Dear Editor: Very recently I witnessed a battle in the ongoing spiritual warfare being fought at an abortion mill, by way of iPhone text messaging and sidewalk praying. It seemed like a lost cause. In this particular life-and-death struggle it seemed almost certain that the unborn baby at the center of the action, like so many others, would lose its life within a couple of hours. But Don, an avid pro-lifer for many years, saw there was a real chance to save this one.

Don witnessed an expectant father desperate to prevent the abortion from happening. But the expectant mother appeared to be absolutely determined to end the baby’s life, repeating the oft-quoted mantra: “It’s my body!” as the distraught man was insisting, “It’s also my baby.”

When Don encountered this couple as they were entering the abortion mill, he handed the couple a brochure which contained information on where to find help if they would decide to keep the child safe through birth and afterwards, too. Shortly, the couple moved forward, disappearing into the bowels of the abortion mill. Don had written his name and cell phone number on the brochure.

Before long, Don got a text message on his cellphone. It was the father
of the unborn baby who was looking desperately for help to save his child. For probably a good hour or so the messages were flying back and forth in cyberspace between that expectant father and Don. Don kept firing off one-liners on his phone, supplying the distraught man with spiritual support and suggested ideas of what to say to the resistant woman. The potential father desperately kept replying that he was helpless; she was determined to go through with it. “She’s already in the examination room.” The baby was already 18 weeks in development.

The father was in tears as he was at a loss for what to do, when finally, after it seemed the battle was lost, the couple was seen to burst out hurriedly through the front doors of the building and head quickly down the street, the baby still intact in its mother’s womb, apparently heading home. Don’s phone then received one more message from the expectant father: “I convinced her.” He would be in touch with Don to express his gratitude. The unborn child was retrieved from the very maws of a horrible death.

Sidewalk counseling and witnessing is a last resort effort and rather rarely enjoys such success. But wonderful victories do happen, more than we know, and when the pro-lifers see them happen, the group is reassured that all the time and effort is decidedly well worth it.

Father Robert Czok

Rockaway Beach

Editor’s note: Father Czok is a senior priest residing at St. Rose of Lima, Rockaway Beach, NY.