I bent down, my heart was racing, as I whispered in her ear…
No, this is not the first sentence of a romance story.
Well…maybe.
I was young and outspoken against abortion and I was new to town.
While at my sister’s house we heard that Planned Parenthood was attempting to get a program through the school sports department.
Sneaky, huh?
So, I agreed to go to the school board meeting to oppose Planned Parenthood. I was not alone, as hundreds of other concerned citizens filled the school auditorium that evening.
It was odd how the podium faced away from the board members who were to the back of anyone speaking. And I watched as one by one people spoke against the program while the board members talked and giggled from their table behind them.
I was outraged.
Now, it was my turn.
As I started speaking, I turned to see who in the school board was listening and there she was, the biggest offender of all, a known Planned Parenthood advocate who was laughing and talking and unaware I was starring her down.
As I turned completely around to face the board, and stopped talking, it got very quiet in that auditorium.
Silence is loud and soon the entire audience was looking at her- she finally looked up and I said, “I thought you were supposed to listen to us? If you want to talk, I can wait.”
The school board member turned three shades of red and remained quiet the rest of the night!
Fast forward a few years.
I came across an advertisement, from Voices for Choice, holding their monthly luncheon.
Topic is Planned Parenthood and the CHPA program – a children’s health insurance program for low income families.
Hmmm, I thought, I need to go to this.
So, I asked around for someone to go with me and…no one is available.
This mission – should you choose to accept it….
Well, okay then. It’s just me in a room full of pro-choice people, I guess that’s an even match.
As I made my way up the stairs, I got nervous. I entered the room and looked around.
I need to remain inconspicuous, I thought as I sized up the room.
Where can I sit?
There she was, an old lady in a wheelchair. I headed her way. She looks harmless enough.
I walked up to her, she said , “Would you like to sit here?”
“Yes,” I replied.
And I sat down next to her and took a deep breath thinking- “great- so far so good.”
Not so fast…
Turns out, my new elderly friend was a professor, I mean a feminist professor from the University of Miami, I believe she described herself as the “Matriarch of the South Florida Feminist Community.”
GULP!
She immediately saw me as “new blood’ a potential convert to her cause and she wasted no time in shoving her propaganda at me beginning with an article from the magazine, “American Atheist” talking about how all Christians and pro-lifers should be thrown in prison…for good!
Did I mention we were officially sitting at the head table?
Did I forget to mention one of the speakers was none other then that county school board member I had embarrassed a few years prior?
Double Gulp!
“Honey, can you get me a cup of coffee?” the sweet elderly feminist professor in the wheelchair who wanted pro-lifers put in prison asked me.
“Sure, no problem,” I said.
One by one the notables arrived and I was in the center of the “in-crowd” of “Voice for Choice.”
My new elderly friend had opened all sorts of doors for me that day.
As the school board member arrived, I tried to hide my head slightly – and she looked at me- and kept…WHEW!
She did not recognize me.
And there I was, with their permission, I tape recorded the entire lunch.
Mission accomplished.
Or…so I thought!
“Honey, would you mind taking me to the restroom?”
“Can you grab me another coffee?
“I need the restroom again.”
Seemed I had become the elderly feminist matriarch’s personal assistant/servant.
As the hours passed by, I never did become totally comfortable.
I was one glance away from someone remembering me from the sidewalk of the local abortion clinic where I regularly sidewalk counseled.
By the end of the meeting, I had the Intel I came for.
“Sweetie, would you mind taking me downstairs to my van?”
“No, not at all,” I said.
And, I did.
We entered the elevator, 3rd floor…2nd floor…1st floor…bing…bing…bing…the door opened.
As we made our way outside the building I noticed a van with one of those hydraulic lifts.
“There it is,” she said.
I was almost out of there…almost safe.
As I wheeled my new elderly feminist matriarchal friend who hated Christians to her van, I said a silent prayer to myself.
Then I bent down, my heart was racing… as I whispered in her ear, “It was a pleasure serving you today. Jesus loves you and so do I. Have a great day.”
And with that, I walked away and never looked back.
That day has always been a bitter-sweet memory for me.
As I reflected my first thought was “God, you have a real sense of humor.”
And then I realized He had set me up.
He placed me in that meeting all alone. He had me see who I thought would be the least likely person to be aggressive, then placed me at the head table, and had me serve an elderly lady who despised Christians and pro-lifers all day.
As I further reflected, I had to wonder how much God loved her to send me in there to tell her so.
And, I knew at that moment how much He must also love me!
Mission accomplished.
This is one of many soon to be published in my “stories from the front lines” series. Stay tuned for more.
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