First Fruits Friday - Unexpected
In an unexplainable way, God showed up on an unexpected abortion day in Columbus, GA. This happened to be the first day of 40 Days for Life, our semi-annual prayer vigil. A mother and grandmother traveled from a small town in Georgia, about a 2 hour drive from Columbus, looking to resolve the “problem pregnancy” with an abortion solution. When they arrived they were greeted with love and joy from a small team of Seneca Sidewalk Advocates, the Mobile Medical Clinic team and some 40 Days for Life prayer partners. All was calm, but the heavens were storming. A battle for life was being fought in an unseen and unexplainable way.
The first touch was with our greeter at the driveway who simply offered them free and accurate medical information from a non-profit ministry which never gains financially from a mother’s decision. The second touch was from prayer partners with smiles and internal prayers of hope for life! The third touch was from an advocate who bonded over motherhood, expressing the joy of a new life forming within a womb - something to be viewed as a gift, not a burden. Then a touch from a post-abortive advocate, who shared from Deuteronomy 30: 19 (NASB) “… I have placed before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants”. A last effort was brought when one advocate shared that if she were too far along, we would be here. The mom could really see what was going on and that we’d be happy to help. Finally, she went inside the abortion facility. Despite this disappointment, prayers continued and our teams stayed faithful.
During the time the mother was inside the abortion facility, an advocate who’d been through healing from a past abortion loss, came to speak to the grandparents of this unborn baby who were waiting in their car. In that conversation, this woman expressed grief and regret. She shared that if someone had been outside this very clinic 40 years ago offering help, she would have accepted that help. She further said that if someone had told her how much she’d regret this decision, she wouldn’t have ended the life of her baby that day. The grandparents listened intently. All the while, prayers for the mom and baby inside the abortion mill were being invoked.
Not long after entering the facility, the mother exited and through a miraculous encounter with an advocate, she felt loved and safe enough to board the Mobile Medical Clinic with the grandmother. During that visit, she learned she was 15 weeks pregnant, that her baby was incredibly active, and very much alive! She was also told of the amazing Case Management assistance available through Seneca: The wrap-around support she’d get for the entire pregnancy and then until the baby’s second birthday, along with her excitement around the Amazon Wishlist for baby items she’d need, truly gave her encouragement. Most importantly, she grasped the fact that her pregnancy was actually a blessing which would help her catapult into goal achievement.
The two of them came through Seneca’s doors. They were welcomed with love and no judgment. They were given the opportunity to meet another mom - a Seneca team member who’d been through a similar situation. After sharing their challenges, their circumstances and creating a case plan, the atmosphere changed dramatically for this mother/daughter team. The camaraderie with kindred spirits had them leaving with a complete change of heart.
All the glory and honor goes to God our Father for His unexplainable and unconditional love for us poor souls. None of us deserve this amazing grace we are offered. But at Seneca, we trust in Jesus and His unexplainable ways to grace each of us on a daily basis with exactly what we need. Despite how bad our circumstances seem, He will unceasingly help us to thrive in His grace!