Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Live Action or of Live Action News.
On Saturday, March 28, the Church showed up to pray in defense of the defenseless and minister — offering hope and help in Jesus name — to at risk mothers and fathers at A Woman’s Choice, an abortion center in Greensboro, North Carolina. This has been done every week since 2018, but this time something was different. Individual prayer walkers who were out that morning were told to leave and threatened with arrest. Upon hearing this, LOVE LIFE founder Justin Reeder, attorney Jason Oesterreich, and Carl Ubiñas (also with LOVE LIFE) went to Greensboro to provide additional prayer and ministry support after ministering in Charlotte. LOVE LIFE was not there to protest, but to peacefully pray.
Despite the new regulations due to COVID-19, as a religious non-profit 501(c)(3), LOVE LIFE is expressly permitted to continue prayer and ministry as an “organization that provides charitable and social services,” pursuant to several provisions of the Guilford County proclamation—“Outdoor activity,” “Human Services Operations,” and “Charitable Organizations”—not to mention, the U.S. Constitution.
Oesterreich called the lead law enforcement officer on the trip to Greensboro and the officer refused to discuss the ordinance with him. Upon walking up to the abortion facility, the men were immediately confronted by 6+ police cars, cited and arrested. Minutes before the first arrest took place, Isaiah Burner — pastor and LOVE LIFE City Ambassador — spent close to an hour counseling and ministering to a post-abortive father. Burner was given a citation.
Photo, pro-lifers arrested: LOVE LIFE
READ: Sidewalk counselors nearly blocked from exercising free speech due to COVID-19 lockdown
Law enforcement refused to discuss the provisions of the Guilford County proclamation. Citations initially stated, “unlawful gathering of 10.” Once pointed out to the police that there were less than 10 people there to pray, all citations were taken back, a line was drawn through it, and changed to “unlawful travel for non-essential things.” This revealed a predetermined position by the city.
After denying our rights and our voice for the unborn, three people were arrested for “non-essential travel;” meanwhile, 20 children were murdered 200 feet away under “essential business.” Arrests only took place because we were praying outside an abortion center. When praying in the parking lot of the church next door, no one said anything. It was only when we walked onto the private property, where we have had permission from the owners to pray since 2018, that a problem arose. Our actions that day were not unlawful.
The following Monday, March 30, eight people were given citations and seven were arrested. Five of those people were pastors.
Sadly, abortions have been on the rise during the last two weeks, since the new restrictions. In that same time frame, over 200 children have been murdered at the abortion center on Randleman Road. To put this into perspective, there have been seven COVID-19 deaths in the whole state thus far.
While church doors are being closed, the doors of abortion centers around our country remain open. This should not be the case. The doors of abortion businesses should be closed — not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but permanently. If children are continuing to be murdered in these abortion centers, the Church must be present. Because the Church was present at the abortion centers in NYC and Charlotte that morning, at least six children’s lives were saved. We have a biblical mandate to protect those being led to the slaughter, even if we must lay our lives down to do so.
While our prayers have an impact, despite where we physically are, there is an undeniable difference by our physical presence at the abortion center. Lives are much more likely to be saved when there is a physical representation of the light of Christ.
Bio: Carina Ubiñas is the Communications Manager for LOVE LIFE.
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