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| Sidewalk counselors pass out roses, along with information, to women as they drive up to the clinic. Very effective! |
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| Not as intimidating as the fence in Bryan, but still definitely a barrier to reaching out to these women. |
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| This was one of my attempts at discreetly taking pictures of the encounter. |
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| Definitely one of my favorite sidewalk counseling pictures EVER! |
Hi Laura. Long time, no see! Welcome to STL. It's a good city. Enjoy it. We'll be moving at the beginning of August for Ted's vicarage and I know I will miss it!
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely against murder(abortion), obviously, but I have also long been 100% against standing outside Planned Parenthood to hold signs, pray, hand things out, etc., because of the bad connotation it imparts. I've always thought that doing such things would greatly reduce (if not destroy) any chance I have of reaching people associated with abortion for Christ. In my experience (mostly as a barista behind a coffee bar and as a church worker), people really don't care about what you think or believe until they know you care about them.
Have you found much fruit in building relationships with hurting men and women through
standing outside PP, abortion clinics, etc.? Have you seen people turn from their sin and repent, right there on the sidewalk, or perhaps weeks/months/years later as a result of a relationship that began on the sidewalk over a tract or a sign?
Please understand that I am genuinely curious (not trying to attack!) about your five years of experience and what wisdom you have gained as a result of it. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Hello! Thanks for the question! I have been praying and sidewalk counseling in front of Planned Parenthood clinics for five years. I, personally, have not had any conversations with women that I know have resulted in someone choosing Life or Christ. I have handed information to a mother of woman about to get an abortion who, with tears in her eyes, thanked me for being there and asked me to pray that her daughter would change her mind or find healing if she didn't. I have been praying at the clinic when a sidewalk counselor was able to convince a woman to get a pregnancy center at our office rather than at Planned Parenthood. And I have personally met the former director of the Bryan Planned Parenthood clinic (where I was trained and prayed the last five years) who left her job and joined with the Coalition for Life because she knew they cared about her and the women at the clinic.
ReplyDeleteWe know from reports from 40 Days for Life campaigns around the country that women DO respond to us being out there and that lives are saved! In the ten national (and international) campaigns that have been held since 2007, we know of 5,928 babies who were saved, 69 abortion workers who have left their jobs, and 23 abortion clinics that have closed immediately following a 40 Days for Life campaign. I have heard literally hundreds of stories through my extended network of sidewalk counselors about women who have chosen life, convinced a friend to choose life or found healing after a past abortion because of a direct encounter with a sidewalk counselor. The people I have counseled with are some of the most loving, caring, and committed people I have ever met and I believe that they are truly doing the work of God.
Sidewalk counselors are sometimes the last person to give a kind word or an appeal to life to a woman who is about to have an abortion. We are sometimes the only person who will tell her that she doesn't have to make this choice and that she has other options. We may be the only ones to let her know the physical and emotional risks of her decision, not just to the baby she carries, but to herself and her own body. We NEVER judge, never yell, never harass, and never condemn anyone at an abortion clinic. When I counsel on non-abortion days I always start with introducing myself then offer them information on cheaper and safer health alternatives to Planned Parenthood. I then let her know that I am praying for her and wish her a blessed day. On ultrasound and abortion days, the tone is a little different. I still introduce myself and ask how she is doing. I then let her know that no matter what is going on in her life, she does not have to go into Planned Parenthood today. I tell her that I am waiting to help her in anyway that I can and that I am praying for her. I also let her know that no matter what she decides, God still loves her and that we will still be there for her, praying and ready to assist her in any way that we can. Over the years, we have seen that this loving method truly does work.
To give you an idea about the success of sidewalk counseling and praying in front of abortion clinics, check out these websites: 40daysforlife.com, coalitionforlife.com, and sidewalkcounseling.com. I would also encourage you to learn about Abby Johnson, the former clinic director I talked about earlier. She has a website, abbyjohnson.org, and has also written a book about her conversion, called Unplanned. If you have any question about the success of sidewalk counseling, that book addresses it.
DeleteI will let you know that when I was first asked to pray in front of Planned Parenthood, I was absolutely against it. I thought it was the wrong approach and I didn't want people to think I was judging them. After being not-so-gently encouraged by my pastor to try it out and participate, my reluctance quickly turned to enthusiasm and I have no doubt in my mind that I was called to that sidewalk each and every time I was out there.
If you have any other questions or would like to talk some more, please let me know! We could definitely meet for coffee or something before you move and I could share some more specific experiences.
Blessings to you!
Laura
P.S. You could also check out this link... you might recognize the person in the video :) http://coalitionforlife.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=229