Three
months ago, I could not have imagined that I would have the opportunity to speak
in both Germany and Austria for the rights of the most vulnerable in our
society, the pre-born. But that and so much more is what happened last week.
It
all started when I ate dinner with two Youth for Life members while I was staying
in Munich a couple weeks ago. They asked me if I wanted to speak at their Munich
Youth for Life “String of Lights”/Rally for Life. So, on Saturday, November 7th,
I found myself speaking up for women and the unborn in the Munich Marienplatz -
the center of Bavaria. It was an amazing experience to be there - in a huge German city - standing with a little over a hundred other brave young Germans for life.
The
next day, I took the train to Fulda, Germany. And on Monday, I gave a presentation to two advanced English
classes at a Gymnasium. The students were between 16 and 17 years old and paid
great attention. After a discussion on human rights in general and their
application or infringement in Germany, I was introduced. One of the students
had brought up the right to life as the most basic human life, so I expounded
on that and we watched a video showing how about 5 times as many African
American babies are aborted than white babies and how over half of the African
American babies are killed. The youth were surprised and did not feel that this
was good. Anyway, by the end, nearly everyone admitted that abortion was wrong,
although some said it’s a very personal decision and maybe it would be better
to abort if you could not take care of the child, didn’t have enough money for
food, etc. “Alright, say there is a three-year-old child who does not have
enough food and his parents are mean to him and abusive. How about we give him
a lethal injection to put him out of his misery?” Of course, all of the
students were appalled. “We should not just end someone’s life because they
could have a difficult life. We should fix those problems,” one of the students
responded. I agreed!
It
felt amazing to know that I’d made a difference that day. I pray that the Lord
will continue to work in the hearts of these students.
On
Tuesday, I went to a Vaterhaus in Fulda. Young mothers come to this home for
nearly free clothes, toys, and encouragement. Similar to our pregnancy resource
centers, the Father’s House tries to help young mothers in need. Kathleen works
in the shop every morning and we sorted cloths together and played with the
children. One boy named George came in with his mother. He was three and so
cute! Thinking that he was big boy, he put on bright green tennis shoes several
sizes too big and strutted around with his hands in his pockets like he was
somebody! While we played together and tried on different types of shoes on
him, he gave me a big pair of bright green tennis shoes and clearly wanted me
to wear them. So, I took off my gray boots and gleefully tried on the too small
tennis shoes. Then he tried on helmets and really liked a bike helmet which was
a girl’s helmet with flowers on it, especially because of the metal mesh on it which
looked like a scary visor. He put a black kid’s helmet on me and then we both
looked so silly!! J
On
Wednesday morning, I again volunteered at the Vaterhaus before taking the bus
back to Munich where I volunteered at 1000Plus on Thursday and Friday. Part of
Pro Femina (Pro Woman) 1000Plus offers support and nonjudgmental council to over
2,000 women considering abortion a year. Two out of three women to speak to one
of their trained councilors end up choosing life.
Then came Saturday… Quickly
hugging my kind host Julia goodbye, I jumped on the bus and made my journey to
the Subway where I found my train. Looking at the stops, I got off, quickly purchased
my train ticket, but then got very confused when everyone said that there were
no trains here… At this point, I realized that I had 9 minutes before my train
would leave toward Salzburg – from two stations away. When I got to the right
station, I frantically looked for my train. At last I found it. The doors
closed literally a few seconds after I jumped on my train. Certainly, I had
been praying! I was so grateful to God!
In Rosenheim, I met with Austrian
Youth for Life members and drove with them through the breathtaking Austrian
Alps to Innsbruck. After helping prepare for the Youth for Life “Chain of
Lights”, we went to the plaza where we would start the rally. Soon more and
more people holding candles and pro-life began to line the road way in the
fading light. When the first speaker started, we began to hear the shouts of
about 20 protesters holding a couple large banners, one with an especially
crude looking picture. “If Mary had had an abortion, you wouldn’t be here,”
they shouted. Alternatively, they yelled, “My body, my choice,” and sang a mocking
version of the Lord’s Prayer.
Before long, I saw the police
carry a couple struggling and shouting protesters across the street and
eventually put them into police cars. I was surprised; I had never imaged that the protesters would be arrested.
After the 100 or so of us
walked around the city for a bit, we came to a main square where I shared,
encouraging those present to imagine what it would be like if they became pregnant
unexpectedly as a university student, a high school student whose parents are
pressuring you to have an abortion, or a girl in an abusive relationship. These
women need support and help, not the lies, betrayal and profiting off of that they
receive at the hands of Planned Parenthood. Instead, we can be modern day heroes
by encouraging a young man to be a dad, supporting a Gymnasium student whose is
pregnant, or hugging your sobbing friend as she shares that she has experienced
abortion.
Looking
back, I can still hardly believe how amazing of a week it was. God opened up so
many doors and did so much. And I cannot express enough gratitude to the many
new friends have welcomed me into their homes and hearts. May God get
all the glory!
