For the Cinderellas

The news of the new abortion law has been covered and most have moved on.  While it made my heart sick to read it, I don’t like disagreement or controversy, so I avoided voicing my thoughts. But a nagging voice in my head kept repeating a promise I made 5 years ago to a teeny tiny girl child, whose name means “Beloved”. One night as she slept on my chest, I promised that my voice would no longer be silent in fighting for lives of the unlikely and overlooked princesses and princes of this world. In five years, I have seen and experienced a lot. I am a bit less black/white in my worldview, a bit more jaded, and maybe a bit wiser. My thoughts might a be bit jumbled to some but here is what I believe and the questions I am asking myself.

1)      A person is a person no matter how small, or what sex, or what disability.

2)      There is never ever a reason for a baby (or a fetus, if you must) to be aborted. I work in a hospital that has a level 3 NICU, the highest level of care for the tiniest of patients. The abilities and the technologies that God has given the doctors and nurses in caring for this population is astounding. If for the health of the mother a baby must be born early two things can happen. The baby will not have the ability to survive outside of the womb and will die but naturally, not at the hands of a doctor. Or the baby will need help in those first weeks/months to survive and they are transported to a NICU with the capability to help them. (And yes, I personally know the tumultuous flip side of this wonderful medical technology). But There is no excuse or reason for a human not to be given a fighting chance to tell the story the God has given them to tell for as long as He deems necessary to bring Him glory.

3)      It is so easy to sit at the computer or stand in front of the building and say, “THIS IS WRONG”, “THIS IS MURDER” but do we demonstrate our beliefs with actions. Do we come alongside a mother in crises and say, “I don’t know why you have this hard journey, but you are loved and I will walk it with you.”? Do we support, financially or in service, crises pregnancy centers that offer services to mothers who might not have been ready to be pregnant but are striving to give their babies a chance? Do we support foster care and ethical adoption agencies? Are we willing to be a foster or adoptive parent? Do we support and pray for foster and adoptive families? Do we pray for and support women who have walked a road that includes abortion? Do we say to them you are loved, there is a grace and a forgiveness that is deep and wide enough for any and all wrong and it’s yours for free.”? They say it takes a village to raise a child, we must be that village, not only for the celebrations of when things go right but for the nitty, gritty, messy, ugly moments too.

4)      I am a strong, stubborn single, career women who could possibly be perceived by some to be a feminist. But if to fight for women’s rights means ending the heartbeat of another then I’m out. It cannot be both ways.

I told you it was messy and jumbled. I have learned that the problem of abortion runs far deeper then the moment the baby is killed. I don’t pretend to understand it at all, but I cannot sit silently by and watch. 
*Edit: I am fully aware that any of the choices in this situation are filled with pain and trauma. The decisions and events that lead up to abortion, choosing a surprise/unwanted pregnancy, foster care and adoption all come from a place of pain. Even in the best of circumstances, trauma is involved. I'm very, very sorry if that pain is a part of your story.