This is Adam. He’s a father of four, and this past Friday was his first time volunteering for the 40 Days for Life, joining pro-lifers across the country to advocate on behalf of the unborn.
The 40 Days for Life’s fall campaign kicked off Sept. 25., and many pro-life groups and churches have done their part in raising awareness by recruiting round-the-clock volunteers to pray outside abortion clinics and point patients to alternative health centers that provide pro-life care and support.
When I stopped by the Planned Parenthood of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Friday afternoon, Adam was there as the lone prayer warrior, holding a sign advertising a nearby women’s clinic that offers free pregnancy testing and ultrasound services.
Adam’s presence at the clinic was crucial, as Friday is “death day” — the day when this clinic performs all of its abortions.
When we got to talking, Adam explained to me that he was new to 40 Days for Life, but when he saw a sign-up list at his church, Covenant Fellowship in Glen Mills, he decided to add his name.
When he arrived at 3:30 Friday afternoon, he wasn’t sure what to expect or whom he might encounter.
“I know the whole cultural wrestling match going on — that it’s a woman’s decision, and I’m a guy, so what gives me the right?” he said. “But at the same time, I’m one of 10 kids, and I have six sisters, four of which are nurses.”
“My big prayer while I’ve been here, just kind of walking up and down, is that anyone coming in or going out would sense the love of Jesus,” he said.
During his time at the clinic, Adam said he saw a young woman leaving who “looked a little sad” and thought she may have been there for an abortion. Not knowing what to say, he gave a simple nod to show he wasn’t there “to heckle or to yell,” but to show “compassion and care.”
He shared his prayer that the women visiting the clinic would be financially cared for.
“I know that this is not an easy decision,” Adam said. “Kids are expensive. And my prayer is that people in the church, or friends, or family of the women, would rise up and just say, ‘Do need a thousand bucks?’ or ‘Do you need a hundred bucks?’ Whatever it is.”
He also prayed for the doctors and the security guard as they left the clinic for the day.
“I want to make sure they know that they are human beings, and I am no more worthy of God’s love than they are,” he explained. “And He wants them to know Him and to be blessed by Him.”
Though Adam has four children (ages 2, 4, 6, and 8) and has always believed in the sanctity of unborn life, he expressed his regret about not joining the pro-life cause sooner.
“I’m regretful I haven’t become a part of this movement before turning 38 years old,” Adam told me later in an email. “My wife and I discussed why this is … and how it’s difficult to find time for a ‘ministry.’ But we concluded this is not a ministry, this is a civil rights movement to protect the most vulnerable of any genocide victim in history.”
He noted that he and his family have “supported orphans in third world countries” for years, but he realizes now that “we and our culture need a wake-up call to rise up and defend our precious children on the other side of the birth canal.”
Adam’s testimony is a powerful one that many Christians can relate to. His story speaks to the truth that the pro-life movement is not about how many marches or prayer vigils you attend — it’s about showing up whenever God calls you.
It’s not for us to calculate how many lives will be changed or what sort of impact our individual efforts will make. All God asks of us is that we give Him our “yes,” and trust Him to take care of the rest.
Learn more about 40 Days for Life.