Today is the feast day of St. Jude, who is the patron saint of lost causes, so this morning outside of Hilltop abortion clinic we entrusted St. Jude to intercede for the babies, the moms, dads, the conversion of the clinic staff, and the security guard.
Over the years there have been several extremely aggressive security guards like the one we currently have. Prayer and love are the best weapons against a hardened heart as we have seen time and time again.
Last year there was a guard who needed much prayer and love. While in town, Laura Beeson of project defending life would talk to Simon (pseudonym) over and over about what abortion really is and how much it hurts people. Laura helped open Simon up to dialogue. Pat who is one of our sidewalk counselors led the charge by always asking us to pray for Simon. She would talk to Simon, tell him that we were praying for him, give him information on abortion and even offered to find him an alternative job where he wouldn’t have to escort babies to their deaths. I was there when Simon told Pat:
“If you give me $5,000 dollars, I will quit.”
This went on and on for a long time. I was beginning to think that Simon was a lost cause, but Pat never gave up on him. The amount of money Simon would ask for went to $4,000 then to $2,000 and Pat kept ministering and telling Simon that we were praying for him.
Eventually Simon started dating one of the clinic staff and Pat saw this as an opportunity for Simon to find a good job and maybe one day start a family with Christina (pseudonym). I remember when Pat told Simon that he could buy a new suit at a discount for his wedding with Christina if he took a job that Pat was helping him find. Finally Simon went to the job interview and got the job. So about a year ago, he left his job as a security guard and started his new life. Christina had also found a job elsewhere and to this day she waves good bye to us every morning as she drives by on her way to work!
This morning, the feast day of St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes, a young man drove into the abortion clinic parking lot. Pat went over to sidewalk council him and that is when Pat recognized the young man as she joyfully said:
“Simon!”
Before Pat had a chance to say anything else, Simon happily replied:
“Christina and I are getting married!”
“We are expecting a baby!”
Simon had seen us give a gift to each mom or couple who had decided for LIFE so many, many times when he was a guard, and as it turns out, today Simon received a gift, the very first gift for his little baby from the loving hands of Pat who never gave up on him, no matter what, no matter how many times Simon had interrupted or enticed someone not to listen to her. She just never gave up on Simon, because all he needed was prayer and love!
Before he left, Simon talked with the current security guard. The security guard gave Simon his telephone number and I can only assume that Simon told this new security guard what Pat had said so many times:
“Find a different job, stop escorting babies to their deaths, God loves you and people are praying for you.”
For Life!
Miguel
This went on and on for a long time. I was beginning to think that Simon was a lost cause, but Pat never gave up on him. The amount of money Simon would ask for went to $4,000 then to $2,000 and Pat kept ministering and telling Simon that we were praying for him.
Eventually Simon started dating one of the clinic staff and Pat saw this as an opportunity for Simon to find a good job and maybe one day start a family with Christina (pseudonym). I remember when Pat told Simon that he could buy a new suit at a discount for his wedding with Christina if he took a job that Pat was helping him find. Finally Simon went to the job interview and got the job. So about a year ago, he left his job as a security guard and started his new life. Christina had also found a job elsewhere and to this day she waves good bye to us every morning as she drives by on her way to work!
This morning, the feast day of St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes, a young man drove into the abortion clinic parking lot. Pat went over to sidewalk council him and that is when Pat recognized the young man as she joyfully said:
“Simon!”
Before Pat had a chance to say anything else, Simon happily replied:
“Christina and I are getting married!”
“We are expecting a baby!”
Simon had seen us give a gift to each mom or couple who had decided for LIFE so many, many times when he was a guard, and as it turns out, today Simon received a gift, the very first gift for his little baby from the loving hands of Pat who never gave up on him, no matter what, no matter how many times Simon had interrupted or enticed someone not to listen to her. She just never gave up on Simon, because all he needed was prayer and love!
Before he left, Simon talked with the current security guard. The security guard gave Simon his telephone number and I can only assume that Simon told this new security guard what Pat had said so many times:
“Find a different job, stop escorting babies to their deaths, God loves you and people are praying for you.”
For Life!
Miguel
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