Sometimes all it takes to save a baby from abortion is one person, even a stranger, telling the mother not to do it.
This morning, as we stood outside an FPA Women’s Health abortion clinic, a woman walked up to the door with her three- or four-year-old daughter, but stopped when she saw our signs, one of which showed the unborn baby pictured above. She stared at the two signs, one showing a living baby and the other an aborted baby, and then turned to the sidewalk counselor and asked, “What do you suggest?”
The sidewalk counselor gave her information about abortion, including a list of local resources. The woman asked about the abortion pill and said she was 9 weeks pregnant. As they spoke, the sidewalk counselor pointed out that the living baby pictured on the sign was just about the same age as the baby inside the woman. The woman then turned to her daughter and pointed to the photo, telling her daughter that that was what her brother or sister looked like. She expressed several times her reluctance to have an abortion.
But after further conversation, she continued into the clinic.
A few minutes later, she came out and told the sidewalk counselor decidedly, “I can’t do it.” And she left.
People say that 80% of life is showing up. Similarly, 80% of sidewalk counseling is showing up. Just being there is the most important part.
The mother this morning was clearly conflicted, but would likely have gone through with the abortion if no one was outside advocating for the life of her child.
Would you like to be trained in sidewalk counseling? Check out our beginner’s guide to sidewalk counseling in our resources section or contact us about scheduling an in-person training. We can do a classroom-style presentation or a learning-by-doing training at an abortion facility – or both. How can we help you save lives at your local abortion facility?
