You Can't Stop Hope

I stood outside of the Emigrant Savings Bank in Lower Manhattan aside friends and EMC volunteers. We were keeping vigil, waiting for news of the vote. Inside the Bank, the future of our Crisis Pregnancy Centers in NYC was hanging in the balance. The New York City Council was voting on a bill against us. They had decided, based on a wholly biased "investigation" done by Planned Parenthood, that CPC's in NYC had been lying to women and had thus proposed Intro 371. Really we knew it was all about silencing the Pro-life message.

As we stood outside waiting for a result, we held signs voicing our opposition to to this unconstitutional bill. People were curious. What did the signs mean? What was Bill 371? It offered the opportunity to educate our city. One woman was so moved that she went inside to listen to what was happening, telling us that she was pro-life. Another woman vowed to tell her entire church about the eugenic roots of the abortion industry.

And than he walked up to us. He was a young man maybe 17 years old. He wanted to know why we were standing outside with giant signs. So I started to explain the proposed bill, and how it would effect our Pregnancy Care Centers that do so, so much good! I explained that we don't do abortions but provide alternatives to abortion and how we had saved tens of thousands of lives over the years, and that that translated into a whole lot of lost income for the abortion industry. I explained the differences in procedures based on gestational age of the baby and how the prices went up the farther along the woman was.

He was intrigued. He asked me how the abortion was actually performed. As I started to tell him, he interrupted and shyly told me that his girlfriend was pregnant. "Congratulations!" I said "You're a father! How do you feel about that?" He told me that he was happy. "I wan't my baby! But her family wants her to get an abortion" The whole conversation suddenly took a different turn. While I continued to explain the abortion procedures, I knew that I had to make a lasting connection. I gave him my cell phone number and the number to our Pregnancy Center nearest to him. I told him that he could call me anytime day or night, that I was there for them, that she should call me too and that she should call the center and make an appointment as well. We would explain things to her and help her save her baby.

Just than the pro-lifers that had been inside the meeting came outside with the news. The New York City Council, in a clear violation of our First Amendment Rights, had voted 39 to 9 for Bill 371. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach! I had guessed this was coming, but so many had voted against us! I couldn't believe THAT! I was sad, angry, hurt, and frustrated!

But there was no time for that because he was still standing in front of me in need of encouragement! l snapped out of it and went right to work, telling him again to please have his girlfriend call EMC for help. We hugged and he said goodbye.

Now I could get back to my emotions... and than it dawned on me. What a beautiful and powerful thing! How great, and mighty, and loving is our God! He had so deigned that at that exact moment I would meet that young man, on that sidewalk, in front of that bank. Just moments before receiving such horrible news. It brought me hope.

The New York City Council can pass all of the bills that they want, but they can't stop a conversation. With God's grace this baby and many, many more will be saved, because of words of encouragement and real help. You can't stop hope.