You wouldn’t believe it!
In the these early days of beginning our brand new Sidewalk Advocacy program, we have already seen 11 babies saved by God’s grace! That’s also not including another 9 clients who left “to think about it” — we call them “hopefuls” and continue to pray for them!
But we shouldn’t be surprised that we’re seeing results …after all, God’s grace abounds, and He desires to work miracles through us if we just say YES!
Please continue to pray daily for our Sidewalk Advocates and all of the clients they come in contact with. Pray for lives to be saved, hearts to be transformed, workers to leave the business and abortion facilities to close!
As we begin WEEK 2 of our life-saving program, we’d love to take you over to Pensacola, FL to meet our Program Director, Ernie …and then, continue to pray together with a devotional written by our new Development Director, Ben.
Ernie Cyr is one of the most well-known pro-life leaders in the Southeast, due to his incredible leadership of the Emerald Coast Coalition for Life and 40 Days for Life-Pensacola, FL. We are so blessed to have Ernie, Mary Beth and Aaron as the new Program Directors for SAFL-Pensacola, FL!
Ernie prays and sidewalk counsels regularly with his large family, eager to offer loving, life-affirming alternatives to abortion. Because of their very loving, peaceful approach, they have witnessed to many lives saved and many hearts transformed.
When Ernie first received our training materials, he said: “This is exactly what we have needed to equip our community with tried and true, life-saving techniques! …This is a game-changer!”
We asked Ernie a few more questions about why he decided to get involved with Sidewalk Advocates for Life and how it has already blessed their community! Here’s what he had to say…
1. How did you hear of Sidewalk Advocates for Life and why did you decide to join us?
I first learned about Sidewalk Advocates for Life through Facebook. What drew me to Sidewalk Advocates for Life is the well-designed, well-researched program that compiles the best of the best of sidewalk advocacy programs from around the country. When I looked at the list of members who assisted with the design of this program, I was thoroughly blown away by the caliber of each member. This is the greatest collaboration of sidewalk training programs I have ever seen. This program includes decades of tried and true approaches that have saved countless lives all wrapped into the best training program available to the pro-life movement.
2. What makes you most excited about this new program? How do you think it will bless and complement your current pro-life efforts?
I am excited about this program because we have been searching for ways to train sidewalk counselors in our area. Part of the organizational plan of the Emerald Coast Coalition for Life has been to establish a sidewalk counseling training program and to begin to have professionally trained sidewalk counselors available every hour our local abortion facility is open. We no longer have to establish this program. Sidewalk Advocates for Life has addressed that need. Our plan has now become a reality. What a blessing to have such a high quality program available to us. It is a game-changer!
3. What is one blessing you’ve already experienced as a result of joining Sidewalk Advocates for Life?
Prior to the availability of this program, we struggled with ways to address some of the negative ways some groups apart from our group take in front of the abortion facility. We have never had such a robust program to offer these other groups. The promotion of this program has begun to establish dialogue that has been absent. These groups have been introduced and seem interested in learning more about the Sidewalk Advocacy program. For Pensacola, this is a big deal.
4. What would you say to others who are considering the program? How do you think it could help them save lives and transform hearts?
I think that a more educated and well-equipped team of advocates can only serve to better engage mothers, fathers, friends, family, and workers with a well-thought-out and planned message of hope. Over the years that my family and I have been involved in the pro-life movement, we have always witnessed a positive response, from those seeking abortion, to the peaceful, loving approach rooted in prayer, which is what is at the core of the Sidewalk Advocates for Life training program. To this, the training adds necessary tools to establish meaningful dialogue that will be the catalyst to many life-giving decisions. So if you are considering this program, I would say that you will not find an approach more effective at equipping your pro-life community with the necessary tools to effectively engage the topic of abortion at a moment it is most critical, when literally life is on the line.
THANK YOU, ERNIE!
WEEK 2 (APRIL 6 – APRIL 12, 2014): I’M WITH HIM
by SAFL Director of Development, Ben Roodhouse
Verse: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” – John 15: 18.
Reflection: It is easy to become discouraged when you stand for the Truth the world would rather not hear. Abortion is a reality in society, and many of our fellow citizens have become comfortable with its presence. They would rather not face the ongoing horror because it’s easier to ignore.
We face hatred and rejection in many places when we choose to take part in the pro-life movement. We face the disdain of those who are engaged in the active promotion of the abortion industry. This is painful because we are made to be loved; but we can usually find the courage to stand firm in the face of those strident voices, typically, so full of hurt and anger.
But we often face another kind of rejection from a different source – the quiet disdain of the masses. So many of our family and friends offer no vocal opposition to us but rather, contempt and annoyance. By working to help women avoid abortion, we can’t help but bring to light the great tragedy occurring daily in our midst. Those who would rather ignore the issue resent being forced to confront it. This kind of hatred can be much harder for us to overcome because while we are made to be loved, we all love to be liked. We do not want to be labeled extremists or zealots, but for our work – typically, misunderstood – we are often scorned.
This can be discouraging, and yet we must not be deterred. Our Lord has never asked us to suffer something that He himself hasn’t already endured. Whether it be the screams of the crowds or the disdain of the elite, he has suffered all these things so that when we confront them we can unite our suffering to His. We must never allow our desires to be loved or liked stand in the way of the mission to which we’ve been called. After all, as our eyes gaze upon Christ on the cross – He who gave Himself to us completely in love – we say to ourselves and to the world, “I’m with Him.”
Call to Action: Resolve not to shy away from explaining the work we do this week. We all have people or places where we don’t bring up the abortion issue because we don’t want to make a scene or make an enemy. This week, make a special effort to share the Truth with someone new – peacefully and lovingly — but also, without fear.