We are experiencing a thrilling new springtime of collaboration in the pro-life movement between peaceful sidewalk counselors and pregnancy centers; indeed, it’s a beacon of hope for everyone who has a heart to save lives and end abortion in their community.
Every day, peaceful, prayerful, law-abiding sidewalk advocacy is reaching abortion-bound mothers and fathers and giving them a pathway to life-affirming pregnancy centers and ultimately, real help and hope.
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Sidewalk advocacy, by definition, is crisis intervention in front of the abortion facility, encouraging a woman to choose life and empowering her to leave the facility.
With information about local, life-affirming resources alongside a peaceful smile and approachable demeanor, we become a gateway to the abundant help available to her in the community and beyond. On a broader scale, sidewalk advocacy allows the local community to witness to everyone present at an abortion facility to bring about a conversion of heart from a culture of death to a culture of life, thereby ending abortion.
Trained sidewalk advocates address each situation using a woman-oriented, help-oriented approach, knowing that in order to help a mother choose life, we need to address the crisis that brings her to the abortion facility.
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Strategic sidewalk outreach prioritizes problem-solving for mothers in crisis, working to address their needs by connecting them with low or no cost resources available in their communities through our partnership with local pregnancy help organizations. Once we make this connection, we are prepared to transition her care, knowing that the abortion-vulnerable women and men we meet will soon find everything they need at the pregnancy center, including ongoing support, medical assistance, financial support, baby items, and referrals for an array of other powerful resources, as well as a chance to put their faith in Christ. Amidst this transition, Sidewalk Advocates remain open to accompanying mom on this journey as needed in partnership with the pregnancy help movement.
On the sidewalk, we find that by first addressing mom’s situation and perceived crisis, she becomes more willing to consider and talk about her preborn baby.
As the interaction continues, we remind her of God’s love for her and her child, offering the hope found in faith. This loving invitation away from the abortion facility to life-affirming help is extended not only to abortion-minded clients, but also to women after abortion as well as facility workers, knowing we have resources for their unique situation and journey, too.
Sidewalk advocates show each soul who crosses our path that there is a way to choose abundant life no matter who they are or why they find themselves at an abortion facility.
Sidewalk Advocates for Life practices all of the above based on a foundation of prayer, believing that by putting ourselves at His disposal as His hands and feet, He will continue to use us to bring others His hope and peace. And when we help enough clients and workers, sometimes, the abortion facility has trouble keeping its doors open, and it closes!
In just seven years on the sidewalk, this method of sidewalk outreach has led to nearly 13,000 women served and babies saved, 25 facility closures, and 73 abortion workers who have left, among other victories.
We are grateful to God for blessing Sidewalk Advocates for Life as we work to be a gateway to pregnancy help organizations and other life-affirming resources, continuing to save lives and end abortion one woman, one community at a time.
Editor’s note: Lauren Muzyka is an attorney with decades of experience in sidewalk outreach. As President and CEO of Sidewalk Advocates for Life, Lauren leads the organization’s mission to transform the greatest crossroads of life and death today -- the sidewalk outside the abortion facility -- into a place of hope and victory in Christ. For more information on how Sidewalk Advocates for Life can serve your community or pregnancy help center, please visit us at sidewalkadvocates.org.
