Appearances
by Fredi
While I was waiting for one of the killing center's victims to exit the car she arrived in, I noticed her putting on lipstick. My first thought was that she might be one of those cold-hearted ones. Then when she got out and I saw the way she was dressed, I was even more concerned. She had a lot of skin showing and tattoos. I approached her in the same way as I do everyone. She listened intently with a quizzical look. I noticed that she was looking at the logo on my jacket seemingly trying to determine what it was. Then she asked if I was a father. Yet another thought crossed my mind. I figured she would soon be telling me that this is none of my business. I replied with "yes I am a father" and went on to explain why I was giving her literature and why she should go to the pregnancy resource center that I was recommending. She responded with "thank you father" as she extended her hand to shake mine and then turned to walk toward the entrance of the building. It was then that I realized she thought I was a priest. I stood there a little stunned over that as I watched her enter the killing center.
After a while I noticed her standing in the parking lot. I called out to her asking if she was thinking about it. It was difficult to hear her because of our distance and the street noise, but we managed to converse for a little while. I told her to come and talk to us, but she didn't come over. I asked her if she prayed and recommended that she go for a walk and pray. I told her that she would get the right answer if she asked the question. She said that she had given birth to a child once before and that her life was messed up and that she wasn't very healthy. I told her that whatever problems she had, she could be helped. I also told her that if she couldn't raise her child, someone would adopt her child. Thinking that she might be concerned about the child’s health, I said that no mater what was wrong, no matter how bad things were, there would be no justification for taking the child's life. I also told her that if she had had an abortion in the past, the people at the PRC could help her to heal. She said "thank you father" and our conversation ended.
I walked over to my partner and after commenting that she was very pretty, I felt that I had to tell her that. I called out to her and asked if she had looked in a mirror lately. I told her that if she did, she would see a beautiful face and realize what a beautiful child she was carrying. Shortly after, she went back in.
After a while she came out again and I thought she was leaving. I asked her what she was thinking. She said "well I'm not in there anymore, I'm out here, what do you want to talk about" or something like that. I asked if she had read any of the literature and she said that she had read it all. I asked if she had any questions, but she didn't. I emphasized that she needed to go to the PRC. She said that she didn't have any money. I told her that everything would be free including prenatal care for the first six months of her pregnancy. She told me that she would be homeless if a friend hadn't taken her in. I told her that the PRC might be able to help her with housing. I also told her that what they couldn't help her with, my wife and I and my friends would.
She had been dropped off and I had taken public transportation so we didn't have a car to go to the PRC. I suggested we that begin walking and try to flag down a cab along the way. She, with all that skin exposed, was cold so I gave her my jacket to wear. As soon as we began to walk, I informed her that I was not a priest and explained that I was a father of a child in Heaven who had not survived an ectopic pregnancy. I pointed out that abortion doesn't make parents non-parents; it makes them parents of a dead child. She seemed to understand.
When we got across the street I said that I should have given my partner my remaining literature packets. She said to go ahead and even offered to run back and give them to him. I went ahead and did so as she waited for me.
As we continued our walk we talked about our faith. We also talked about post abortion syndrome and the need of healing. She said that she was in need of such healing. She revealed that she had been pregnant with twins a year ago and that one of the babies had died without her knowing for a while. Tragically, after she found out about the death of her child, she aborted the other twin.
Before we knew it we were at the PRC. Although I always try not to judge by appearances, I succumbed once again on this day. Fortunately I was reminded to try harder in the future and never to underestimate the Holy Spirit.
While I was waiting for one of the killing center's victims to exit the car she arrived in, I noticed her putting on lipstick. My first thought was that she might be one of those cold-hearted ones. Then when she got out and I saw the way she was dressed, I was even more concerned. She had a lot of skin showing and tattoos. I approached her in the same way as I do everyone. She listened intently with a quizzical look. I noticed that she was looking at the logo on my jacket seemingly trying to determine what it was. Then she asked if I was a father. Yet another thought crossed my mind. I figured she would soon be telling me that this is none of my business. I replied with "yes I am a father" and went on to explain why I was giving her literature and why she should go to the pregnancy resource center that I was recommending. She responded with "thank you father" as she extended her hand to shake mine and then turned to walk toward the entrance of the building. It was then that I realized she thought I was a priest. I stood there a little stunned over that as I watched her enter the killing center.
After a while I noticed her standing in the parking lot. I called out to her asking if she was thinking about it. It was difficult to hear her because of our distance and the street noise, but we managed to converse for a little while. I told her to come and talk to us, but she didn't come over. I asked her if she prayed and recommended that she go for a walk and pray. I told her that she would get the right answer if she asked the question. She said that she had given birth to a child once before and that her life was messed up and that she wasn't very healthy. I told her that whatever problems she had, she could be helped. I also told her that if she couldn't raise her child, someone would adopt her child. Thinking that she might be concerned about the child’s health, I said that no mater what was wrong, no matter how bad things were, there would be no justification for taking the child's life. I also told her that if she had had an abortion in the past, the people at the PRC could help her to heal. She said "thank you father" and our conversation ended.
I walked over to my partner and after commenting that she was very pretty, I felt that I had to tell her that. I called out to her and asked if she had looked in a mirror lately. I told her that if she did, she would see a beautiful face and realize what a beautiful child she was carrying. Shortly after, she went back in.
After a while she came out again and I thought she was leaving. I asked her what she was thinking. She said "well I'm not in there anymore, I'm out here, what do you want to talk about" or something like that. I asked if she had read any of the literature and she said that she had read it all. I asked if she had any questions, but she didn't. I emphasized that she needed to go to the PRC. She said that she didn't have any money. I told her that everything would be free including prenatal care for the first six months of her pregnancy. She told me that she would be homeless if a friend hadn't taken her in. I told her that the PRC might be able to help her with housing. I also told her that what they couldn't help her with, my wife and I and my friends would.
She had been dropped off and I had taken public transportation so we didn't have a car to go to the PRC. I suggested we that begin walking and try to flag down a cab along the way. She, with all that skin exposed, was cold so I gave her my jacket to wear. As soon as we began to walk, I informed her that I was not a priest and explained that I was a father of a child in Heaven who had not survived an ectopic pregnancy. I pointed out that abortion doesn't make parents non-parents; it makes them parents of a dead child. She seemed to understand.
When we got across the street I said that I should have given my partner my remaining literature packets. She said to go ahead and even offered to run back and give them to him. I went ahead and did so as she waited for me.
As we continued our walk we talked about our faith. We also talked about post abortion syndrome and the need of healing. She said that she was in need of such healing. She revealed that she had been pregnant with twins a year ago and that one of the babies had died without her knowing for a while. Tragically, after she found out about the death of her child, she aborted the other twin.
Before we knew it we were at the PRC. Although I always try not to judge by appearances, I succumbed once again on this day. Fortunately I was reminded to try harder in the future and never to underestimate the Holy Spirit.
1 Comments:
At 9:26 PM,
Fredi said…
Very encouraging! I talked to a couple today, who ended up sitting in my car for ten minutes discussing their decision. They got out and told me that they wanted to go talk to the abortion center staff, "just to see what they would say." Well, I told them all I could tell them and let them go their way. I don't know the outcome, but I'm sure they'll never forget the man who handed his car keys to total strangers. I hope they chose wisely. God Bless you! Michael
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