Sidewalk Counseling Experience? Pro-lifers

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EmRoAmRo

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Can anyone share with me their experience in praying near an abortion clinic or doing sidewalk counseling? I am considering do it, but I am nervous about what could happen. My brother did it last year and said the worst thing that happen was that he was cussed out and ‘flipped off.’

Do you have any advise in making my venture more successful. Words that are helpful to mothers who would reconsider? I want to be helpful and not make things harder. I am also afraid as my city is VERY liberal that I will be arrested though I am doing nothing unlawful. P

Any advise/comment/encouragement would be appreciated 👍 THANKS & May God Bless You!
 
I have never done sidewalk counseling but I did want to say that they do have classes for those who want to be sidewalk counselors. Classes to teach you what to expect and how to respond? Perhaps you should look into those?
 
Go through the training. You are not obligated to sidewalk counsel unless you feel that you can do it. If you are not confident, then “understudy” with someone who is very experienced. You should NOT, I repeat, NOT try to do this with no training! A sincere desire to help women and babies goes a long way; however, many people have been there and done that, and will help guide you so you don’t make mistakes. Your local pro-life coalition can advise you about local laws as well, and make sure you don’t violate the law.

I actually got threatened with being beaten up, by a very angry woman who was probably bringing her daughter in for an abortion. I had merely offered literature and told her that there was other help and that she didn’t have to go into Planned Parenthood, very non-threatening. She was really wound up and ready to go, of course the escort had already met her in the parking lot and coached her that we “protesters” would be attacking them on the way to the clinic! I stopped talking after the woman threatened me and just prayed for them. That is not to scare you! Many times, people were grateful for the literature I handed them. I even gave brochures to delivery people that came by, I told them that if they knew anyone who was pregnant, to let us know so we could help them.

So, 1) Get trained and 2) Go out with experienced sidewalk counselors and observe them until you feel comfortable enough to do it yourself. You will never feel 100% comfortable either, just kind of push through that and do what you need to do.
 
EmRoAmRo said:
Can anyone share with me their experience in praying near an abortion clinic or doing sidewalk counseling? I am considering do it, but I am nervous about what could happen. My brother did it last year and said the worst thing that happen was that he was cussed out and ‘flipped off.’

Do you have any advise in making my venture more successful. Words that are helpful to mothers who would reconsider? I want to be helpful and not make things harder. I am also afraid as my city is VERY liberal that I will be arrested though I am doing nothing unlawful. P

Any advise/comment/encouragement would be appreciated 👍 THANKS & May God Bless You!
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Good for him. Here in Canada there is a law against this and doing sidewalk counseling can actually land one in prison.
 
Be sure you know and understand the laws. At least in my city you can’t harass the patients. My fiance actually called the police on a woman who followed me from the parking lot to the front door with her face in mine shouting disgusting names in my ear and wouldn’t back off when I asked. The police showed up and I spoke to them saying that I didn’t want charges or anything pressed because it wasn’t that big of a deal, but the cop did speak with her and hang around for the rest of the day to make sure no one else was followed and berated.
 
EmRoAmRo said:
Can anyone share with me their experience in praying near an abortion clinic or doing sidewalk counseling? I am considering do it, but I am nervous about what could happen. My brother did it last year and said the worst thing that happen was that he was cussed out and ‘flipped off.’

Do you have any advise in making my venture more successful. Words that are helpful to mothers who would reconsider? I want to be helpful and not make things harder. I am also afraid as my city is VERY liberal that I will be arrested though I am doing nothing unlawful. P

Any advise/comment/encouragement would be appreciated 👍 THANKS & May God Bless You!
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Don’t be oppressive, and do not tell them they will go to hell, or the babies will cry in heaven. 🙂 Take classes, if there are some, and try to be a listener for them. Many people will strengthen the resolve to do something if told not to. Relate to them.
 
ReachingFaith said:
Don’t be oppressive, and do not tell them they will go to hell, or the babies will cry in heaven. 🙂 Take classes, if there are some, and try to be a listener for them. Many people will strengthen the resolve to do something if told not to. Relate to them.
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Also don’t assume that they are going in for an abortion. Ask. Many of them are there for PAP smears, STD tests, birth control, or even checkups and referrals for things like endometriosis. I’ve had some of the most vile things said to me because they assume I’m there for an abortion when I’m not, and they refuse to listen when I say “I’m not pregnant.”
 
My wife and children go out to the Planned Parenthood near our area often to pray in front, and they’ve never had a bad experience so far. Sidewalk counseling is a different story…DO get the training or shadow someone who is experienced first before trying that.

If you live in an area that is very liberal and hostile toward Pro-Lifers…you can expect to get flipped off or cursed at. To me, that just goes with the territory, so to speak. The best response to something like that is a prayerful silence, and continuing your prayer. Anything you way will be used against you at that point.
 
ahs said:
My wife and children go out to the Planned Parenthood near our area often to pray in front, and they’ve never had a bad experience so far. Sidewalk counseling is a different story…DO get the training or shadow someone who is experienced first before trying that.

If you live in an area that is very liberal and hostile toward Pro-Lifers…you can expect to get flipped off or cursed at. To me, that just goes with the territory, so to speak. The best response to something like that is a prayerful silence, and continuing your prayer. Anything you way will be used against you at that point.
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Prayerful silence is kind of hard to transmit.😉 You might want to work on a response that’s better than that. Study facts, and don’t rely on morals solely to convince, because good luck with that one! If you tell them you’re praying, good luck with that one too. why should they respect what they don’t understand? Use their own mindset to appeal.
 
BlueEyedLady said:
Also don’t assume that they are going in for an abortion. Ask. Many of them are there for PAP smears, STD tests, birth control, or even checkups and referrals for things like endometriosis. I’ve had some of the most vile things said to me because they assume I’m there for an abortion when I’m not, and they refuse to listen when I say “I’m not pregnant.”
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We respond, “There are better places to get treatment than Planned Parenthood, did you know that they do x number of abortions here every month?” And then hand them a brochure all about PP, and a referral to other free or inexpensive clinics in our area. I’ve had quite a few people exclaim that they didn’t realize PP does abortions (not sure if it was true but 🤷) and take the literature very seriously.

None of the sidewalk counselors I work with have anything to do with “vile” responses to mothers and fathers going into PP, but we have been threatened by PP employees and escorts.
 
ReachingFaith said:
Prayerful silence is kind of hard to transmit.😉 You might want to work on a response that’s better than that. Study facts, and don’t rely on morals solely to convince, because good luck with that one! If you tell them you’re praying, good luck with that one too. why should they respect what they don’t understand? Use their own mindset to appeal.
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It is a difficult thing to do, and do well. A salesman-type of personality might be able to pull it off, but you have to watch the line you are walking so that the person doesn’t get the idea that you are just arguing with them for the sake of it. That is why I tell people that if you are uncomfortable with the counseling part, just don’t do it. It’s better to just pray than to get in over your head and cause more problems for yourself.

The gentle approach is always the best one. “Hi, Ma’am, can we give you some information today?” etc. That is assuming you can actually have access to the clients - we have none unless we physically stop their cars going into the PP parking lot which is fenced and gated so once the clients are on their property, we cannot reach them. I got pretty depressed at first but God provided a better way, which is a fully-equipped pregnancy clinic with 4-D ultrasound (thank you Knights of Columbus!) which is there waiting to serve women who come to the PP. They’ve had many saves since they came on the scene, and PP’s bottom line has been affected gravely.

👍
 
If you feel called to pray there, please pray for the spiritual protection of the sidewalk counseors-- the Chaplet of St. MIchael is a good idea. I sidewalk counseled when I lived in a major US city with a large PP. I was constantly under spiritual oppression, and my mom started coming to pray the whole time I counseled-- it really helped.

If you feel called to sw counsel, do take training if any is available, otherwise watch and learn from those that are already doing it. If there isn’t a local pro life group offering sidewalk counselor training, you can get training from the Pro-Life Action League or American Life League.

And, as someone mentioned, know the law-- not just the federal and state law but also the local ordinances. And never pray there alone-- if no one else is there, leave. It is super important to always have a buddy at a minimum and video recording equipment is ideal b/c false accusations are common. I always counseled with an organized group that had video and brochures available (you can order your own from www.all.org and www.hh76.com).

And, do not get discouraged if you do not “see” results, b/c you never know the good you do. I know one sw counselor who had a persson stop and introduce her 12 year old grandson-- the product of that sw counselor’s prayerful presence at one particular abortion clinic every Saturday for nearly 20 years. It took 12 years for him to find out he’d made a difference in at least one life. 🙂 It isn’t work you do b/c you like it, it’s work you do b/c you are called to it.
 
1ke said:
If you feel called to pray there, please pray for the spiritual protection of the sidewalk counseors-- the Chaplet of St. MIchael is a good idea. I sidewalk counseled when I lived in a major US city with a large PP. I was constantly under spiritual oppression, and my mom started coming to pray the whole time I counseled-- it really helped.

If you feel called to sw counsel, do take training if any is available, otherwise watch and learn from those that are already doing it. If there isn’t a local pro life group offering sidewalk counselor training, you can get training from the Pro-Life Action League or American Life League.

And, as someone mentioned, know the law-- not just the federal and state law but also the local ordinances. And never pray there alone-- if no one else is there, leave. It is super important to always have a buddy at a minimum and video recording equipment is ideal b/c false accusations are common. I always counseled with an organized group that had video and brochures available (you can order your own from www.all.org and www.hh76.com).

And, do not get discouraged if you do not “see” results, b/c you never know the good you do. I know one sw counselor who had a persson stop and introduce her 12 year old grandson-- the product of that sw counselor’s prayerful presence at one particular abortion clinic every Saturday for nearly 20 years. It took 12 years for him to find out he’d made a difference in at least one life. 🙂 It isn’t work you do b/c you like it, it’s work you do b/c you are called to it.
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Really important advice! Thanks for remembering to state this. Her local group should remind her of that, during the training. I thought that was exaggerated until I actually did the work, and now I take it VERY seriously.

I hope the OP does have a local group who does the training. There is nothing like the “boots on the ground” experience to keep you from getting yourself into trouble.
 
Today’s 40 Days for Life blog entry might be enlightening.

40 Days for Life

Lest anyone think we don’t face Satan’s opposition to our prayers.
 
BlueEyedLady said:
Also don’t assume that they are going in for an abortion. Ask. Many of them are there for PAP smears, STD tests, birth control, or even checkups and referrals for things like endometriosis. I’ve had some of the most vile things said to me because they assume I’m there for an abortion when I’m not, and they refuse to listen when I say “I’m not pregnant.”
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I’m not sure how other cities work, but in our city our two clinics have abortion days where that is the only service they offer because the doctor only comes that day.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know I’m going to start volunteering at a free crisis pregnancy and sexual health center 🙂 they are very prolife and it will help me get my feet wet 😃
 
I started when I saw an obviously Catholic group in front of an abortion clinic. As I approached them, I told myself: If they are being abusive in any way, I won’t stand with them. And they weren’t.

A few people held signs with large images on them. One was a painting of the Blessed Virgin, and the other was a photo of a baby in the womb that could not be denied to be a human being.

One person usually led the rosary, and we all prayed. I stood silently, and did not stare at any of the young ladies going in or talk to them. I would pray. Two women in our group had small booklets in a small plastic bag. They would tell the girls about Project Rachel.

noparh.org/projectrachels.html

One girl would actually approach the girls by saying “Honey,” “Sweetie,” and talk to them. I later found out from her that she had gotten an abortion at that clinic but turned her life over to the Lord. She was effective.

Yes, we would get flipped off by some people driving by or hear some profanity, but we didn’t stop. A lady who said she was a professional counselor stopped to speak with us. I asked her, “Why don’t these women understand that their baby is going to die when they go in?” She replied that too many are told it’s just a blob of tissue.

We learned that there was coercion from boyfriends and family, like, “If you abort this baby, I’ll stay with you, but if you don’t, I’ll leave.” Or parents who told their daughter that if she got the abortion, they’d kick her out of the house.

One thing I’ll never forget is a young lady who was leaving the clinic and being given a bouquet of flowers. I always told myself: “You’re here to pray. Rely on God and remember His mercy.”

Peace,
Ed
 
EmRoAmRo said:
Just wanted to let everyone know I’m going to start volunteering at a free crisis pregnancy and sexual health center 🙂 they are very prolife and it will help me get my feet wet 😃
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:clapping::clapping::clapping::yup: :love:

Glad to hear this, it will help you learn and that may be the area where you can help the most.

👍
 
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