By Grace Henry
How did you first become involved in the pro-life movement?
I was looking for volunteer groups because I wanted to get involved with something that would make a difference in the community. I did some research online and Voices for Life was one of the organizations that came up. I believe I emailed Melanie and asked if I could bring Jacob, who was a baby at the time, with me. She said, “Yeah, my son will be around” and it just seemed like a good fit.
What has been the most meaningful experience for you in doing this type of work?
When I first started canvassing, I was with Donny, and we went up to a house where a young man answered the door. He was probably in his teens or early twenties. When we first started talking, he said he was not pro-life and believed abortion was a woman’s right to choose. Donny did a great job explaining his perspective, and by the end of the conversation, the young man had changed his mind. Then, at the end of it, we all prayed together. That experience really stuck with me. We were complete strangers, and yet we were able to have a conversation, connect with each other, and even pray together. I thought that was just unbelievable. Even when you are at odds with someone and have completely different views, there is still hope that you can find some way to be united.
What challenges have you faced through your experience of doing pro-life work?
One of the hardest things was having people look at me while I was carrying Jacob. He was probably six months old when I started, if not younger. They would look at him, look at me, and say, “I hate to say this to you in front of your baby, but I am not pro-life, and you are not going to change my mind.” That was just daunting to me. It is hard to hear someone say that when there is a little life right in front of them. It made me realize how deeply divided people can be on this issue and how difficult some of these conversations can be.
What have you learned from the people who have disagreed with you?
I really think that a lot of people who disagree with the pro-life movement do not fully understand the effects abortion can have on a mother or what actually takes place during an abortion. I do not think everyone who disagrees with us has taken the time to really understand those things. I think sometimes the idea of “I am not taking away a woman’s rights” becomes this kind of glorified sentence that can hide the damage that abortion can actually cause. It has made me realize how important it is to have honest conversations and to help people understand what is really involved.
What do you love most about Voices for Life?
The community is what I love most about Voices for Life. I am not as active in canvassing anymore because Jacob is a little bigger now, so I have had to take a step back. But Melanie never ceases to make me feel like I am still part of the community. She makes me feel like she can still use my help when I am available, and she knows that I am here. I really appreciate that. Even though I am not as involved as I once was, I still feel like I belong.
What advice would you give to someone interested in getting involved with pro-life work?
Do it. Just do it. The difficult conversations are definitely worth it. They are worth having. You might not always change someone’s mind, but those conversations matter, and you never know what kind of impact you might have.
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