At the Mill: 04-13-13

Cold and windy! I dressed warmer this time. :)

A LOT of my friends/church family came out that Saturday! Pastor Mark, his daughter Elizabeth, Bonnita, Christina and her two year old Christian, Rachel and her dad. Danae told me earlier in the week she would like to come down soon. She and her S-I-L Charity (who came down with her sister Elizabeth a couple months ago) drove down that morning from Canton! They left about 5:30 in the morning!

Fellow SWC included Mark, Angie, Marybeth, Tracy, Paul was there for a bit, a couple friars came too.

Little Christian being a testimony to the fruit of the womb

I met a couple new people out there too! When I first got there, I was in the back alley and heard some yelling coming from up front, so I ran up there to see what was going on. Pastor Dunfee was on the sidewalk pleading to those in the waiting room. He was speaking words of life, and calling to mind how much these men and women's lives will change if they murder their baby. I gave him a high five. So excited to have someone out there speaking with urgency!
He is a Pastor in Warsaw. He used to come out to Founders on a regular basis. There is a strip club in his community that he goes to on Friday nights to witness to people out there. Between doing that, then getting up early to come to Founders (it's about an hour drive for him) wore him out. So he's back at it, just once a month now.

I felt like I was all over the place, trying to keep track of all my friends! Pastor Mark dove right in and everyone he was able to talk to, he told them about his adopted boy, Valiant.
Valiant's biological mom was in law school, already had a child and was abortion minded. She went to a clinic to have an abortion, but someone out on the sidewalk was able to talk with her and tell her about adoption. The day he was born, their family packed up and drove down to South Carolina to get him from the hospital! He has brothers and sisters that love him and he has a good life!

Charity, Bonnita, Danae were in the back alley trying to talk to the employees. A lot of cold hearted women.

4 human beings are present in this picture. :)

I'm not ready to talk to the employees yet, or the abortionist- Harvey Blank. I don't know why, I'm just not ready. Not that they pay attention anyway.

Mr. Sunshine came back with his wife/girlfriend for an abortion. I pleaded for them to not do this as they walked to the front door. The woman went inside as he stayed out to smoke. I asked him why he came back. He started yelling and cussing at me. He's not pregnant, he's not here for an abortion, why can't I leave him the %^*% alone. I replied, "But your girl is in there, I'm trying to help your girl!". He started to say he was going to come down there (threatening tone). I felt the bear that is my pastor come up behind me and the man stepped back. Love my pastor.

It is SO hard for me to be gracious with people like that. I bristle up and want to fight back.

I was thankful for Pastor Mark's sermon that following Sunday. "There but for the grace of God, go I." I think that quote is by John Bunyan.
It really is true!! These people are without the grace and mercy of God in their lives. How my heart should ache for them! How I should reach out to them in love and compassion and offer the only Hope we have in this world: Jesus Christ!!

Pastor Mark and Elizabeth. She was not wanting to pose for the picture

Pastor Mark reminded us all we would be going into an abortion mill, we would be on the street corner, we would be at the bar... But by God's AMAZING GRACE He called us out of that darkness!

SO, the Lord is continually teaching me that as I'm down there on the sidewalk.

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On Monday, the 15th, Bonnita and I attended Greater Columbus Right to Life Celebration of Sidewalk Counselors.
I saw many familiar faces there! We were all laughing because we're not used to seeing each other in normal clothes. We're always in our "sidewalk garb" when we are together.

Paul and Tamra spoke about their experiences being involved in this ministry. I really appreciated them sharing 1 Corinthians 3:7- So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

We had Father Wagner talk to us about getting outside our comfort zones- because being out on the sidewalk will most certainly do that!

THEN... I was asked to share my experiences. Beth encouraged me that I wasn't giving a speech, but sharing with friends. :) There were maybe 20 ish people in attendance. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Anyway, here is what I shared with them:

I would like to thank Beth for giving me this opportunity to share my experiences with you all tonight.

First, I would like to give a brief background on how I ended up on the sidewalk at Founders :

I am a member of a Reformed, Family Integrated church in Washington Courthouse. My pastor and his wife encouraged me to see how our church could get more involved in the fight for the unborn. A lot of research later, I found out it was called “sidewalk counseling”. After a quick Google search on SWC, Greater Columbus Right to Life popped up. I checked their calendar, saw there was a group out at Founders on Saturdays,  showed up and have been coming since a couple weeks before Christmas!

How do I wrap up my experiences in a short time frame?

Well, it really is impossible, but I will do my best. J

I have really enjoyed talking to folks who are just passing by. Some think it’s a woman’s right to have an abortion, but most people I have spoke with are devastated by what goes on in the building. One man in particular, Mr. Ralph, passes by at least once a day. Last week he asked me how our praying was going. I told him there are a lot of people praying! He thanked me for talking with him.

One of the hardest things for me has been seeing women come out after they had an abortion. The reality sinks in of what just happened. She was pregnant when she went in there, and now she’s not. One woman looked sick and could not walk very well as she came out. Some women are an emotional wreck, but I would say the majority walk out with their heads hung low in shame and guilt. The reality they murdered their precious baby is more apparent now.

How has being a sidewalk counselor changed me?

It has really changed how I look at people in general. I smile more when interacting with people at the gas station, or grocery store. Everyone has their own story, their own journey they are on. How can I be a Light, how can I help them? I have come to believe children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord, but more so now- what a treasure they truly are. I wonder about these children, and how they came into this world. Were their parents excited when they found out they were going to have a child? Did they consider abortion? Were they worried or afraid of being a parent? Had they been trying to conceive for a while?
I also wonder what the child’s worldview is. Will he or she grow up to value life? Will they see abortion as an option or an abomination? Will it all be relative, or something unthinkable?

About 10 years ago, I took my friend to Planned Parenthood on East Main St. We both knew it was wrong, and killing a baby. She couldn’t see any other way. No one was out on the sidewalk to offer her hope. No one was out there to confront me of being an accomplice in murder.

But there are now.

Abortion will end when ALL God’s people rise up to defend those being taken away to the slaughter.

We go out to the sidewalk to fight the Lord’s battle against the seed of the serpent. The Good News is that the gates of hell will NOT prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ. We need to meet Jesus there, out on the front lines.

Onward Christian Soldiers.


That's all for now!