FROM LINDA
Dear fellow warriors for life,
There are always mixed feelings after spending a morning on an abortion day at Planned Parenthood. Just knowing that people are actually killing innocent babies in the building before you brings emotions like helplessness and pain. Then, beholding the deep deception of escorts and workers who actually believe they are doing a service to men and women by doing their part in the killing of the children, is beyond comprehension. One top of that, because Planned Parenthood is located down the street from the Salvation Army, homeless people trying to get a meal and maybe a bed for the night line the streets and many times drift over to those of us ministering, looking for a hand out. What a climate for ministering! What a climate for reaching out on many fronts. How we must rely on the Holy Spirit to bring wisdom and discernment as we try to be the Lord’s hands and feet!
There are also other feelings of great joy as we meet weekly with likeminded brothers and sisters in Christ who love Him, the poor and deceived, and one another. We encourage and strengthen each other in the Lord, and are filled once again with His Spirit to be able to continue fighting the good fight of faith. The Lord is good, and we praise Him.
Possible save. . .
This day started with a young woman who drove past Bentley, myself, and Isa (and my young grand daughter, Nadia). She was followed by a young man who stopped and talked to first Bentley and then myself. He told us that he was meeting his girlfriend, who quickly walked over (with an escort) to direct him to park the car. He was nice and thoughtful. It was obviously the young woman’s choice to have the abortion. As they walked into the building, Isa cried out to them to reconsider. (See pictures.) We all did what we could and then gave them to the Lord. We praise Him. For within minutes, they exited the building, got into their car and drove off – the young man giving a polite wave. We praise the Lord; for whatever reason, their child was not killed today.
I had another encounter with a young man who was walking back and forth in the front of the building. When I approached him, he said that he was not here for an abortion. Later, Bentley and I saw him sitting outside the back of the building with a young woman. We prayed that they were reconsidering. We called out to them. (I think he lied to me.) I was also able to give out literature to a young woman who was dropped off in the front.
Encounter with David . . .
We always pray for discernment when we are approached by the homeless people. Many of them are regulars we know by name. However, this day, a young man we had never seen before was just hanging out in front of PP and was obviously in a bad way. I was immediately drawn to him. By his outward appearance, he looked like he was mentally and physically challenged – he walked with a limp and it was clear he had pathetically wet his pants. I went to him and asked what was his situation. He told me that he had spina bifida and he had to wear diapers. With diapers in a bag in his hand, he shared that he was so embarrassed that he had an odor and couldn’t get changed. He wanted to get into the Salvation Army, but had no money. He hadn’t eaten in three days. I believed him; he looked terrible. Paula, who was standing near, and I gave him money for food and three nights at the Salvation Army. I encouraged him to get into the program and get the help he needed. He had admitted that he had a drug problem and his parents were done with him. He told me that he was a believer. I believed him in that as well. He hugged me and I kissed him on his cheek and prayed that he would get the help he needed. I started to cry and told him that he needed to trust the Lord to the end – that someday he would get a new body and the pain of this life would be over. Stench and all, he was precious to me – I knew that had to be the Lord’s grace. My heart breaks for him still as I write this now. His name is David.
Encounter with Christine . . .
Then there was our regular, Christine, who always makes her rounds. She usually has a wily smile and continually asks for money. But this day was different. She could hardly talk. She had a nasty bruise on her eye, and had absolutely nothing on her top except for a towel that covered her breasts. I just looked at her and asked her what was going on – that she looked terrible. She told me that she didn’t know what had happened, but that she needed help. I guessed that she was on drugs. She said she couldn’t talk because she was terribly thirsty. Probably the effects of the drugs. But, I just praise the Lord because I had her follow me to my car where I happened to have a bottle of water, and in my bag that was going to the mission I had one lady’s top. I helped her get it on and she thanked me and then walked off.
Once again, we had some wonderful new people that the Lord led to the gates of hell of abortion at Planned Parenthood. (See pictures) Hearts are being moved to join the battle for life. My little nine=year-old granddaughter, Nadia, was dressed and ready to go with me this morning. She is brokenhearted about the thought of people aborting precious babies and was eager to all she could to save them. Bentley’s friend, Sierra, and her mother joined us. They both stood and wept as they witnessed men and women enter PP bent on killing their children. It is quite raw when you first encounter such horror. But the Lord is good and we praise Him for opening our and others’ eyes and hearts.
We had some very good prayer times this day, and you could feel the Holy Spirit this morning.
Our faithful counselors, Margaret and Bentley will give their accounts. God bless all of our counselors, prayer warriors and sign holders.
In Jesus name,
Linda
FROM BENTLEY
11 couples came through the side gate and main parking lot combined, plus 1 couple and 1 woman that was dropped off that Linda saw come in the front. (Another one or two came later in front; Kim gave literature to one of them.)
There were also about 3 women that came for birth control. 2 ladies came together, and the lady in the passenger seat said “I’m not coming to kill a baby, just to get my birth control removed (so that means IUD or implant removal). They took information, as did one of the other ladies coming for birth control, who became very sober when I told her about the abortions happening right now inside the building.
About 3 of the couples that came for abortions also stopped to take info, including the couple that Linda talked about, that took info, went inside for a minute, came out and drove away. We aren’t sure what happened there, but they didn’t have an abortion today. Praise the Lord! In the picture she took, I was handing the boyfriend a model of a baby 12 weeks after conception. He was very kind and interested in what Linda and I were saying to him, and when he walked into Planned Parenthood with his girlfriend, he was carrying the pamphlets that I had given him.
Also, a man that used to live in the low cost housing next to PP stopped by to give me an update on a homeless woman that he had helped through her pregnancy. During the early part of her pregnancy, I gave him one of the gift bags to give to her. He used to give me updates on how things were going with her when he lived there, but I hadn’t heard anything for a while. He said her baby was adopted into a loving family (that he thinks might be related to him) with other children in Iowa, and is doing great!
Bentley
FROM MARGARET
More action this week than last. Three couples and two single girls went in. I got to talk with one couple before the escorts intervened. The girl said that they were only going in for testing. I told them about the CPC next door and that it was for free. They seemed interested until the escort got quite ” frisky” and reminded them and me that that we were ” blocking the driveway”. A few other counselors tried to offer them help on their way in, but the escorts guided them “safely” in.
I did get to talk with one man as he exited the driveway. He looked confused as I told him to try to get his lady out of there because both she and he would be suffering the rest of their lives. He appeared to think it over and then pulled out – escorts yelling again!
Margaret
FROM JAMES
Want to thank Anita and Lynda for chipping in with sign holding duties, and again to invite anyone who likes to join Sylvia and I for pro-life prayer under the crucifix from about 11:15-11:15. No need to be there the whole time.
I also note that I spoke at length to a young man named David who lives in the neighborhood and often passes on his bicycle – this was the first time he stopped to talk. He was mostly pro-life and we had a good discussion as I was holding a sign.
