The gravel crunched under her feet as she stepped from the cab into the harsh June heat. Her palms were wet—not from the heat, but from something else entirely. Her eyes searched, uncertainty written across her face. Is this the place?
Her appointment time crept closer. Her cab was now gone and the group of men and women nearby looked nice enough. They smiled as she approached. She could ask them.
“Is this the abortion clinic?”
The group was made up of a variety of people representing Love Life Charlotte, Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center, and New Hope Pregnancy Center in Yadkinville. They’d gathered that morning next door to the abortion clinic and planned to walk over to spend time in prayer for the women who would visit the clinic that day—women just like the one who stood before them.
A conversation followed. Would you like an ultrasound? We’d love to talk with you more. Stories were shared and tears were shed. There was brokenness. There were burdens. There was loneliness.
I have to do this. I have to. As she walked the few feet—or was it miles?—toward the clinic, she heard the voices of those who walked with her. Praying. Pleading.
You don’t have to do this, they said. We can help you. We love you.
Could they? She hesitated. Do they?
But she steeled herself and continued forward, the dark doorway yawning before her. Angry weeds poked through cracks in the crumbling walkway. Crumbled. Broken. How fitting.
The door creaked shut behind her and fell into place with a metallic thud. The prayerful voices—once loud and strong—were now muffled.
She was inside.
A Powerful Story
If you’ve never been to the abortion clinic in Greensboro, the scene is sure to shock you. The building is old and dilapidated, the pavement broken, cracked, and overrun with weeds. The tiny sign out front can’t be seen from the road, which is why many women drive back and forth as they search. Many times they find themselves in the church parking lot next door.
And that’s how we met Cheryl*. Some peer advocates chose to stay behind after she disappeared into the clinic. Only a few minutes later, she walked back out of the clinic, unable to follow through with her abortion. She chose life that day.
Advocates took her to lunch and invited a local pastor to join as they ate. They talked and offered this woman practical help and support. They spoke truth to her about the value of life and their desire to walk alongside her through a difficult time.
We rejoiced with Love Life Charlotte and the Yadkinville Center. The darkness that surrounded the clinic had been pierced by a ray of light—a victory—when Cheryl walked out.
A short time later, we heard the news.
Cheryl went back. She chose an abortion.
The War We Wage
What happened that made Cheryl change her mind? She walked away from an abortion clinic once. What led her to go back? Stories such as these are painful and hard to process. We wonder what we could have done differently. We hurt for the difficult days that Cheryl has ahead. We are angry that the dark work of abortion is prevalent in our city.
And in these moments, we must remember the reality presented in Ephesians 6:12:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
The woman who chooses abortion even after we walk alongside of her in support—she’s not our enemy. The doctor who performs multiple abortion procedures a day without batting an eye—he’s not our enemy. The man who tosses money toward his girlfriend for an abortion but won’t even drive her to her appointment—he is not our enemy.
People are never, ever our enemies. And it’s this truth that allows us to press on, even in the midst of pain.
Preparing for Battle
The issue of abortion will always be thick with tension and heavy with hurt. But as we arm ourselves with the love of Christ and posture our hearts with attitudes of constant prayer, we are able to face the dark work of abortion with boldness and truth.
When light shows up, the darkness must flee. And we won’t rest until the dark work of abortion is chased from our city forever.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”When light shows up, the darkness must flee. And we won’t rest until the dark work of abortion is chased from our city forever.” quote=”When light shows up, the darkness must flee. And we won’t rest until the dark work of abortion is chased from our city forever.”]
What You Can Do
If you’d like to learn more about Love Life Triad and our partnership with them beginning later this summer, check out this post here. If you’d like to learn more about the part you can play in standing against abortion and serving women who experience unplanned pregnancy, check out our volunteer page. We’d love to have you join us as we seek to empower women and men to face their unplanned pregnancy without fear.
*Client’s name has been changed.