Read from the beginning of this whole story: Part 1

A Madman Strikes

On November 27, 2015. I listened in horror to the news about a gunman who targeted the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood.

“We don’t yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don’t yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack,” Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said in a written statement. “We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust.” (Source: CNN)

As more details became known, I learned that (thankfully) this gunman wasn’t connected to the pro-life movement.

Tragically, two civilians and a pro-life, Christian officer were killed. Nine others were wounded. The officer lost his life by rushing to the Planned Parenthood to defend the lives of Planned Parenthood’s patients and employees. Countless other lives were terrorized.

The mad vigilante (later determined to be mentally incompetent) included, “No more baby body parts,” in his statement to police after he was apprehended. This was likely in reference to a series of undercover videos which were released unedited, in their entirety, alongside condensed shorter clips, which exposed the reality of Planned Parenthood’s abortion business, including the ways they skirted the laws allowing them to profit from “donating” fetal tissue. (Forensic Analysis of the Videos a Fraud?)

David Daleiden of The Center for Medical Progress, the producer of the recent series of undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s practice of selling the body parts of aborted babies, said “The Center for Medical Progress does not support vigilante violence against abortion providers. There are people at Planned Parenthood who I still consider friends and my thoughts and prayers are with them at this time for no one to be injured.” (Source: Lifesite News)

In her statement to the press, Vicki Cowart evaded acknowledging the root of the reason why clinics and abortion providers are targeted and will continue to be targeted by madmen, reasons that the pro-life movement can’t change and are working to prevent.

What they consider healthcare involves the dismemberment and termination of pre-born children.

If we could somehow eliminate the potential of a vigilante attack, the threat of violence would still exist. Every aborted baby has a father and a family. The intense heartbreak and rage of a father who was prevented from protecting his own child from a violent death will not simply cease to exist because abortion is legal or because some people call it “Care No Matter What”. It will always be heartbreaking, not heart healing.

Based on the laws of nature, aborting the pre-born is a hazardous occupation with a stigma. It isn’t politics or religion. The video footage documenting the Products of Conception labs and the conversations with abortionists about how to harvest the most intact body parts during abortion procedures illustrates reality.

Is it the fault of the pro-life movement who through educating the public about abortion promote non-violence for every human being? If we fell silent would the violence of abortion cease to exist?

Although I stood to fight for LIFE peacefully with the pro-life officer who valued all human lives equally, clinic workers and the unborn, I was battling fear when I thought of returning to my prayer post by the driveway the coming Tuesday.

I hoped the clinic workers knew that I was there praying for God to bless them, not strike them dead.

There were definitely a lot of angry folks in the pro-abortion camps. Would they attempt some kind of retaliation against me? How did the clinic workers feel? They must be afraid too. Would they be angry with me? Was I putting the baby I carried in my womb in harm’s way?

None of those things mattered more than all the lives that were at stake inside that abortion clinic and beyond.

The questions I asked myself was, “Am I as committed to praying for their conversion as they are committed to providing abortion? Am I as committed to offering support for a different solution to patients as they are to providing abortion?”

My answer was “YES!”

I couldn’t give up and just go away. I wouldn’t consider them a lost cause. Every single one of them was eternally worth the risk.

I prayed the verse,

“The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Onward.

The Lord quieted my fears.

That Tuesday, as I shivered in my boots, I was surprised to receive the first smiles and a wave from the clinic workers who I regarded in my heart as friends. I cried for the hope that maybe they believed I was there because I cared about them too.

Regardless of whether they cursed me, ignored me, or returned a smile and wave, I would not be detoured from extending them an invitation out of the violence of the abortion industry.

I had no doubt these abortion workers had courage. I hoped that one day they would join me on the side of LIFE. I hoped they would face the fear of death, not to bring about death, but only for LIFE!

(Sidewalk Advocates, myself included, have been insulted and assaulted while outside the Heritage Clinic for Women. Many of these incidents have been documented by police officers.)

There is a history of attacks on clinics and abortion doctors. Clinics regularly receive hate mail, and death threats. Some have been vandalized. Dr. Tiller was shot while at church. Clinic workers homes have been picketed. I don’t know about you, but I think any human being would be frightened to know they could be on the receiving end of that. Being aware at all times that you have many enemies and they know your name and home address is frighting. Every approaching stranger could potentially be an assailant, a threat until proven a friend. Maybe even a familiar face could snap and become unpredictable. What awful weight to carry through for a lifetime! This further illustrates that those providing abortion wholeheartedly believe in what they do. They passionately believe that women need abortion.

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“This is a rescue mission, not a war. You treat pregnant women like real people, not just the battle ground for a decision.” – Jared (Save the Storks)

We must extend this same compassion to abortion workers. They are real people who deserve to be treated like real people.

Listen to testimony from these former abortion providers about their conversions and also their thoughts on pro-life outreach:

Former Planned Parenthood Counselor Linda Couri

Dr. John Bruchalski Dr. Kathi Aultman  Dr. Haywood Robinson Dr. Anthony Levatino

Abby Johnson

Message to Pro-Life People

Former Abortion Workers share about Sidewalk Advocacy

Shelley’s Story

Abortion Clinic Employees — “Babies born alive daily.”

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Take the time to consider the experience and perspective of those still working in the abortion industry:

What Is It Like to Be an Abortion Provider in an Anti-Choice State

Inside Mississippi’s Lone Abortion Clinic

After Tiller

Dr. Willie Parker On Abortion: ‘You Can’t Answer Religious Questions With Scientific Answers’ | TIME

The Traveling Abortion Doctor

The next blog entry will address the grave error of the man who shot Dr. Tiller (a late term abortionist) in a church.