The writer, of Omaha, is director of Rescue the Heartland.
After weeks of media hype, the “massive anti-abortion demonstrations” predicted for Aug. 28 and 29 in Bellevue did not pan out. I told both police and the press that nothing special was planned, yet I was ignored.
The hype did, however, succeed in rallying the opposition.
That Friday, St. Mary's grade school was asked to close in anticipation of the “dreaded event.” Local and federal police were on hand as well as all the major media.
But for us, it was business as usual. We had four people, the typical number for a weekday, and of course God, which makes us a majority.
That Saturday, Aug. 29, police were out in full force. I couldn't say exactly how many there were in all, but I did notice about 20 extra officers, in full riot gear, standing across the street holding up the wall of St. Mary's grade school.
There they stood, collecting overtime, until at least mid-afternoon. I would like to thank all the officers as they were helpful, courteous and professional.
There were about 50 pro-lifers in all, the usual number for a Saturday. Even after the National Organization for Women put out a national call, only about 100 counter-protesters, from 16 states, responded.
But for us, it's not about numbers. It's about intervening for babies and giving help to their mothers.
As abortion-bound women approached, the pro-abortion demonstrators chanted and cheered as they drove into the clinic in an effort to drown out our life-affirming message.
One pro-life counselor was able to talk to a young mother and show her pictures of an abortion. She not only changed her mind but also went to the pregnancy center across the street. She was frightened by a crowd of “pro-aborts” that followed her, yelling out her name as she and her mother got out of the car.
Once inside the center, she was given an ultrasound. Upon seeing her preborn child on the screen, she exclaimed, “That's a baby! They told me it was just a ‘blob of tissue.' They lied to me!”
She asked the nurse to make copies of the sonogram and hand them out to the pro-abortion demonstrators outside. She wanted them to know where she learned the truth.
Operation Rescue President Troy Newman took the stack of pictures, and we fulfilled the young mother's request. Troy walked up and down the line of the pro-abortion demonstrators, explaining that a woman changed her mind and wanted them to have this picture to show that it was not just “tissue.” I followed closely behind recording the event on video.
But in response, all they could do was chant. Like vampires recoiling from the sight of the crucifix, they hid behind their signs to avoid catching even a glimpse of this beautiful handiwork of God.
Even in the darkest of circumstances, God is there. The abortion industry, with the force of both federal and local law enforcement behind it, worked feverishly to guarantee the death of every child scheduled to die that day. But Our Lord still worked His miracles.
There were many miracles that day. A baby's life was saved, and a young mother's life was changed forever. Later, another woman changed her mind, and several other drivers were seen to turn away from the abortion industry's gauntlet of death.
His grace and miracles abound.
Midlands Voices essays reflect the views of the writer and not necessarily the editorial position of The World-Herald.
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