It takes three, baby.

May 23, 2017

Sometimes God has different roles for sidewalk counselors to fill. We might need to provide prayer support, or counsel, or hand off a client to a resource center. Some days it’s all three.

Two women had stopped their car on the way out of the abortion facility. One of our counselors stepped forward with information and offers of help. After just a few minutes, the women drove off. The counselor told his counseling and prayer partners that the women wanted to go to a local pregnancy resource center, and he would meet her there. He hurried down the sidewalk while the counselors and prayer partners held them all in prayer.

praying

Ten minutes later, a cell phone rang on the sidewalk. The new sidewalk counselor was calling from the pregnancy resource center for help from a more experienced counselor who was also trained to handle intake at the pregnancy resource center. The experienced counselor stepped up to help, but explained it was a two-person job -- one would speak to the expectant mom while the other spoke separately to the "friend" with her who was pushing the abortion.

“But I don’t know what to say!”

“It’s just like being on the street. Listen to what she says and pray for the Holy Spirit to send the words.”

The "newbie" was able to convince the mom’s friend to go to the chapel to talk.

It didn’t take long to find out that the pregnant mom’s friend was very angry. “This baby is ruining all of her plans! What do you know any way? Do you have kids?”

The young counselor took a deep breath. “No, I don’t have kids. I’ve never been married. But a year ago, it wasn’t in my plans for my dad to die. And it wasn’t in my plans to be sitting next to my sister’s hospital bed while she was in a coma. But that’s what happened. Do you have kids?”

“Yes. Three of them.”

“And do you wish that they hadn’t been born?”

“No, of course not. I love them! They’re my babies.”

“So they changed your plans, but they didn’t ruin your plans. Things were just different. If she goes through with the abortion, she’ll hurt herself in a way that will be very hard to heal.”

The two continued to talk until the expectant mom and seasoned counselor joined them. Mom had decided to choose life for her baby! And she had made a follow-up appointment for the next week. No longer angry, the friends embraced. Then there were hugs all around!

hope

God can use us in so many different ways. We just have to say yes to his plans.

By Susan Platt, CPLC Sidewalk Counselor

To learn more about the Catholic Pro-Life Committee's frontline ministry, visit www.prolifedallas.org/sidewalk