Today at Hillcrest Women's Medical Clinic in Harrisburg, we were doing sidewalk advocacy once more. There are highs doing this work. Good Friday was a high - we got to help a woman choose life that day! There are also lows doing this work.
This morning I had a woman flip me off, another blew smoke from her cigarette in my face as she ignored my offer of help, another woman told me to "F*** off!" as she got something out of her car, and another woman said that I must have "some kind of mental problem."
More depressing than all of these things, though, is the fact that five children were aborted today by RU-486.* We were reminded of the deaths taking place inside Hillcrest today when the Bio-Haz truck came to pick up the "medical waste."
This is a dark place spiritually. Last week we heard about a woman screaming during her abortion, and learned that the other people in the waiting room can hear those horrible sounds of life being destroyed. Women and men who go inside often come out in physical and emotional torment.
The man who drives the Bio-Haz truck has started to form a relationship with us over the past several months. The first time he came, he introduced himself to my friends and let them know that he has served our country in the armed forces.
When I first met Andy**, he told me that he generally doesn't support abortion, but sometimes it is the right thing to do. His body language and words indicated that he has had an abortion himself (either paying for it, or has had his own child aborted) sometime in the past. He was using language to justify that decision.
After that first encounter, he didn't speak to me about abortion, or about anything else, for a month. Today he broke that silence and spoke to me again. He said, "I guess that was you in the traffic this morning."
Apparently Andy had been on 81 driving into Harrisburg at the same time as I was. He noticed my car, and asked me why I have VA license plates. (Because I am still domiciled in VA, and intend/expect to return there when I get a legal job.) As well as seeing my VA plates, I'm sure that he saw my pro-life bumper stickers and the prominent sign I have proclaiming that "All People Are Made in the Image of God." I pray that Andy and I can get to know each other, and that he will get a job that doesn't force him to come to this dark place. I pray that he finds healing for any abortion that he may have been involved with in the past. I pray, of most importance, that he believes and receives Jesus Christ.
Coming to this dark place is hard, even for those who do have Jesus Christ. What makes it possible is the prayer support
that we have. Thank you to everyone who is praying for us. Those prayers make a difference.
Two of our supporters and fellow advocates for life came to pray for us while we were there today. These ladies are from the Harrisburg YWAM base. This ministry focuses on international gospel ministries, but also serves locally. They prayed over the whole Undefeated Courage ministry, and also prayed specifically for us as sidewalk advocates.
One thing that they said is that God is faithful, and his faithfulness is demonstrated in the beautiful tree that overhangs Hillcrest. Not trying to stretch this too far, I did want to point out that the beauty of spring is manifesting all around us these days. Life is bursting out all around Hillcrest. The goslings from last week is one example. We have also seen many song birds flying around the alley. Flowers are growing on trees and in every patch of dirt near the Undefeated Courage garage.
Life is victorious, even in the dark places. As spring follows winter, so God is faithful to bring new life.
I was thinking of a quote by Sophie Scholl as I stood at the abortion facility today. Sophie Scholl was a young woman growing up in Germany under the Third Reich. She and her brother and cousin, inspired by their Christian faith, wrote against the Nazi policies. They were called the White Rose Society. Sophie was convicted of treason and executed. She was just 21 years old. I think there are so many parallels between the horrors of the Nazis and the horrors of abortion. This quote reminds me of God's faithfulness.
Isn't it bewildering … that everything is so beautiful, despite all the horrors that exist? Lately I've noticed something grand and mysterious peering into my sheer joy in all that is lovely — the sense of a Creator whom innocent creation worships with its beauty. Only man can be hateful or ugly, because he possesses a free will to cut himself off from the chorus of praise. It often seems that he will succeed in drowning out this chorus with his cannon thunder, curses, and blasphemy. But it has become clear to me this spring that he cannot. And so I must try to throw myself on the side of the victor.
- Sophie Scholl
These beautiful flowers remind me that the Creator will not be drowned out. He is the victor. I will throw myself on his side.
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. - Psalm 139:12
*There is still a chance to reverse the abortion even after the woman takes the first dose in the RU-486 abortion process. To learn more, go to www.abortionpillreversal.com. **Not his real name.