Today, some leftists in Brixton decided to have a "Defend Abortion Rights" Demonstration to "send the message that shame and intimidation are not welcome in our community". It seems that the groups involved did not read our signs before deciding to take offence, or they would surely have seen that we are only offering alternatives to abortion to those who want them. Furthermore, we are not there to shame or intimidate anyone, and have had many conversations with those who have had abortions, whatever their views, without feeling the need to shame or intimiate anyone. They went on to say in their leaflet that "Reform UK and Nigel Farage are in support of these kind of ['anti-abortion'] campaigns" - another favoured trope of the pro-abortion campaigner that all pro-lifers are racist, anti-immigrant, right wing, gun supporting, vaccine hating blah, blah,blah.
The truth is far more diverse. The pro-life movement is full of people of all colours and races and every strand of political belief. Many people come into the movement because of their own, or a loved one's abortion and it's aftermath. Many others arrive into the movement after finding that scientifically a newly conceived life can only be a very tiny human - "A person's a person no matter how small" as Dr Seuss tells us!
This group met on the steps of Lambeth Town Hall at midday and they ranted about those anti-choicers up at our vigil. Their demo was about to close when a brave black woman - I'll call her Valerie - stepped forward to speak. She told them that she did not agree with them, that she herself had had two abortions. She said her first abortion when she was only in her teens was in the Brixton abortion centre. She said that she wished the vigil had been there for her, and she might have been able to choose life for her child instead. She described the pain and suffering of having a second abortion, because no-one was there to offer her help or support. They began to respond and tell her she was only 1 person and not everyone felt like her. She refused to be brushed off by this and she said "There are others who feel like I do. You are criticising the people praying up the road, but what can you offer to people like me who are suffering after an abortion? You want me to have abortions and you want to demand my right to abortion, but I have had an abortion and I have the pain and trauma of going through that. What help have you got for me?" Of course the answer is "No help at all". But the protestors did not answer her at all. They began to walk away. When she told them "Abortion kills a child" they told her she was being agressive, and they all left.
However, after they left, Valerie came up to the Vigil to meet with us, and to recount what had happened.
When Valerie arrived, she told us the whole story of what had happened. She too was confused by the fact that her story was of no interest to the self-styled "women's rights advocates". But as someone with a faith in God, she quickly recognised that their movement was all about politics and not about people. As she told them of her sorrow at the loss of her two children, they explained to her that 'there are too many children in the world anyway.'
She thanked us and asked God to bless us. She said she had prayed about whether to come today, and felt that God wanted her too. She thanked God for sending her a son after she had gone through two abortions and she told us how repentant she felt about them. And before she left us, she encouraged us to keep praying, and she said "I've got your back!"
It's not easy being at a vigil. I take my hat off to the vigil volunteers who are there daily or several times a week and put up with all kinds of abuse from passers by. But on the worst of days, we need to remember the many "Valeries" out there, not all as brave as today's Valerie, and not all willing to speak up, but those who pass by quietly and offer a prayer in their hearts for lost children and those who try to reach out and help Mothers.
Clare
The Prayer Vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am to 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be of great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book to attend please contact Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740
For details about 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigils in Reading, Ealing, Southend, Liverpool, Nottingham, Glasgow, Leicester, Bournemouth and Sheffield see here and for the rest of the World see here
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The Guild of Our Lady of Good Counsel
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