Teresa called me late Monday night asking if she could join me side-walk counseling the next morning. That morning I had found out that Jennifer and Mike weren't going to be able to make it, but I said that with Teresa there, we should be okay. So, we almost didn't go out that day (but, I should have known then that something special was going to happen because it worked out so perfectly that we were able to go).

Teresa and I were about to leave at 11:00 am and closed with some final prayers when we saw a car pause waiting for traffic to pass. This car was turning into the center we decided to stay. We both approached the car and gave them our information. I looked up and saw another car that was turning in and told Teresa to keep talking to the people in the first car and I'll get the second car.

The young lady in the second car called across the street asking, "Do you know where the health clinic is?" I replied that there was a clinic down the block, (a retirement clinic) and Medical City was off of 75, about 5 minutes away. She frowned and I asked, "Are you looking for the abortion clinic?" She called back a "yes". I told her it was right here, but I told her, "I have some valuable information for you before you go in though." We waited for traffic to clear and she pulled into the driveway (the car Teresa was speaking with had by this time gone in).

Because there were two young women in the front seat, I couldn't be sure who was coming for the clinic, so I talked to them both. I told them of the harm abortion does to women and the help the White Rose offers. They sat quietly listening, so I kept talking. I don't remember all of what I said, but I knew I had to keep talking to them about anything and I brought in God and the importance of having faith. I was almost going to step away when I noticed a little boy in the back seat. This gave me new hope and I asked about him.

It turned out that the woman driving was coming for an abortion and her friend was in the passenger seat. The child belonged to her friend and she lit up when I asked her about him. They were both Christian and I said to her friend, "You must know what a great blessing children bring to our lives."

She nodded and pulled out some paper by her seat. It was an Internet printout of aborted babies. She said she had been showing it to her friend and brought her son in the car with her to try to stop her friend. At this time a car was honking from the street to go into the clinic, so I told them they could park and come out and talk to me some more. With a last thought I blurted, "The White Rose is just 10 min away and you can follow me there if you like."

They pulled in and Teresa and I waited and prayed. After about 10 min we weren't sure if we should stay or go and prayed some more and decided to go. We started walking away and I turned to glance back and saw that her friend was walking over to us.

She said, "My friend is crying in the car and really upset, would you mind coming to talk to her again?"

I told her that I'd love to speak with her more, but I can't step on the property. I told her they could park closer to where we were by the building and we could speak. Her friend walked away and we waited. Finally their car pulled around to the entrance and her friend was driving. She rolled down her window and said, "I'll follow you to the White Rose."

The Holy Spirit did some serious action that morning because I have never asked for someone to follow me, and that day I did. We got them checked into the White Rose, we talked/prayed some more, and Teresa and I went out to lunch to celebrate!

The next story is a bit different. A very young couple parked at the abortion center and the girl came over to me a little curious about what we were doing. I told her about the White Rose next door. The guy was dawdling at the car getting dressed, pulling his shoes and belt on.

He looked over at us sarcastically and I asked her if that was the father. She looked at him with a similar look and nodded. There was tension between them and it was apparent. He called her back over and she started walking in with him. I called out that, "No one has the right to force her to do this, this was her baby. Her baby to love." She stopped ,looked at him and said, "You hear her? You're taking me over to that clinic and we're goin now!"

He kind of slunk around just following her, trying to be cool as she walked back over to me. I walked them into the White Rose, spoke to her and then spoke to him more after she had gone in.

It's been a very growing and prayerful summer!

Submitted by McKenna
Catholic Pro-Life Committee Sidewalk Counseling Summer Intern
August 8, 2006

Labels: Sidewalk Counseling stories