My Heart Breaks Because My Savior's Heart Breaks: A Sidewalk Counselor's Motive

Elijah -- Cities4Life Intern with a servant heart and a spirit-filled life

If there is anything that needs doing to help the volunteer team on the sidewalks of the abortion center where Cities4Life ministers to the abortion-minded women, Elijah is the first to offer.  Elijah sets up the microphone and sound system, gets the signs from storage, fills the refrigerator on the RV with bottled water, grabs me extra literature when I tell him I am running low. Whatever needs doing, Elijah does with an ever present smile and humble shrug of his shoulders.

When I was being shouted down and blocked with a sign held at times an inch from my face by a pro-choice protester yesterday while trying to offer help to the abortion-minded women, Elijah appeared at my side and prayed out loud for the protester's soul. He meant it too, which made it all the more poignant and effective. The video below is when two protesters used a speaker system and a large sign to try to block me speaking across the parking lot with my megaphone. I guess they didn't apply the word "Choice" to what I had to offer. In the following photo, Elijah made his way over and from then on, whenever I spoke, Elijah was beside me to pray.

Elijah often comments on how distressed he is by what is happening spiritually to the people who flock to the abortion center. His heart is always inclined to how deeply abortion grieves God, and thus grieves him. Elijah holds signs in the hot sun, his face always earnest and always somewhat mournful as he contemplates what happens in the abortion center. It is clear that he is deeply saddened...but he is always one of the first to arrive and the last to leave.

Elijah is on the sidewalks every day but Friday, AND works most evenings, AND goes to school during the school year. Why does he show up, often enduring the abuse and taunts of the pro-choice crowd, with such an overwhelming schedule? He responds to that in his own words.

I initially starting coming to the sidewalks because of an outreach with my college. For me, it was a no-brainer at first. Babies are being murdered 30 minutes from my house. How could I comfortably call myself a follower of Jesus and do nothing? 

I fought the Lord on this for a little while, telling Him that I would much rather do something else. 

But, eventually I repented of that attitude and became more involved with sidewalk outreach. One day, the Lord set me up. The leadership for that outreach at an abortion mill close to Latrobe (where I now minister) was out of town. It was me...or no one. As I stood all alone with a megaphone, not knowing what to say, I took a step of faith and simply said "Jesus"
. 

In that moment, God decided to share with me how He feels about abortion. I think I bawled for about 30 minutes while a bunch of nearby construction workers stared at me. 

So, now I come out to the sidewalk of 3220 Latrobe drive, the busiest abortion center in Charlotte, because my Savior's heart breaks for what happens there. And I love my Savior. 

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Jeremiah 9:1

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!