"So What Do We Do?"

This question was asked regarding abortion after I completed the series here on it.

It's a question that hasn't left me alone.

I haven't answered the question sooner than now because I wanted to give a thoroughly thoughtful answer. It's easy to just throw something out there for the taking, but lives are literally at stake here. My thoughts have not changed drastically since I first read the question, but, yet, I have changed.

I don't imply that I am for abortion, I most assuredly am not. However, it's something I've had to face and ask myself, not abstractly, but quite concretely. At work yesterday I was made aware of a co-workers friends' situation. Her friend is pregnant, and if she carried the child would probably refuse to give it up for adoption. At the same time, she also would probably be too self-absorbed to give it proper care, attention, as so forth. So what do we do? Wouldn't it be better to never let the child go through a tough childhood? In other words: wouldn't it be justifiable in this case to kill the child so it won't have the live the hard life we presume it will have to live if allowed to live?

Various issues were discussed while I mutely went about my work. How could I speak? It didn't directly affect or involve me. Who was I to speak about the decision of another person I don't even know?

But the longer I waited, the more a fire burned inside me: I had to speak.

Think about it: the life of another human being could literally be hanging onto my words and actions how could I be silent?

So what do we do?

• Give the facts. Don't push them down people's throats, but the facts speak for themselves. Not only is the life of another human being at stake (fact), the mother also will suffer consequences of having an abortion (fact).
• Show the pictures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; these have the power to save lives. Don't let the the victims of abortion die in vain. Tell their story so another might live. Their blood cries out from the dumpsters and clinics all around you.
• Do not be silent. Tell others about abortion, the consequences, the alternative options.

I've given speeches on these topics before. That's a wonderful way to get the word out - you reach masses of people all at once. You can also blog about it. I have started a blog dedicated to getting the latest abortion information out in the hands of the public. These methods of helping others understand abortion was easy for me, but don't neglect the face-to-face interaction as well. That, admittedly, is harder for me. I almost didn't speak yesterday, but I'm so glad I did. I may never know if that woman had an abortion or not, but I did what I could to prevent it. I spoke to my co-worker about the situation and got permission to email her information about abortion (much of the same information I presented here). She will pass this information onto her friend.

• Promote adoption: There is no such thing as an unwanted child. Many women feel trapped and consider abortion the only way out of the mess they're in. Many don't realize that hundreds and hundreds of people want children, but are unable to bear any of their own. Adoption allows you to give the unborn life and provide the child with parents who are willing and able and want to care for the child as their own, and you get to live without the guilt of an abortion and the satisfaction of knowing your child is in good hands.
• Pray. The most important thing we can do is pray. Pray for the mothers considering abortion, that they won't go through. Pray for this nation and others alike that abortion will become illegal. Pray for wisdom for those trying to get the message out in the world for the right words to say.

Prayer works and mustn't be neglected, but neither should our actions be neglected. We cannot be silent. We must speak. Their lives depend on us.

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