Choose Adoption - Day #2

On Saturday morning we took to the streets again. This week Minhee was able to come with me and we were joined by Roger & Phyllis Myung, Paul and Helen Kahn and Jane Chang who graciously provided coffee and donuts!! It was only 30 degrees so the coffee was essential for survival.

Again, this week we had no response from any woman entering or leaving the clinic...and sadly, there were many. And again, there were loads of protesters on the streets but there were also "Planned Parenthood Escorts" standing outside. The escorts had special vests on identifying themselves and were all volunteers, there to help bring the women through the crowd and into the clinic. And it is the juxtaposition between the protesters and escorts that informs my reflection for this week.

THE PROTESTERS
Just like last week, the protesters were almost exclusively caucasian men and women, Roman Catholic, and 60 years old or more. Some were standing in front of the clinic when we arrived passing out literature and trying to engage those entering the clinic in dialogue but the vast majority arrived after we were already there. They had formed a large group a few blocks away and eventually made their way to the clinic in a parade-like procession. As they walked they sang songs, shouted Hail Mary's and recited the Lord's prayer. They stopped in front of the clinic and kept vigil there for the next 90 minutes, all the while singing and praying.

THE ESCORTS
These folks could not have been more different from the protesters they stood next to. The escorts were men and women and they were young (most of them in their late 20's and 30's). They stood calmly and silently for the majority of the morning, only becoming active when a young woman was approaching the clinic. Sometimes they would approach the woman to walk her in. At other times they would actively walk/stand between the woman and protesters who were approaching her, standing as a shield between the two.

When Minhee and I arrived there were both a couple of protesters and escorts on the street. I approached one of the escorts to ask about where we were planning to sit. He was courteous and told us where we wanted to settle was fine. On the other hand, the protesters seemed aggressive and angry immediately telling us the escorts wouldn't give us any helpful information. And here is heart of my reflection...

If I am a young woman approaching this clinic I see two very different groups of people. I see older men and woman holding rosaries, shouting prayers (some over personal amplifiers) and marching around. They come off as aggressive and upset and I can tell that I am not their friend.

I also see a group of people standing quietly but approaching to help me. They are young, they look like me, and they are coming to help me. Their job is wholly to cover and protect me and to help me get where I am going. They do seem like friends...or at least like they could be friends.

And as we sat there on Saturday my heart broke again. Jesus stood over the woman caught in adultery and when everyone else wanted to stone her for what she had done it was Jesus who covered and protected her until the crowd dispersed. And as I sat on the street on Saturday I saw a bunch of people holding pictures of Jesus in their hands and claiming to speak on his behalf. And then I saw others who had no pictures of Jesus but were standing as protectors from the crowd just the way Jesus did. And I was confused.

As we enter week #3 of this experiment I find that my desire to protect the unborn and to adopt a baby is as strong as ever. But with that, I also find my compassion for the women who enter that clinic is growing and I hope so much that over time I will find a way to be the voice in the crowd that is able to speak words of protection and compassion over both woman and child. I don't yet know exactly how to do that but those are the words and courage I am now looking for.