For The Babies!

It is Bearfoot for Babies week (we're the UNC Bears, get it?!). That means all week the prolife students on campus have been walking around barefoot in silent protest as a witness for those who will never have the opportunity to wear shoes. There are also events going on every day. Today we had a Life Expo in the main student center on campus. There were booths set up for pro-life, the pregnancy center, NFP (natural family planning) information, ENDOW and theology of the body stuff, and the ask a priest booth.

I helped out there for a while and then walked out to watch over the 3300 cross display outside. This was to make people more aware of the fact that 3300 babies are killed in the US alone EVERY DAY by abortion. Many people came up to ask me about it. Some thought it was awesome and took their shoes off to join us. Some thought it was not so awesome and let me know it. Others just walked by and tried not to notice. Overall, it gave me so much hope! People were willing to stop and ask me about it and actually discuss abortion with me - whether or not they agreed. I was able to share truth about how abortion and contraception not only hurt babies, but mothers. And fathers. And the relationship between man and woman. I was able to give hope to some who needed healing.

After that, I went to my ballroom dancing class. This class is something I'm not actually enrolled in since I'm not a student, but they needed more girls, so I go every week. It isn't mandatory, but for leisure, and I tell you what - I have learned more about myself in this class than from anything else this year! That is a complete other story, though. Today, I was able to be a witness as a barefooted dancer. I had asked the teacher if it was ok right before class started so I didn't break any rules and she decided to make an announcement out of it. Therefore the whole class knew I was going barefoot that day, but not why. This brought up a number of discussions during class with the men I danced with - the only unfortunate part was we were learning the Argentine tango: the dance of passion. If any of you have seen dirty dancing havana nights, we learned moves like that on day one. Not a modest dance to say the least. One guy was enjoying it so much he warned me not to do the next move she was teaching us or he wouldn't be able to control his urge to lick my neck. It was awkward.

Walking back from class, I walk by one of the sorority houses. We are actually on good terms with this sorority and hang out sometimes. Today, though, was the serenade. The fraternities come and sing to the women and the women sing back. I'm not going to quote what they said, but it was all about sex. The vulgar humor and dirty jokes made my heart hurt for them! This is what they have been told will make them happy by the world. They are told they are made for pleasure. Oh if they knew their dignity! If they knew they were made for real love! If they knew Jesus Christ loved them so much and died for them and they deserved more!

Tonight, we had a speaker come in to talk about Hope and Healing after an Abortion. She gave us her life story. She talked about the abuse, the sex and drugs, her perspective and why she went to those things. She told us about the abortions and attempts at love and worthlessness she felt. Then she told us about meeting Christ and His love and mercy. It was a great talk and reminded me of why I became a missionary. It was a little painful as it reminded me of the hurt I've been through and the things I've struggled with, but helped me once again to better appreciate the love of Christ that I've grown so accostomed to knowing - helped me to take a glance through the eyes of fear and pain and remember that sharing faith is about compassion.