Outreach at Wayne State College, September 2024
Our team had the opportunity to engage with students on the issue of abortion at California State University San Marcos last month. We were getting ready to take down for the day when two international students walked up to our poll table, and I engaged them in conversation. I will refer to the student who did most of the talking as “Joseph”.
Andrea: Do you think abortion should be legal for all nine months of pregnancy or only for a certain window of time?
Joseph: Oh, I don’t think it should be legal for all nine months.
Andrea: Ok. I have our brochure here with images of the unborn at different stages of development (shown right). Where would you draw the line?
Joseph: I think abortion should be legal until the first trimester.
After talking through the legality and the circumstances under which these students thought abortion should be legal, I asked them when they thought life begins biologically speaking.
Joseph: I am not sure. I am not a physician so it’s hard to say.
Andrea: No problem. Obviously I’m not a doctor either, but do you mind if I share with you my understanding of the basic biology?
Joseph: Yes, totally.
Andrea: If the unborn is growing, would you agree it is alive?
Joseph: Yes, I would agree with that.
Andrea: If the unborn has human parents, would you agree it is human?
Joseph: Yes.
Outreach at MiraCosta College, October 2024
Andrea: Right. Living things reproduce after their own kind. Dogs produce dogs and cats produce cats, so it would make sense to say that humans produce human offspring. At conception, the unborn has a complete set of DNA. It just needs time to grow and develop. Are you familiar with polaroid cameras?
Joseph: Yes.
Andrea: The development of the unborn is similar to a polaroid photo. After I take a picture, it takes time for the film to develop. However, as soon as I take a picture, that image has been captured. I just need to wait for it to develop in order to see it. From conception the unborn is a whole, living human organism. The unborn just needs time to grow and develop. Does that make sense? What are your thoughts on that?
The amazing Justice For All team (some members not pictured)
Joseph: Wow. Honestly that makes so much sense, and this is making me change my mind on abortion.
Our conversation continued, and we talked about the realities of abortion. The students agreed that the process of abortion is horrible.
Before Joseph and his friend left, I thanked them for taking the time to have a conversation. They thanked me and expressed again how our conversation had changed their mind. They now understand that the unborn is a living human being and that abortion is taking a life.
It was amazing to see God at work in these students’ lives. Students often do not think the unborn is a human being. Once they understand what science teaches about the beginning of human life, some students are more likely to realize the tragedy of abortion. I am thankful that Joseph and his friend were willing to have a conversation and that they were open to the truth.
As we near the end of the year, I want to thank you for your prayers and support as they have been such a huge blessing in making it possible to reach people like Joseph. If you are not part of my support team, please prayerfully consider joining by giving an end-of-year gift or by making a monthly pledge.