Family Planning Associates, San Diego
Dear Pro-life friends,
Today was Day 18 of 40 Days for Life at Family Planning Associates on Miramar Road. When we arrived about 7:30 am, there were already a half dozen yellow-shirt “patient escorts” in the parking lot. Within a half-hour, the number had grown to about 15. They were stationed throughout the lot in groups to keep an eye on the 8 sidewalk counselors. Out on the sidewalk, there were between 30 and 40 prayer warriors, including a priest.
When we get a chance, we try to have a dialog with some of the yellow-shirts to see if we can get them to understand why we are here, and how devastating abortion is. While one of the counselors was waiting about 10 feet away from a car with a couple who had not yet decided to get out, the counselor asked one of the yellow-shirts when they thought the unborn baby became a person. He said “When they take their first breath”. Another yellow-shirt nearby agreed. The counselor asked, “What about the day before the baby is born?” “Nope, not until its first breath”. The counselor continued, “What if it is born a day early?”. The yellow-shirt could see where the reasoning was going and did not want to talk further. About 70% to 80% of the yellow-shirts are college students at UCSD and SDSU who sign up for a time commitment to be out here, and in return get community service hours.
One of the counselors approached two women who had parked in the east parking lot and were making their way to the elevator. The counselor showed them a picture of a paramedic vehicle and firetruck parked in front of the clinic, and explained how a woman almost died a few months ago here. One of the yellow-shirts chimed in that it wasn’t true, that the paramedics were just parking there in front of the furniture store. The guard came up quickly and told the woman she did not have to listen to the counselor, and that she could escort the woman up. Several other yellow-shirts were crowding around, saying similar things, and urging the woman to tell the counselor to go away. The counselor said “This really did happen, I talked to the woman. I care about you, please let me talk to you”. The woman was getting nervous, and was paying attention to the counselor, who gave her some brochures and urged her to go the Turning Point Pregnancy Resource Center, located next door to the abortion clinic. The woman ignored the yellow-shirts and guard, took the information, and said “I’m leaving this place”. They walked back to their car and drove away.
A short time later a man and woman pulled up into the parking lot near the front of the clinic. Two counselors approached the car, one on the woman’s side and the other on the man’s side. Immediately yellow shirts hovered over the woman interrupting the counselor. While this was taking place, the other counselor handed the man a card with a prayer to end abortion. The counselor asked the man to please pray for the women inside who were having abortions. He hesitantly took the card and appeared a little upset. The counselor tried to offer help but soon the yellow-shirts made their way over to him calling the counselor a protester, and said that he did not have to listen to the counselor.
The man told the counselor to leave him alone, yelling an obscenity. He seemed visibly upset. About thirty minutes later, which what not enough time to have anything done, the couple came out of FPA and left. Another counselor was near them and saw that the woman was crying. As they got into their car the first counselor tried to talk, but the man was not happy and again yelled an obscenity. We don’t know why they left but from the tears of the woman, it would appear she might have had a change of heart. We never know the power of prayer and what takes place in their hearts when they enter into FPA. Please pray for this hurting couple.
– the sidewalk counselors of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants San Diego
