By Fr. Matt Woodley
Does praying at an abortion clinic do any good? Or is it a waste of time and energy, maybe even a counter-productive way to live out pro-life convictions? I invite you to consider these two stories by our volunteers and decide for yourself.
Michelle’s Story: “I’m a Christian, but…”
“God saved a baby today. Praise the Lord!” Michelle wrote. Here’s the story in her words:
After five women passed by us and entered the abortion clinic in Downers Grove, one couple stopped to talk. The father, John, sounded tentative about the abortion. “We already have four children,” he explained, “and Alice is ready to begin her career.” They both looked sad and uncertain. I said, “You will love your fifth child just as much as your other four, and there is a lot of aid available.”
Alice entered the clinic anyway. One of the sidewalk counselors called out, “Jesus loves both you and your child.” Hearing this, John parked near the clinic. He was willing to keep talking. He told us, “I’m a Christian, but since my wife is carrying the baby, I can’t make the final decision.” Then he tried to text Alice, but she didn’t respond.
I asked if we could pray for him, and he agreed. We prayed that the Holy Spirit would work in Alice’s heart. Immediately after we finished praying, John received a call from her. She had decided not to have the abortion! Knowing that they would need support to stay firm in their decision, I gave John my phone number and asked him to call if they needed help.
God was working inside Alice’s heart beyond anything that we could ever do!
Mark’s Story: The Eighteen-Year-Old Daughter
About a year ago, a man stopped outside the abortion clinic and told us that he’d just dropped off his eighteen-year-old daughter at college.
Eighteen years ago, he and his wife (then girlfriend) were there for an abortion. But a sidewalk volunteer encouraged them to keep their child, and they changed their minds. Now, eighteen years later, he could not have been more thankful.
As he spoke of his daughter, I observed a tenderness in his eyes and voice. How do you capture eighteen years of parenting, eighteen years of first words, first steps, and first dates, all that comes with seeing the world unfold through a child’s eyes? How do you encapsulate the enormity of watching her grow into a college-bound young woman? I imagined him thinking of all the times she put her little hand in his; the countless moments he had as her dad. It all fused into a single realization of what could have been.
As he drove off, he said to us, “Maybe I should come out here and pray with you guys.”
I haven’t seen him since. I wouldn’t know him if I passed him in the aisle at my local store. But, his story made our effort worth it.
Come join us! I invite you to pray with me and other volunteers from Resurrection outside of this clinic in Downers Grove on Saturday, April 1, 9-11am. Questions? Email me at mattwoodley@churchrez.org
Can’t make it this Saturday? You can join volunteers from Rez year-round on Fridays, 8:45-10am or 10-11am. Contact Michelle Lapeyre at booksbb2003@yahoo.com.
Learn more about our sanctity of life ministries here.
