Blog by JP, Within Reach Global staff
I have a friend whose mom works as one of the only doctors in what is basically an abortion clinic in a very poor area of the city. Not ago my friend asked if I’d come and visit her mom, because she and her mom had been having problems between the two of them. Their relationship was gradually getting worse.
So I went with a friend to see her mom.
We walked for about 20 minutes into a low-income housing complex, and not far from the enterance there was a very small clinic. Inside there was a glass counter with different medicines inside, and just behind that were several beds with patients on them. My friend led us up to the second story where there were two small rooms and a narrow open walkway overlooking the alley below.
As we were waiting in the clinic, my friend’s mom came out of the farthest room to greet her daughter. “She’s busy with a patient,” my friend said about her mother. I gathered that she was either doing an abortion or checking on someone who had just had one.
Her mom showed us into the first room and asked us to wait for a little while. The room was nice enough, but I couldn’t help feeling a little uneasy looking around and knowing all the things that took place there.
We had brought a guitar with us, so while we waited we sang songs and prayed. The room was filled with praise and worship.
About twenty minutes later, my friend’s mom returned. We talked to her for a little while and the situation started to become more clear to us. Some time ago she had developed a gambling problem, and as a result had gotten deep into debt. So now she works at the abortion clinic from morning until night nearly every day of the week, earning money to eventually work herself out of debt.
Check out more on gendercide in China at All Girls Allowed
We listened to her story for a while, then my friend and I started ministering to her. We told her that Jesus loves her and could give her peace, that she didn’t need to start with a 180 degree lifestyle change, but simply come to the doctor who could bring a true remedy. Her heart opened. She let us pray for her, and on our way out we prayed for some of the patients that were there as well.
It’s very easy to look at what people are doing and take the condemnation approach, crucifying people over the things that they are doing. But we have to remember the way Jesus responded to the people around him. He never condemned people, he never beat them down or made them feel guilty about who they were or what they were doing. He simply loved people with no strings attached, and that is what made so many people want to be around him.
We returned to the abortion clinic on Easter to give my friend’s mom a card and a small gift of fresh fruits. She was very busy, so we couldn’t stay for long, but we were able to drop the gift off and encourage her that God loves her.
We will continue to follow up on this poor woman who works at the abortion clinic, using every opportunity to share the love of Jesus with her. We won’t be pointing out what she’s done wrong, but we’ll point out what Jesus did right.