😇😊😌 United we need to be

It is a battle out on the sidewalk in front of an abortion center. I stand in front of Planned parenthood several days a week, every week. There are so many things that go on in this arena. There are so many misunderstandings. I try to think of every angle of communication so that the mothers who are in a crisis situation believe that I am out there along with volunteers to actually help. There are so many lies being proclaimed in the media and in general conversation that it is hard to send the message we are trying to send. That message is truly that we want to help. Wanting to help doesn't mean that we can solve all of the problems that a mother in crisis might have but we can provide some answers and many resources. We can also provide support, kindness and compassion. Interestingly I am finding that I need just as much support. This reassures me that What I am trying to do is important. We all need support. We need it more than ever when we are in a perceived crisis. Sometimes it just takes the chance to talk about our fears out loud. We get inside our heads and sometimes we aren't able to see all the directions we can go but when we have a chance to get our fears out we can start to sort the directions of our life out. I see this over and over when I talk to mothers in crisis. The most common conversation has a pattern. It goes like this. First the woman will approach slowly and apprehensively. The next thing that happens is that they will act as if they are strongly certain that they think that having an abortion is the best decision. After a few minutes of me asking questions the mom will usually start to cry and admit they don't really want to have the abortion. This is what I have come to know. Most mothers do not want to have an abortion, they simply can't see their way through any other option. I feel it is our job to let them know, firstly that we do want to help and secondly that we can. Once I am able to lay out the ways we can help I watch the relief wash over.  

Interestingly I am finding that I am needing  just as much support. So I write this as encouragement to those who come out regularly and for myself to be reminded that these mothers need to see that we are trying to help. The key is opening the door gently but obviously. We can do this with our constant prayer and with our listening to God's prompting and also by encouraging each other…it's good practice.