This post originally appeared at https://www.prolifewi.org/blog/2021/7/6/stories-from-the-sidewalk

STORIES FROM THE SIDEWALK

By Dan Miller, Pro-Life Wisconsin State Director

When we go out to sidewalk counsel, we have to be ready for anything. I was out one morning on the sidewalks in front of Affiliated Medical Services when I spotted someone driving by real slow. You could tell they were looking for an address. They braked when they got closer to the intersection of Farwell and Ogden to the south of the abortion center, but they had a green light. Then suddenly, they hung a left. Not long after that, they did a U-turn (not easy to do) and began looking for parking spots. Whenever you see people driving this way, it is a sure sign that they are coming for an abortion.

I walked across the street as casually as I could. I did not want to give away what I had seen by telegraphing it to the abortion escorts, so I feigned going into the gas station which has a loud doorbell that activates when the door is opened. I opened their door – )))DONG(((– then let their door close and kept walking. Just like Pavlov’s dog, it worked! The abortion escorts heard the doorbell and assumed I went inside the gas station.

The two who had parked on Ogden got out of their car and began walking toward me. I walked and talked with them for MORE THAN A MINUTE before the escorts figured out what was happening. In that short time, the mother and her young teenage daughter had shared with me that “they weren’t here for that [an abortion].” I responded, “Yeah, ok, but every dollar you give them funds their real cash cow, which is abortion. I don’t know why you are here, but I think you should know that abortion is their main line of income.” The mom said, “We are just here for contraception.” I said, “Really?” They both were nodding their heads in agreement with each other. I continued, “Just in case I don’t see you on your way out, I want you to know about all the free help over at the Women’s Care Center across the street. No matter what happens here today, just promise me this one thing, OK?” They said, “Yeah, OK.” I followed up, “Just promise me you’ll go over there to see what they have to offer. The staff are amazing and friendly. They have a true spirit of helping thy neighbor. Can you do that?” –Sure–

Whenever we have a positive interaction like that, we try to stick around to talk on the way out. Believe me, they don’t expect you to be there for them, so when you are, it cements whatever bond you may have had with them and they begin to trust you more. When they came out, I went on to tell them about all the harms and pitfalls of oral contraception: tier one carcinogen, sporadic effectiveness, abortifacient effect, false sense of security. And, of course, I explained the contraceptive mentality that it creates, which is essentially a proabortion mindset. If you get pregnant while you are on the pill, it’s a big surprise (to most). After all, the pill is lauded as 99%+ effective in preventing pregnancy. We were able to speak without interruption for a while, but it was a little chilly out that morning. The young girl was visibly shaking – shivering. She was not exactly dressed for the weather we were having that day. I offered her my sweatshirt to wear. She took it, gladly! Then, something really amazing happened. The young girl’s mom said to me, “We haven’t been straight with you. My daughter is pregnant. We’re trying to sort it all out, but I never thought we would be here in a million years, and yet, here we are, getting an abortion consultation. I’ve been so overcome with fear and doubt, I can’t even begin to describe it.” I responded, “Well, then what the Women’s Care Center has to offer is especially important for you guys. Why don’t I walk you over there and see what they have to offer.”

I walked them over. They came out about an hour later. The teenage mom smiled at me waving her ultrasound photo and said, “Dan! My baby is beautiful! We ain’t gonna’ get the abortion! But, Dan, I’m not going to give you your sweatshirt back. I’m going to make a pillow out of it for my baby. I’m going to tell her how you saved her life every time she goes to sleep.”

AMEN…thank you, Jesus!