I decided to partake in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil. Maybe you saw the "Pray to End Abortion" signs. People commit a time to stand and pray outside Duluth's abortion clinic. It was a committed bunch of caring, compassionate people who wanted to offer a hand of love and possible counsel to the young women, knowing their lives will be forever changed when they leave. I saw no offensive behavior from the volunteers, just heavy hearts.
I have never done anything like this before, so the social stigma was a resistance to overcome. I was labeled. What will people think? My reputation. My pride. Anything as an excuse. Hmm, seems a lot about me. While deep in the bowels of the Building for Women innocent lives are being taken from us, from our community, our families, and the family of man and the human race. So I aligned myself alongside the other folks. I guess you could use the cliché, "I was standing for life." I know at least where there is a beating heart there is life, albeit small and not fully developed. Nonetheless, it is life, a human life. That is an undeniable fact.
Choices were made during those 40 days to abort about 46 lives. Honestly, I can't imagine anyone going home after that thinking this was a great day; good job. Certainly the faces of the young women entering did not convey this was a good day for them. I am not ignorant of the hornets' nest of confusion, pain and hopelessness buzzing in their minds. I am sad. I could only pray that future young women and men would deeply consider and investigate other options. There are people in this community who really want to offer love and support.
Jay Steinke
Duluth
