Our city council recently passed a buffer quiet zone ordinance prohibiting amplified sound within 150 feet of medical facilities, schools, and churches. It was all a big smokescreen to prevent amplified sound from being used in front of the three local abortion centers. One of the brave city council members who voted against it was quite vocal in saying this was the case. He saw it as a sneaky subterfuge to silence the first amendment rights of the peaceful pro-life group offering hope and help in front of the abortion centers. Our presence affects their profit margin. I’m pretty sure they don’t like that at all.
Despite a huge outcry from the pro-life community, the ordinance passed and went into effect Monday, October 1. For the ordinance to be applied, the facilities are required to post a sign declaring themselves a quiet zone. As far as I know, not a single school, church, hospital, or legitimate health care facility posted such a sign. Only the abortion centers. Notice the photograph of the professional sign posted at the “health center” where 20-50 babies lose their lives every day but Sunday. You would think with the millions they make off of the extermination of little people that they would spring for a professionally produced sign, but they probably need to save their money for all their “health” promotion.
Of course, the ‘pro-choice’ side was gleeful. As the women streamed in for abortions, the ‘pro-choice’ escorts went on, business as usual. They approached the cars with amplified music blaring under umbrellas they carry to block us. They smiled at the young man who blasted his car radio to drown us out as we called out with our un-amplified voices to offer baby showers and myriad resources, free ultrasounds, free mentorship programs, the truth of fetal development, and the clear Biblical truth regarding sanctity of life.
Fortunately, our director is well versed on the ordinance and our rights. He summoned the police. After they examined the ordinance and likely consulted with superiors, the car owner was told to shut off his blasting car radio. The umbrella ladies were told to silence their music. We had a clear quiet zone to call out to the women who have been deceived into believing abortion will solve anything or that taking an innocent baby’s life is a valid answer to struggles.
At the end of the day, a woman who was meeting a friend was cutting through the parking lot. She approached me immediately as I called out to her. She was not there for an abortion but was just cutting through from a neighborhood behind the center. As soon as I told her what we were there for, her eyes teared. I immediately knew she had an abortion in her past. When I asked, she began crying in earnest and I urged her to come to a quiet place across the street to talk with me. She told me a terrible tale of rape that led her to abort. And then she broke down. The abortion had not healed the trauma but in fact, had made it worse. She was filled with remorse, self-revulsion, suicidal despair, and deep shame. She knew God, but she did not know how she could be forgiven.
Out of my own past and sorrow, God had brought me to a place where I could minister to this grieving woman. After five years of suffering from what she had done, now she listened as I shared the truth of the Gospel. I didn’t sugarcoat abortion. There is no healing if terrible sin is not recognized for what it is. She knew that. I spoke of sin, repentance, confession which leads to forgiveness through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, and upon following that process, the creator of the universe would love and heal her. Her tears flowed and then she threw her arms around me and thanked me. I gave her a list of abortion recovery programs in our area, as well as my name and number. “Call me anytime if you want to talk.”
No blaring music trying to cover up the horror and sin of abortion ever healed her soul. “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,”
Isaiah 30:15
Praise God for that quiet zone.
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