Who is the average pro-life American? Is he a devout Catholic strictly adhering to the Church’s teaching? Maybe she’s a young college student advocating for social justice on her campus. Or perhaps she’s a single mom who overcame difficult circumstances and chose life for her child.
While the media and pro-abortion advocates try to box in members of the pro-life movement with narrow definitions and stereotypes, pro-life people actually come from all walks of life, various socioeconomic backgrounds, and numerous religious traditions. And all of them carry stories that shape their pro-life views and mold their convictions.
To capture these diverse faces of the pro-life movement, Online for Life created FacesofProLife.com, a website that showcases the faces and stories of those who champion the sacredness of life. With wide-ranging perspectives and varied experiences, hundreds of pro-life individuals have already submitted their stories to FacesofProLife.com, helping to dispel the myth that all pro-life Americans can be defined within one demographic segment or characterized by unflattering images portrayed in the media.
The reality is that most pro-life Americans don’t storm the halls of Congress to share their convictions with our nation’s lawmakers. They don’t protest with signs and placards at public events. And they don’t stand outside abortion clinics ready to pray for and even counsel those desperate women and men facing a crisis pregnancy to think twice before they terminate the life of their child. In truth, the majority of people who are pro-life choose to work relatively quietly to promote the sacredness of life within their churches, schools, and communities. They serve in life-affirming pregnancy centers, educate teenagers about the importance of abstinence, and sacrificially give whatever resources are needed in order to support those who minister to abortion-determined and post-abortive women and men.
They are the pro-lifer next door.
These are the stories that Online for Life has captured through the FacesofProLife.com website. And here are just a few of the most compelling stories that have been submitted thus far:
David, a father who embraced his girlfriend’s unexpected pregnancy:
I’m pro-life because fatherhood takes many of us by surprise. Don’t let that surprise turn into fear. A man has a right not to be afraid of knowing the immense happiness of being a father. If life confronts you with such a gift, don’t make the wrong decision: be a man, be a father.
Shadia, a post-abortive woman turned pro-life advocate:
I was not always pro-life. Surely not when I aborted my daughter as a teenager. And while I will always regret my choice, by God’s glorious grace, I no longer am shackled by guilt and shame! Today, I am pro-LIFE because God has shown me that all human beings are precious and created in His image. Today, I speak up for LIFE because God has birthed a ministry through the power of a redeemed choice. Today, I boldly stand for LIFE for the glory of His Name and in memory of my daughter, Amanda. You, my dear child, are Worthy of Love. (Shadia Hrichi, author of Worthy of Love: A Journey of Hope and Healing After Abortion)
Remi, a post-abortive father living with the regret of his decision:
When I was 18, I got my girlfriend pregnant.…She decided that she wanted to end the pregnancy.…She was in college [and] felt that she wasn’t ready to bring another child into the world. Upon hearing the news I was devastated. I begged her to keep the child, but she was adamant about ending the pregnancy.…I…finally agreed to give her the money to end our child’s life.…
Eight years later I received Christ as Lord and savior of my life. One day I was reading the Bible and noticed a scripture that really spoke to me. When I read [Luke 1:26-56] my eyes were open and I realized that every child that is conceived — whether they’re 3 days old, 4 weeks or 9 months — is a life, a beautiful life.
In February 2014, I was blessed to watch my son come into the world.…I have vowed that the father I should have been to Cayden’s brother/sister, I will always be to him.
Right now, you can submit your own story to www.FacesofProLife.com. Whether you’re pro-life because you’ve experienced the pain of abortion firsthand or because you believe in speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves, Online for Life invites you to share your story at www.FacesofProLife.com today. Then, please take a moment to share the website with your friends and family, and encourage them to post their own stories. With every new submission, we can tell the world there is no stereotypical pro-life person. In fact, we are as varied and unique as the children we seek to help rescue from abortion.
LifeNews Note: Author, speaker, and business leader Brian Fisher is the President and Co-Founder of Online for Life, a transparent, metric-oriented, compassion-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to helping rescue babies and their families from abortion through technology and grace.
