"...this holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface..."

· Posted 14/12/06 by Kortney

The normal response to Christmas carolers, especially ones bearing gifts, is delight, happiness, appreciation. When you are an agent of death, however, this holiday cheer creates an awkward internal turmoil.

On December 9, the Survivors joined with local southern California pro-lifers to spread the message of Christ’s birth in an unconventional way. We visited four different abortion clinics armed with Christmas gift baskets (filled with baby items) and our singing voices.

At each location a small group of teenage girls and boys entered the abortion clinic and presented the women in the waiting room with gift baskets, along with a Christmas gospel tract and information on the local crisis pregnancy center. We also had gifts for the clinic workers – a Christmas booklet, CD and lyrics to the song “Mary Did You Know?” and holiday candy.

As the young people presented the gifts and counseled the women inside, the rest of the Survivors sang Christmas carols outside the doors.

Christmas songs sure do take on a new meaning when you are outside a killing center.

Picture singing these lines as you stand at the entrance to a place where children are slaughtered: “Light and life to all he brings…Born that man no more may die” (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing); “Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace” (Silent Night); “Tidings of comfort and joy…this holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface” (God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen) “In all our trials born to be our friend. He knows our need, to our weakness no stranger” (Oh Holy Night).

At the first clinic we were able to stay inside for about five minutes (before the clinic workers asked us to leave). One of the employees then came out and closed the gate. But our voices, proclaiming the birth of Christ, could still be heard through the glass doors.

In the waiting room of the second clinic sat three women, while a young man with a toddler waited outside. We entered the waiting room to offer hope once again to women “staggering toward slaughter” (Proverbs 24:11).

The placement of this abortion mill was sadly ironic – directly next door was the “Living Way Community Church.” I wondered if the congregation knew what happens a room away from where they worship. If they knew, would they do something about it?

Thank God for our Spanish-speaking pro-lifers who spoke with the boyfriend waiting outside and urged him to go in and rescue his girlfriend, protect his baby, leave the place of death and hopelessness.

We continued to pray and sing as a handful of Survivors pleaded with the women to leave. Because this clinic was on the second floor of a building, space was limited. Therefore, when I noticed some women leaving I couldn’t tell whether they had come from the clinic or not, although I did see one woman leaving with one of our baskets in hand.

My musings were answered as we cleared out of the area. The waiting room was now empty. Praise God!

I pray that those women never return and choose life for their babies.

The last clinic of the day was one belonging to a large abortion chain in southern California – Family Planning Associates (FPA). Because they have more funding and tend to be more organized than the smaller abortuaries, we had previously decided to sing carols outside, but not go inside and risk an altercation with security.

As we made our way there, I requested that we go inside any way. Why should the women in the FPA not receive the baskets?

Four of us went inside. There were three women inside the waiting room who we were able to counsel.

The security officer on duty asked me if we were protesting. “No,” I said, “we are giving Christmas gifts, and I have one for you too.” He was taken aback and looked very confused. He refused the gift and again asked if we were protesting. “We are here for Christmas,” I responded.

Then, an angry woman came out into the waiting room yelling that she would call the police and have us arrested. I turned to her and smiled. “Merry Christmas. I have a gift for you,” I offered her the package. She ignored me and continued the tirade. We exited the building after that and continued singing.

Two of the three women left before we finished caroling!

A sign on the door of the FPA spoke volumes about the cavalier attitude with which the abortion industry provides their “services.:

The sign read: “No food, drink, or children allowed inside the building.” I guess they only allow hidden and dead children inside.

We may not know how many of the women who left that day actually changed their minds permanently. But chances are that at least one of them did. And we do know that all of them were in some way impacted by receiving their gifts and being reminded that they are already mothers.

As we celebrate Christmas let us not forget that our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth as an unborn baby. He could’ve appeared at any age. But he came at the very beginning of the human experience to live and grow in the womb.

Remember in prayer the women facing crisis pregnancies. Pray that God will give them and those around them strength and wisdom and that they will choose life for their babies.

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