You call yourself pro-life, but I don't see you adopting a special needs child out of the foster care system.
Where are the pro-lifers when Trump puts children in cages?
Sound familiar? I rarely go a day without discovering a new way in which I'm not pro-life enough for some acquaintance of mine (and occasionally people I thought were friends). The ever-expanding list includes several things that are completely NOT pro-life (read about those here). Mostly, though, it is made up of things that people in favor of abortion THINK pro-lifers aren't doing.
Please understand that the only thing you have to do to be pro-life is believe that the law should protect human beings from being intentionally killed from conception to natural death. That is the definition of pro-life. The list of situations in which we find it acceptable to end another person's life should be incredibly short and, "because they are dependent on me," should never be on it. We are not at war with our own offspring. Babies are not trying to hurt us. They have not committed any heinous crimes. We do not get to kill them.
My most recent favorite is this one by Alyssa Horton that talks about what we aren't doing for women. Trying really hard not to assume her motivations, because maybe she really is that ignorant, but for the record, we're doing ALL those things. I'll admit I'm old and I've been in the movement since the 1970's but there isn't anything on that list I haven't personally done except be in the actual delivery room (I would if someone asked). My best friend in high school had two kids before we graduated. I went to prenatal classes with her for moral support. I've shared my tiny apartment with another girl who was tossed out of her parent's home for refusing to have an abortion and then my parents took in that baby's daddy when he was briefly homeless because the baby forced him to change all of his life plans. I've bought diapers and formula and stayed up all night with the single mom when her baby was in the hospital. I have babysat so a single mom could get a break or go to class or job interview. I've lost track of how many kids I'm not biologically related to who call me Aunt.
I'm not bragging. The other reality of being a pro-lifer for four decades is that I know I'm not special. Before pregnancy centers were everywhere, most of us just did these things on our own, from our own pockets, without a moment's hesitation. We were never ignorant of how hard pregnancy can be and how issues like disability or poverty could make a situation seem impossible. Most of us were mothers. Most of us were poor or working class. Lots of us had been told that we should have abortions. Some of us had listened.
Now, we have whole networks of people who dedicate themselves to meeting the needs of pregnant women in difficult situations. As a trained Sidewalk Advocate for Life and 40 Days for Life leader I have access to resources I would not have dared dream of a decade ago. The pregnancy center I work with does so much more than free pregnancy tests and crisis counseling. We match clients with volunteers who walk with them for at least a year AFTER baby is born. All that personal stuff Alyssa thinks we aren't doing, they do. Also, we provide prenatal vitamins, maternity clothes, baby clothes, diapers, cribs, formula, high chairs and car seats. We have parenting classes. We have mentors for men who want to be good fathers but are not sure they know how. We connect women without insurance to free or reduced fee maternity care. There are funds I can access for a woman with that will pay her back rent or utilities today and help her find appropriate financial support or a better job for the future.
What about the really hard cases? Well, I can put a woman who has been abused on the phone with a specialized counselor who can connect her to local exit and shelter services or if she's in immediate danger, the police. If a victim of sexual abuse agrees to talk to me, I can put her on the phone with another mother from rape who knows exactly what she's going through. If she's coming out of our facility, which only does medical abortions (the so-called abortion pill) when she talks to me, I can give her the number of a doctor who does abortion pill reversals right here. He will see her immediately.
If all that fails, I have information on post abortion healing right there on the sidewalk. I can connect her to a trained local counselor or a specialized national group that will walk with her through the process of repentance and forgiveness. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my heart to connect her to love and compassion and hope. I will sit next to her at the memorial service for the unborn while she mourns her baby. I've done that before, too.
If you are pro-life and all this stuff is news to you, I encourage you to connect with your local pregnancy center. There are around 3000 of them U.S. and most can be found pretty easily on Google or at Care-Net.org. While volunteering and financial support are always appreciated, just knowing their name and phone number can save lives.
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