back in the clinic.
Just as we were turning to leave, she came out.
"Did you change your mind?" I called.
She nodded.
"OH wonderful! Come to us! We have gifts and help for you!"
She came over, smiling joyfully and walked into my open arms. She hugged me a long time. I felt like she was a lost soul that had found the first turn to the right path home.
She wanted to come on our RV, see an ultrasound of her baby. Our gracious RV driver and nurse agreed to stay, and I scrambled to change a doctor appointment so I could stay and counsel her. I cannot give all the details in order to preserve her privacy but there are some very important things I can share. She told us that the "pro-choice" escorts had told her NOT to talk to any of us. Even when she told them she was conflicted, they told her don't talk to us. When she had been in the clinic, and gotten the required ultrasound, she asked if they would turn the screen towards her so she could see the baby. They refused. When she asked if she could have a picture of the baby, they said no, but they would mail it to her possibly. She asked if the baby's heart would be beating at the gestational age of her baby. They said NO. That was a lie. The heart would have been beating for several weeks.
If our RV, parked on the curb right across from the abortion center had not been there, one of our most powerful tools would not have been available to convince this woman her child is a little human being who has a right to life. The voice she would hear was the voice of the "pro-choice" escorts telling her she had good reasons to abort and not to talk to us.
"I wanted to talk to you when I heard all you were saying...but they told me not to," the woman said.
"Pro-choice" as long as the choice is abortion.
We have learned that Latrobe Dr., the street where we and our mobile ultrasound RV park will soon have NO PARKING signs posted along the road. Our cars and our RV have never obstructed traffic or caused traffic problems on this wide, low traffic street with sidewalks. We do know that certain council members have pushed for this and we feel strongly it is a targeted attempt to end our access to women who often respond to our help and encouragement.
Here is the plea from our our Cities4Life Director, Daniel Parks asking for action from Charlotte citizens to oppose this plan, which puts one group's interest over another and limits women's true freedom of choice and services.
Cities4Life needs your help. As you know we are at Charlotte's busiest abortion clinic 6 days a week proclaiming the Gospel and offering practical help. One of our must helpful resources are the mobile ultrasound units. We have heard from a reliable source that certain members of city government , Councilwoman Julie Eiselt and Mayor Roberts, are behind a push to place "no parking" signs along Latrobe drive (the road that the clinic is on). This would greatly hinder our efforts and make it very difficult to use the mobile units in an effective way. Please contact Councilwoman Eiselt and Mayor Roberts and express your concern. Here's the contact info for Mayor Roberts and City Council members. http://charlottenc.gov/CityCouncil/bios/Pages/ContactUs.aspx
"You all are amazing," the woman told us before leaving the RV. "I'm really grateful you were here."
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