Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselors

Daniel Parks - Executive Director Cites4Life

Every day but Sunday if you drive down Latrobe Dr. in Charlotte, NC, you will see a small group of men and women gathered on the sidewalk in front of a brick building. These are the volunteers of Cities4Life, committed to speaking on behalf of the babies who will die there. That building is among the busiest, if not the busiest, abortion center in the Southeast. At least 20-30 babies die in the back room of 3220 Latrobe Dr. every day of the week except Sunday. One can only wonder why they take Sundays off...

This week, the temperature is expected to hit 98 degrees or so with 90% humidity. A sauna. As the morning progresses, any shade on the sidewalk is gone. The volunteers wilt in the ferocious sun for hours, sweat pouring off of them.

Human beings are 98% water. By the end of the morning, you can imagine what shriveled, baked pieces of them remain as the sun sucks all the H2O from their molecules. Yet, they keep calling out to the abortion-minded women with offers of hope, help, and truth.

Why do they do this?

Every Cities4Life volunteer is a committed Christian who takes seriously the Biblical admonition to help those being led to the slaughter, to protect the innocent, and defend those who cannot defend themselves. They all sign a code of conduct, pledging to maintain a peaceful and God-honoring presence. They are often sworn at, threatened, intimidated by pro-choice protesters or clients, and lately, harassed by city officials. (Charlotte zoning authority seized and removed our shade canopy, citing obstruction laws though the canopy did not obstruct a single human being from walking under its comforting shade on that sidewalk.)

Why do they endure this?

Today will be the beginning of an ongoing series spotlighting Cities4Life volunteers. The volunteers will answer those questions in their own words. Daniel Parks is the Executive Director of Cities4Life and has been involved in pro-life ministry for many years. He will be our lead-off batter in this series introducing our sidewalk counselors.

Daniel Parks:

I got involved on the sidewalks about 12 years ago when the church we attended, FIRE Church, brought their children's group out to sing and pray. I came as a chaperone for my daughter but the Lord set me up. As I stood there in front of the clinic watching women go in and out, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, "100 feet from where you are standing babies are being killed. Not at some other time or some other place... right here, right now." I knew then and there that my family and I had to do what we can to end abortion in this city. 

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Please consider visiting the sidewalks and shadowing experienced volunteers. Click HERE to express interest in joining us in this vital life-saving ministry.

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Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.