It took prayer, fasting, patience, and LOTS of coffee, but our week of constant events to memorialize Roe vs. Wade were a success!  Everywhere we went, our team was light on their feet, ready to serve, and leading the way for youth to show our government that our generation will not stand for another 42 years of abortion.

Marching with OneLifeLA

5:30 a.m. saw us on the road to Los Angeles last Saturday for the first OneLifeLA march for the sanctity of life.  One in ten attendees marched with one of our signs and even more marchers were wearing our stickers, thanks to our youth volunteers who arrived early to hand out signs and stickers.  Marching and rallying weren’t enough for those volunteers, though.  To my surprise, they asked, "Kristina, are we going to do anything today?"  When I responded with, "We're marching!" they persisted, “No, but are we going to DO anything?”  Even after chanting and marching under the blazing hot sun, they waited by the busses and distributed pro-life pamphlets to marchers as they left, to make sure they were as informed and effective as possible.  One fourteen-year-old girl woke her mom up at five to drive her into Los Angeles to help us and stayed for twelve hours, until it was all over!

Protesting 1in3

After a long day of traveling to Washington, DC, Jeff, Cheryl, Mary Rose, Bobby, Sam, Lizzy, Claire, Francis, Lauren, and I - our team - were ready for activism outside a pro-abortion event.  The 1in3 campaign seeks to de-stigmatize abortion with the claim that 1 in 3 women in the United States will have an abortion.  They hosted a performance featuring “positive”abortion stories the evening we arrived in DC. We stood outside to talk with those attending and show them what 1 in 3 of our generation looks like after an abortion.  If abortion kills innocent human beings, then the stigma can never be removed.

Praying at Planned Parenthood

“They threatened to arrest and charge me with FACE,” Reverend Pat Mahoney told me, as the team and I arrived at the morning prayer service at Planned Parenthood Metropolitan DC. Violating FACE is a felony and Reverend Mahoney was seriously worried.  Between calling his lawyer and his wife, he handed me his keys and parking confirmation.  While he made plans for possible arrest, a group of youth walked straight past us, and seeing the yard in front of Planned Parenthood empty, filled in.  They knew their rights, and were ready to get as close as they could to Planned Parenthood to pray for the babies inside.  The police, seeing the grounds now crowded with youthful pro-lifers, quietly left without carrying out their threats.

Million-to-One Memorial Die-In

Fifty young people lay down on the pavement in front of the White House and curled into the fetal position.  Swiftly they were draped in red cloth.  While our die-in featured pro-life leaders from all over the country on the bullhorn, including Star Parker, Fr. Terry Gensemer, Brandi Swindell, and Mark Harrington, the real impact was made by watching youth take their place to identify with the victims of Roe vs. Wade.  As curious groups of youth gathered to see what was going on, they were so struck by our die-in, and so identified with preborn babies, that they joined us by lying down on the cold ground.  Even after it began snowing, the youth stayed.  The youth have become the focus of the abortion debate this year, and our die-in was on the cover of more than 24 news outlets throughout the world.

Remember Me Prayer Vigil

Under former Senate Leader Majority Leader, Harry Reid, the Senate did not vote on ONE pro-life bill.  We expect Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to act differently and allow pro-life bills to move through the Senate, helping to end abortion.  We gathered with other pro-life leaders and citizens to pray publicly in front of Senator McConnell’s office and show him our support before the March for Life.

March for Life

The March for Life is certainly the largest event to commemorate the victims of Roe vs. Wade, and reminds us that we are not alone -- we joined 500,000 other pro-life citizens to march and protest legal abortion.  However, our team did not go to the March for Life just to participate.  We went to recruit for our full-time pro-life missionary team.  We handed out 2,000 signs and stickers, and held our banner in front of the Supreme Court for over an hour and a half, reminding marchers that 1/3 of our generation has been killed by abortion and we must work throughout the year to end the abortion holocaust.

Congresswoman Ellmers’ Office

When Congresswoman Ellmers pulled the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act from the House floor on Wednesday, we were angered and disappointed.  Instead of whining, we took  action, and led by Reverend Pat Mahoney, our team, along with 3 student groups, Jill Stanek, Kristan Hawkins, and Brandi Swindell, held a press conference at Congresswoman Ellmers’ office.  The Congresswoman’s staff stated how thankful they were that young people were there.  Media refused to show the photo of a late-term abortion victim that I held up, but at least the victims were represented!

Conversations4Life Benefit Dinner

Though Jeff White and I represented Survivors on two different panels at the Conversations4Life dinner to benefit the Issues4Life Foundation, the real servants were our camp veterans.  The youth volunteers helped set up, served dinner, and helped tear down.  They were our ambassadors to pro-life leaders from all over the country, who brought joy and hope to the adults who were there. 

* We would like to note that Kristina had the honor of receiving the Issues 4 Life "The Champions 4 Life Award"!

Walk for Life West Coast

Throughout the week, one thing struck me over and over again.  Our youth were ready to lead the way with zeal.  They had been trained how to demonstrate, how to talk about abortion, how to lead an event, and how to carry themselves with poise.  They were eager to lead a die-in and show-the-truth outreach all before the die-in in San Francisco.  

Then, took their place at the front of the Walk for Life and couldn’t wait to chant.  At the end of the walk, activists from the radical pro-abortion group, Stop Patriarchy, tried to rain on the parade by protesting, shouting, and chanting angrily.  Our group of young people just couldn’t resist.  They took over and completely outshined Stop Patriarchy with their joy and fervor.  At the end of the Walk, one of the organizers told us, “I love what you guys do.  We couldn’t do this [the Walk for Life] without you.”

We expect young people to be brazen and loud.  They are naturally courageous and a little headstrong.  But when they are well-trained, young people become unstoppable leaders.  Our job is to form them, equip them, and let them shine.

I am so very proud of all of the youth who are willing to take their place in the battle against the Culture of Death.  They did not just go home this weekend with another pro-life event under their belt.  These young leaders are inspired and determined.  They are not just going to fight abortion -- they are going to end it.

Fiat Vita,

Kristina Garza