This week I took our Stand True Pro-life missionaries to the Kettering abortion mill, operated by infamous late term baby killer, Martin Haskell. For four of our missionaries this was their first time ever going to an abortion mill, and I asked them to write down their thoughts on the experience. These missionaries will be all over the United States this summer, but this one moment in Kettering, OH will be a defining moment as they fight to bring an end to abortion.
David
There are moments when life reality hits, and if you open your heart, you can’t help but to view the World differently. Reality hit me today, as I stood outside of the abortion mill for the first time. I did not feel helpless because I knew that God works if we are faithful, though we cannot always see. I knew that God would work and that he knew every heart there, but I did not know that I would be blessed to see the changing heart of a woman who was fighting the decision to abort. Upon our arrival, we heard that there was a mother who had come to get an abortion, but could not bring herself to walk into the mill. As I walked out to the roadway with a sign that said Choose Life, I realized that she was still sitting in her car. At that instance, I realized that there was a battle raging in that Mother’s heart. I couldn’t help but to ask myself, “What if during her spiritual battle no one was there to pray for her?”
As of today, I hope that I never try to justify not fighting abortion head on. Once I realized that there is a place of spiritual death encouraging the physical death of our unborn, how can I do anything other than make a stand for life? As I held up my sign and thought of that Mother, I was moved with compassion and I began to pray for her. How great is it that through the power of Christ, she was counseled by a fellow believer and choose life.
How much value can our days have if we don’t stand and fight the murder of the most defenseless among us? I am beginning to understand as a Christian, that if I am not being persecuted for showing the love of Christ, then my outreach probably does not extend outside of the Church building. I have now learned that if we stand for Christ we will have enemies, but that should be expected when you represent a Kingdom not of this World. I have no regrets, for there is no greater purpose than to be grounded in Christ. Though the World has waves, I stand firm in him. Praise God.
Andrew
Today was the second time I had been to the Kettering Abortion Mill. The first time was about a week ago and it was pretty slow. I did, however, see a very pregnant young woman walk out with her mother. I remember thinking, “She is so far along! Clearly, at this point you have to be aware that this procedure is killing someone alive inside of you.” I was in shock, and I hoped I wouldn’t be that shocked again today. So, after we arrived I began praying. I saw around five women come in, and the same number come out. I really didn’t know what to do. One lady who walked in was very pregnant, and I just felt hopeless. You know what’s going on. The graphic signs of your fellow sidewalk counselors don’t let you forget. You know what she is walking in to do, but you can’t run up and say WAIT! You can’t plead with her to reconsider, or to give it some more time. You can’t do anything but offer it up to Heaven, and that’s hard to do.
Then I saw two large men drive up get out of the car and walk up to the door to pick up a woman inside. Ms. Vivian (the precious elderly sidewalk counselor, who is there almost every day) said, “You better go in there and drag her out! Don’t let her go through that.” The two men mumbled something about not being able to go upstairs, and then kept walking. This made me pretty angry. I thought, “Your partner is in there probably going through one of the worst experiences in her life, and they are killing your little girl, or baby boy. They are going to end up in pieces, looking just like the bloody child on the sign you walked right past, and you couldn’t care less!”
I realized today how important it is to be present at abortion mills. How many places like this don’t have a loving grandmother like Ms. Vivian to stop the cars as they leave to try to help hurting, lonely, women? How many abortion mills have sidewalks that aren’t lined with people praying every day? How many abortion mills don’t have anyone in front of them offering hope and alternatives to pregnant women? This is something we should be convicted of, I’m sure.
Tori
Today was my first day at an abortion mill…ever. Even though my heart has been breaking for these women, and abortion was something I knew I wanted to help end, I still had never physically been to an abortion mill. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was heartbreaking seeing how many cars went in and out of the parking lot belonging to what looked like just another normal building from the outside. The very first moment we got there we heard of a girl who had been sitting in her car for the longest time. She had even walked up to the doors, but turned around and returned to the car where she sat even longer. I sat down on the sidewalk with the abortion mill to my back as I held a sign that read, “Choose Life”. I sat there reading scripture and praying. I prayed knowing a young woman, possibly around my age, and many others like her were sitting in their cars conflicted about what to do with the life within them. As I read through various scripture, I looked up and noticed that I was sitting on “Vineyard Way”. I immediately thought about where in the bible it talks about the woman being like a vine and her children branching out like olive branches. My heart sunk as I made a connection. Right behind were countless babies, olive branches, being snapped. I sat on this sidewalk feeling somewhat helpless looking at the property line I couldn’t cross. Yet I knew I was praying to a God who heals, forgives, and can walk over any barrier. Being at the abortion mill made everything much more real for me. I put actual faces to numbers. This wasn’t another book, video, or brochure full of harsh statistics, but actual girls coming and going in tears full of pain and confusion.
These days it can be easy to hear about abortion and the evils that surround it, the debates that fuel it, and just become numb to it all. When we allow ourselves to become numb to it, there’s no longer a sense of reality. We cannot allow our generation to let this continue. God heard the many prayers sent this morning, and moved in the young woman’s heart who thankfully was hesitating and debating in her car when we had first arrived. Her baby was saved and didn’t leave the protection of it’s mother’s womb. Sadly though, not every story had a happy ending today. On top of all the negative things that already surround the abortion mill, it was so sad to see the lack of people willing to sacrifice a little time to speak up for the voiceless. Yes, these abortion mills need to be a thing of the past, but unfortunately this is a matter beyond that. We’re talking about lives on the line here, a matter of life and death. What will you do today to make sure these little ones live to enjoy tomorrow?
AmberLee
Going to the Kettering abortion mill today was extremely difficult for me. I expected to feel sad and mournful; however what I did not expect was to feel helpless. Minute after minute I saw more and more women in their cars pull into the parking lot, and no matter how much I wanted to run up to them and help them, I could not because of certain trespassing laws. It was like watching sheep being led to a slaughter, and all I could do was watch from the sidelines. The entire time I was there my heart felt like it was being crushed because the only thing I could think of was those tiny, innocent babies being murdered, and the women who would forever be emotionally destroyed. Somehow, my fervor and excitement to simply hold my “choose life” sign in protest, that was there just hours before, was almost completely gone. I not only felt helpless, but hopeless as well.
Until I heard that today a young woman had decided against an abortion, and had driven away from the Kettering mill. Suddenly, everything was put back into perspective. All of the teams’ prayers, sign holding, and hoping was not done in vain. A baby, an innocent human life, was saved today, and it reminded me that even if it is only one child today, or one child this month or this year, everything done to save that life is and always will be worth it.
So, even though today was incredibly emotionally taxing, it ended up being such a beautiful experience. It showed me how important each and every pro-life action and event is. Even when it seems like you are not making a difference, someone, somewhere is being impacted by your message.
Please continue to pray for our Stand True Pro-life Mission team as we shine the light of truth in the darkness of the abortion culture this summer. Please also consider making a donation to help support them this summer. Can you donate $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can to make sure these pro-life missionaries are equipped to spread the pro-life message this summer. – If you can donate please do so at HTTPS://DONATE.CORNERSTONE.CC/?MID=STANDTRUE or on the donate button on this page.
Donations can also be mailed to Stand True – PO Box 890 – Troy, OH 45373 or call 540-538-2581 to donate by phone.
For Christ I Stand
Bryan Kemper
Houston, TX – After the conviction of late-term abortionist Kermit Gosnell on murder charges, Operation Rescue has been repeatedly asked if there is any evidence that similar practices exist at abortion clinics elsewhere in the nation.
My First Time Praying At The Abortion Mill – Four Pro-life Missionaries Experiences
David
There are moments when life reality hits, and if you open your heart, you can’t help but to view the World differently. Reality hit me today, as I stood outside of the abortion mill for the first time. I did not feel helpless because I knew that God works if we are faithful, though we cannot always see. I knew that God would work and that he knew every heart there, but I did not know that I would be blessed to see the changing heart of a woman who was fighting the decision to abort. Upon our arrival, we heard that there was a mother who had come to get an abortion, but could not bring herself to walk into the mill. As I walked out to the roadway with a sign that said Choose Life, I realized that she was still sitting in her car. At that instance, I realized that there was a battle raging in that Mother’s heart. I couldn’t help but to ask myself, “What if during her spiritual battle no one was there to pray for her?”
As of today, I hope that I never try to justify not fighting abortion head on. Once I realized that there is a place of spiritual death encouraging the physical death of our unborn, how can I do anything other than make a stand for life? As I held up my sign and thought of that Mother, I was moved with compassion and I began to pray for her. How great is it that through the power of Christ, she was counseled by a fellow believer and choose life.
How much value can our days have if we don’t stand and fight the murder of the most defenseless among us? I am beginning to understand as a Christian, that if I am not being persecuted for showing the love of Christ, then my outreach probably does not extend outside of the Church building. I have now learned that if we stand for Christ we will have enemies, but that should be expected when you represent a Kingdom not of this World. I have no regrets, for there is no greater purpose than to be grounded in Christ. Though the World has waves, I stand firm in him. Praise God.
Andrew
Today was the second time I had been to the Kettering Abortion Mill. The first time was about a week ago and it was pretty slow. I did, however, see a very pregnant young woman walk out with her mother. I remember thinking, “She is so far along! Clearly, at this point you have to be aware that this procedure is killing someone alive inside of you.” I was in shock, and I hoped I wouldn’t be that shocked again today. So, after we arrived I began praying. I saw around five women come in, and the same number come out. I really didn’t know what to do. One lady who walked in was very pregnant, and I just felt hopeless. You know what’s going on. The graphic signs of your fellow sidewalk counselors don’t let you forget. You know what she is walking in to do, but you can’t run up and say WAIT! You can’t plead with her to reconsider, or to give it some more time. You can’t do anything but offer it up to Heaven, and that’s hard to do.
Then I saw two large men drive up get out of the car and walk up to the door to pick up a woman inside. Ms. Vivian (the precious elderly sidewalk counselor, who is there almost every day) said, “You better go in there and drag her out! Don’t let her go through that.” The two men mumbled something about not being able to go upstairs, and then kept walking. This made me pretty angry. I thought, “Your partner is in there probably going through one of the worst experiences in her life, and they are killing your little girl, or baby boy. They are going to end up in pieces, looking just like the bloody child on the sign you walked right past, and you couldn’t care less!”
I realized today how important it is to be present at abortion mills. How many places like this don’t have a loving grandmother like Ms. Vivian to stop the cars as they leave to try to help hurting, lonely, women? How many abortion mills have sidewalks that aren’t lined with people praying every day? How many abortion mills don’t have anyone in front of them offering hope and alternatives to pregnant women? This is something we should be convicted of, I’m sure.
Tori
Today was my first day at an abortion mill…ever. Even though my heart has been breaking for these women, and abortion was something I knew I wanted to help end, I still had never physically been to an abortion mill. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was heartbreaking seeing how many cars went in and out of the parking lot belonging to what looked like just another normal building from the outside. The very first moment we got there we heard of a girl who had been sitting in her car for the longest time. She had even walked up to the doors, but turned around and returned to the car where she sat even longer. I sat down on the sidewalk with the abortion mill to my back as I held a sign that read, “Choose Life”. I sat there reading scripture and praying. I prayed knowing a young woman, possibly around my age, and many others like her were sitting in their cars conflicted about what to do with the life within them. As I read through various scripture, I looked up and noticed that I was sitting on “Vineyard Way”. I immediately thought about where in the bible it talks about the woman being like a vine and her children branching out like olive branches. My heart sunk as I made a connection. Right behind were countless babies, olive branches, being snapped. I sat on this sidewalk feeling somewhat helpless looking at the property line I couldn’t cross. Yet I knew I was praying to a God who heals, forgives, and can walk over any barrier. Being at the abortion mill made everything much more real for me. I put actual faces to numbers. This wasn’t another book, video, or brochure full of harsh statistics, but actual girls coming and going in tears full of pain and confusion.
These days it can be easy to hear about abortion and the evils that surround it, the debates that fuel it, and just become numb to it all. When we allow ourselves to become numb to it, there’s no longer a sense of reality. We cannot allow our generation to let this continue. God heard the many prayers sent this morning, and moved in the young woman’s heart who thankfully was hesitating and debating in her car when we had first arrived. Her baby was saved and didn’t leave the protection of it’s mother’s womb. Sadly though, not every story had a happy ending today. On top of all the negative things that already surround the abortion mill, it was so sad to see the lack of people willing to sacrifice a little time to speak up for the voiceless. Yes, these abortion mills need to be a thing of the past, but unfortunately this is a matter beyond that. We’re talking about lives on the line here, a matter of life and death. What will you do today to make sure these little ones live to enjoy tomorrow?
AmberLee
Going to the Kettering abortion mill today was extremely difficult for me. I expected to feel sad and mournful; however what I did not expect was to feel helpless. Minute after minute I saw more and more women in their cars pull into the parking lot, and no matter how much I wanted to run up to them and help them, I could not because of certain trespassing laws. It was like watching sheep being led to a slaughter, and all I could do was watch from the sidelines. The entire time I was there my heart felt like it was being crushed because the only thing I could think of was those tiny, innocent babies being murdered, and the women who would forever be emotionally destroyed. Somehow, my fervor and excitement to simply hold my “choose life” sign in protest, that was there just hours before, was almost completely gone. I not only felt helpless, but hopeless as well.
Until I heard that today a young woman had decided against an abortion, and had driven away from the Kettering mill. Suddenly, everything was put back into perspective. All of the teams’ prayers, sign holding, and hoping was not done in vain. A baby, an innocent human life, was saved today, and it reminded me that even if it is only one child today, or one child this month or this year, everything done to save that life is and always will be worth it.
So, even though today was incredibly emotionally taxing, it ended up being such a beautiful experience. It showed me how important each and every pro-life action and event is. Even when it seems like you are not making a difference, someone, somewhere is being impacted by your message.
Please continue to pray for our Stand True Pro-life Mission team as we shine the light of truth in the darkness of the abortion culture this summer. Please also consider making a donation to help support them this summer. Can you donate $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can to make sure these pro-life missionaries are equipped to spread the pro-life message this summer. – If you can donate please do so at HTTPS://DONATE.CORNERSTONE.CC/?MID=STANDTRUE or on the donate button on this page.
Donations can also be mailed to Stand True – PO Box 890 – Troy, OH 45373 or call 540-538-2581 to donate by phone.
For Christ I Stand
Bryan Kemper