by Jim H., volunteer sidewalk counselor
On June 5, while sidewalk counseling outside the Planned Parenthood (PP) in St. Paul, I was able to have a conversation with a young couple as they drove in. I asked if they were there because of a pregnancy. The young man told me they had made an appointment for an ultrasound and then would discuss abortion. (Editor’s note — we’ve heard from women that PP doesn’t do ultrasounds unless the woman plans to abort.) I told them about Abria, the pregnancy help center across the street. Abria is where they could also get an ultrasound but abortion wasn’t an option there. I also shared that Abria offers many resources to help them and their baby and handed them our brochures.
Seeing a young child in the back seat, I told them how beautiful she was. I asked them how they were going to explain to her later in life, if they went through with an abortion, that she wouldn’t have a brother or sister. I asked how could they make that choice for her. I could tell by their faces that they both paused and thought about what I had just said.
I also asked what brought them there. The young man said it was because they couldn’t afford the baby, but he was starting a job the next day. I told them there are resources in our brochures for that too. I suggested to them to back out of the driveway. I offered to walk over to Abria with them but they insisted on going into PP to cancel the appointment. They were only gone a minute.
When they came back out, they told me they had canceled the appointment and said she decided not to to have an abortion. I was so elated at this news! Again I asked if I could walk over with them to Abria, but the young woman said she needed to go to the pharmacy for her nausea. I told them again about the help available before they left.
I truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit on the sidewalk speaking with that couple.