President's Message: Patiently Committed to Prolife Values

A dear friend sent me the book “Simple Words of Wisdom, 52 Virtues for Every Woman.” One of the virtues highlighted is patience.

The author Penelope Stokes begins her chapter on the virtue patience with a German proverb which reads, “Patience is a bitter plant but it has sweet fruit.” Stokes goes on to write, “Patience, it seems, is developed...through two processes—delay and interruption.”

We in the prolife movement can certainly relate to that. We are now nearing the close of 33 years of that failed social experiment called legalized abortion. As the days, months and years have grown, we have seen delays, interruptions and bitter fruit.

The bitter fruit has come in the form of all of the lives lost because of those 1973 Supreme Court decisions: Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton. We’ve seen the bitter fruit in the post-abortive women who some describe as the “walking wounded.” We’ve experienced that bitter fruit through broken promises by politicians.

On a more positive note, the chapter on patience also has this lesson:

“If we want to be people of patience, we need to trust that God is in control of the outcome. What we call a detour may be the Lord’s scenic turnpike. When our plans are delayed by gridlock or interrupted by unanticipated re-routing, God knows the best way home.”

Because of our patience and determination, we have sampled sweet fruit along the scenic turnpikes since 1973. Certainly the 11.1 percent reduction in Michigan abortions for 2004 is a reason to celebrate. Our Michigan grassroots network has bloomed in the 30 plus years since the abortion decisions. The partnership of Right to Life of Michigan affiliates with local pregnancy care centers provides real help to women needing help. Our 800-57Woman phone line has been a help line to thousands of women and men facing abortion decision.

We must not overlook the contribution that prolifers have made to our representative form of government. Because of the need to protect the unborn through whatever legislative means possible, we have understood the need to become actively involved in political action and legislative lobbying. We have been and will continue to be a force for life principles in the political and legislative arenas.

So we will continue to adjust to the delays and interruptions, that bitter fruit, on our scenic journey to the day when the abortion decisions are reversed and the failed abortion social policy is history. With persistence and patience we will find the best way home.

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