Our new young Cities4Life volunteers stopped a car with a Hispanic couple driving on their way into the abortion center. The couple did not speak a word of English. I could see by the look on our volunteers’ faces that they would like some help, so I scurried over. The man said something that I didn’t understand at all. So I said, “Yo hablo espanol un poquito.” That means (sort of) “ I speak Spanish a little.”
And it’s true. A VERY little.
“Pull over ici.” (Pull over here....except ici is French for here. I learned both languages once long ago and get them confused a lot.)
I pantomimed pull over since I had no clue how to say that in Spanish. He understood and pulled over to the curb.
“No aborto,” I said. (Don’t abort.)
They both nodded.
Now I was stuck.
“Bebe?” I asked, pointing to the woman’s abdomen. (Baby?)
They shook their head, no. No baby? I didn’t believe them. I was pretty sure they were there for an abortion, but didn’t want to admit it.
I pulled out my phone and found my Google Translator App. I spoke into the phone to translate to Spanish, “Do you want a free pregnancy test?”
The man nodded, but the woman did not look as eager. Now my guess shifted: the man did not desire the abortion, but the woman did.
Sadly, they didn’t quite understand how to speak Spanish into my google translator and so we gave that up. I called our Spanish counselor, who, praise God, was home and willing to talk with them. At first Connie spoke to the woman while the man and I smiled at each other. Then the woman handed the phone to me. Connie told me the woman did not want to talk about how far along she was or share much information. Connie felt they were going to abort. So I put Connie on speaker phone. I told Connie to ask if the woman believed in God.
At this point, the woman looked down and said something to the man. She looked uncomfortable. I knew the look. She DID believe in God and she knew abortion was wrong. Meanwhile, another counselor stood on the other side of the car looking up the address of the nearby Crisis Pregnancy Center. (Yesterday exemplified team effort from start to finish.)
With Connie on speaker phone, we were jointly able to let them know about all our resources and reasons not to abort. The man was especially excited about our baby showers. He nodded vigorously at me and gave me a thumbs up. I asked if they would now go see the baby at the local pregnancy center and gave them the address. (Due to various reasons, our mobile RV ultrasound unit was not out at the center that day. Typically we can provide that valuable resoure ourself right on the curb of the abortion center) Thankfully, they both nodded, and I repeated, “No aborto!” They both smiled this time.
Still, as they pulled from the curb, we held our breath as they drove slowly by the abortion center driveway. They drove past and we all exhaled. A baby safe!
Another big thrill of the day followed! Another one of our new volunteers, Samantha, gave our brochure for the first time to a driver that stopped for her. She was ecstatic. She has only volunteered with us for a few weeks, and had not yet spoken to the women, nor tried to stop a car and hand out our information. But from that moment on, she became bolder and bolder, calling out to the women and eagerly flagging down cars.
One of the women who stopped and took the literature from Samantha on the way out of the abortion center told her she had not aborted. Now Samantha was unstoppable. She told me that she had been fearful and felt the oppression of the enemy her first few times out with us. But suddenly, the fear vanished and was replaced by a determination to speak boldly for God. She would not let Satan have power over her. She would not give in to a spirit of fear. What a joy to watch this transformation and equipping of those who step out of their comfort zone in obedience to God!!
A third woman left, and told us she had decided not to abort. What a glorious day! And as if it were not wonderful enough, another woman stopped on her way down the street to talk to Cities4Life director, Daniel. She was hoping for a free pregnancy test and was told by a friend that we provided those. Since our RV was not there today, I offered to drive her to the nearby Pregnancy Resource Center. I called them and told them the situation and they said they could see her immediately. I plugged their address in my phone, and saw it was a 12 minute drive.
As we started off, I asked her if we were to crash and die, where would she go: heaven or hell? (I only had 12 minutes so I couldn’t waste much time on small talk.) She confessed that she thought she was going to hell. She had no assurance of whether God loved her or not. What a golden opportunity. I had 12 minutes and I planned to use it wisely. I shared the Gospel.
As I talked about sin and the penalty for sin that must be paid, she grew very sad and somber. She knew she was a sinner, and now thought I was confirming her fear that she was doomed. Then I shared the incredible good news of what Christ did for her on the cross, how He paid the punishment for her sin in her stead. I told her the Bible tells us we can accept what He did on our behalf, repent of our sins, believe and proclaim Jesus as Lord of our life, and our salvation is secure. We are going to heaven if we accept and believe that, and as Romans 10:9 tells us, “Proclaim with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead...”
Her entire demeanor now transformed from despair to hope.
“Do you want to do that?” I asked.
“Yes!!!” She said.
So we prayed as we pulled into the parking lot of the Pregnancy Resoure Center and she asked Jesus to be Lord of her life. I told her the Holy Spirit indwells those who claim Christ, and He would guide her. Knowing the terrible suffering Christ endured on her behalf, even though her sins were washed clean in God’s eyes by her profession of faith, would she want to continue in sin now? No, she told me.
I hugged her and gave her some gifts that I always have in my car. As I drove away, I praised God for His incredible gift of allowing us to be used by Him for such a wonderful task as bringing hope to someone who had thought she had none.
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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.
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