Usually, the cars in the parking lot at the abortion center are beat up old jalopies. They are a huge contrast to the abortionist's ride, which is a huge silver Lincoln Continental. He parks in the back, next to the dumpster...how appropriate. Sometimes I point that out to his "patients."

But this morning, one of those PT Cruisers was parked in the abortion parking lot. A mother and her daughter got out of the car and started towards the sidewalk. The mother immediately began shouting at me. She said I have no right to be in front of the center. She was yelling at me asking me how many babies I adopted. She was very upset, as she should be. I told her taking her daughter here has nothing to do with adoption, it has to do with eliminating her grandchild, and hurting her daughter. Of course, it never was about adoption, it was just a front to hide her guilt. She bolted inside, and I prayed that she would come back out so that we could talk about her daughter. That did not happen.

Two black girls approached, and I gave them the CPC information. One said she is getting a pregnancy test. When she came out, I asked her in my best happy voice if the test is positive. She showed me the white folder to prep for the abortion. She held up my card, and ran to her car.

A man brought a woman to the center. She was very hostile to me. But he stopped, and I asked him if his wife or girlfriend is pregnant. He said he did not know. He side-stepped me and went to his car. I walked with him as far as the law allows, and talked to him about the joy of holding his own child...maybe his son. He looked at me square in the eyes, and took off in his car.

I was alone until Chris came. He immediately went for the entrance way and starting singing and talking so that the people inside could hear him. Chris is very passionate about his ministry. A few minutes passed, and then a man I have never seen before came to wait for the bus. I greeted him, and he asked me if anyone left the "killing center" this morning. We exchanged names and a hand shake, and he began to speak...very slowly.

His name is James. He asked me, "Do you know what you are?" I cringed...oh no here we go... He responded, "You are a mistake". He said, "I am a mistake". I asked him to explain that to me. He said, "It is very possible that many of us are here on this earth as a mistake made by our mother who never intended a pregnancy. But, yet, here we are standing together on the sidewalk talking in front of an abortion clinic. What makes us different from the babies in the bellies of those mothers going in there? Nothing! The difference is that our mothers transferred thier mistake to a life and to a love. But these mothers transfer their mistake to death". He emphasized death. The bus came, we looked at each other silently, he stepped on the bus, and he was gone.

Richard, his wife Rose, Joe, and Kathy all came to pray. Chris stepped away. We pray so they can hear us inside. We pray the Chaplet on our knees. That is my favorite part of the prayers.
Kathy has been ministering at that center for over ten years. She has seen many miracles, and she is amazing.

I might go to a day retreat next week for sidewalk counselors and abortion clinic prayer warriors. I have been praying about it. I am not sure it would be good for me to go. I really dislike what some say and do as sidewalk ministers. I can't stand the "saves" language. They are not "saves," they are persons. Besides, we rarely know if the mother delivered the baby, or went to another clinic for the abortion. I think people should stop counting what they call "saves," and just be happy that God chose them to do His work, no matter what happens or doesn't happen. Then there is the badgering and harassing of the women and abortion staff which is so unloving, and does not allow any quiet time for the Holy Spirit to work .

YES, YES, I know...too few do this work...and it is good that people are out there. Satan is the divider. Yes, I know. That is why I may not attend. If I start hearing about those "saves" I might have to speak about that, and I don't want to divide people. Better not to go. I don't want to make a "mistake".

I keep thinking about James' interesting commentary about mistakes. I smiled to think that my sister who is twelve years younger than I...is who James is referring to as a "mistake".