hot summer day with a handful of prayer warriors praying on.
Sure I love to sit in the stands munching on a Nathan’s hotdog enjoying the boys of summer, but there is a mission field where innocent little people are being cut down in the killing fields of Granite City , Illinois
She started to tear up. “It’s okay. You’re safe in here.” Her husband, Matt, said, “She came running down those stairs to get out.” “It’s okay honey.” Brittney then said, “I saw you out here and a Bible. After the ultrasound I kept thinking, ‘This is wrong.’ Before they took me in the room I ran out looking for you people.” “And here we are in this heat.” I apologized for the current heat wave we are enduring, but hopefully the van would cool down soon. We scanned. BAM! On the screen appeared an approx 7.5 week old baby floating in an ocean of amniotic fluid.
“Oh my, there is the heartbeat.” We could see it flashing on the screen. “He or she has a swimmer’s stroke,” as we viewed the baby doing sidestrokes to impress us. They then shared their situation and why they thought abortion was their only answer. After explaining our ministry outreach and all the resources we can help them with, Matt exclaimed, “Wow, we didn’t realize there was people like you out here. Thank you!”
“Oh my, there is the heartbeat.” We could see it flashing on the screen. “He or she has a swimmer’s stroke,” as we viewed the baby doing sidestrokes to impress us. They then shared their situation and why they thought abortion was their only answer. After explaining our ministry outreach and all the resources we can help them with, Matt exclaimed, “Wow, we didn’t realize there was people like you out here. Thank you!”
Brittney promised to follow-up with her own physician and to keep us updated in order to meet them with the baby supplies they would need. As we were documenting this visit, we realized, “Oh my, Brittney, this is so special! You my dear are our ministry’s 4000th saved baby.” “Really?” she and Matt smiled. I continued, “This is really special. I never thought we could save one baby, let alone 4000, in the past eleven years that we have kept records. We have actually been here ministering for 19 years daily, helping mothers and their babies so that abortion is not their only choice.” “We are very thankful for you being here,” Matt added. Brittney turned, gave me a big hug, and whispered, “Thank you.”
We shared the great news with prayer warriors remaining in the heat. They were encouraged and offered to help with this couple also. As we walked them to their car, Brittney shared a past physical affliction she was concerned with. We encouraged her to get a second opinion. We then stopped by their car, and Miss Donna led in prayer for healing and protection over this family and the situation as they journeyed back home with the news of their family expansion. I reached in my pocket and removed the donation Fr. Gene had blessed us with earlier this morning. “Miss Brittney, please take this and get some breakfast or lunch as you travel back home.” I handed her the money. “Oh no, I can’t take that from you.” “Yes, God tells us to bless others.” “No, no, you are the one who has been helping us,” she said. “No Brittney, you have been a blessing to us by saving your baby.” She took the donation, thanked us again, and we watched them drive away.
As we walked back to the steamy sidewalk, the prayer warriors stood waiting to hear any news. I walked over to the rosary group and shared; a loud cheer went up. The rosary leader went on to say, “Just think about all the babies you don’t even know about Angela that you have saved.” It’s this good news that encourages the troops, especially when we are standing day in and day out in this unbearable heat. This just reaffirms why we commit our lives for the babies and their mothers. “It’s not a job, it’s a passion,” and with that Miss Donna sealed it with an, “AMEN.”
To know love, open your heart to Jesus. To show love, open your heart to others…Sometimes the best witness is love.
Be encouraged ~Angela
