Youth Blog

Petrified and lying on a stretcher awaiting her abortion, a young, pregnant teen decided to abandon her decision of aborting the unborn child inside of her. A few months later on October 8, 1980, she gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby boy Nick. Nick went on to become an accomplished singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actor and producer, eventually marrying his long-time love, Mariah Carrey. Because Nick’s mother chose life, hundreds of lives were affected, not only through his music, but what he offers his family, his wife and their children.

Each and every person contributes to this world in some way no matter how small. You don’t have to be famous or win an award to make a positive impact in the life of another person; you just have to be you. Abortion advocates often hold up signs saying, “my mother chose”. Little do they know, their argument only strengthens the pro-life position. That very advocate who’s holding that sign is present in the world because their mother chose to give them life. If their life is valuable, isn’t all life valuable?  

As a summer intern at Campaign Life Coalition, I’ve had the honour of being a voice to the voiceless by being exposed to a variety of different types of activism. Once a week, we stand in solidarity with volunteers from Aid to Women Crisis Pregnancy Centre outside Cabbagetown Women’s Clinic holding signs in peaceful witness to women going in the abortion clinic with messages of life, love and hope. Although sometimes the public protests our serene presence on the street, the moments where people embrace us with a smile and encouraging words give us the support to continue our work. Hearing about the multitude of unborn children whose lives were saved by the amazing work of this crisis pregnancy centre along with the volunteers who dedicate their free time to reach out to women in need, reinforces why we need to stand up and speak out. Not just once a year, but in our regular, daily lives.

In the second week of my internship, Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition, welcomed us by sharing the history of this important organization in Canada. His personal testimonies and stories left me in tears due to the impact CLC has had in Canada not only on politicians, but women and children alike. His stories left me with the realization that it is not enough just to hear about the massacre of our generation and only sympathize. Sympathy alone doesn’t change anything. Actions do. Being a witness to the living truth changes hearts and changes minds. Abortion is not just a controversial religious issue; it’s a human rights one. You don’t have to abide by a certain creed to defend human rights. You just have to be you.

What greater gift could we offer our world than to protect the life of another? We all have talents, attributes and characteristics that differentiate ourselves from one another. We don’t have to be an activist traveling across the country or a famous individual to make an impactful stance. Our homes, workplaces and on the public sidewalk are simple places we may work best in spreading the message of life. In the words of Mother Teresa, pro-lifers are “ordinary people doing extraordinary things”. Use your life as a free-flowing pen inscribing the greatest words history has ever been etched with: we are the generation that abolished abortion.