Meet Hope Jude. Here she is about 15 weeks old perfectly formed [pictured right]. Almost looks like she could even be sucking her thumb already, isn’t she beautiful! The gift of life truly is a miracle!
Awhile back my husband and I received an email asking to write a letter to Hope’s mother. This wasn’t just an ordinary letter, but instead a plea begging her to reconsider and reassuring her of the fact that Hope was already wanted and loved. Praying that the Holy Spirit would guide our every word we tried not to think of what was to come. You see the very next day Hope’s life was already scheduled to come to an abrupt end. Unfortunately our letter was never read, as Hope’s mother quickly made her way into the abortion mill and terminated the life of her baby.
Not a day goes by where my heart is not moved as I shudder at the thought of what happened to baby Hope. Even as I write this I fight back the tears as I think of the beautiful life that was lost. Yes, there was a slim glimmer of optimism thinking that perhaps Hope’s mother would change her mind and choose us to parent her child. But that isn’t the reason my heart breaks. What gets me is Hope is just one of the 54 million whose lives have been taken through the scourge of abortion. Almost 40 years have gone by and we are still allowing this to happen.
I have always been pro-life and was very active in the students for life group while in college. I am well aware of the horrific acts that take place during an abortion and have always believed that life begins at conception. So why does it shock me when I think about what happened to baby Hope?
Like so many others at times I think I have become complacent and unfortunately have adapted an out of sight out of mind mentality. So many of us say we are pro-life and dismiss the issue. Everyday we go about our lives, but do we even think twice, because the reality is everyday innocent lives are being taken. If we really cared about the issue than why have we allowed almost 40 years of this injustice to take place. With over 54 million lives lost, am I really doing enough?
In a nation that is being continually fed the mantra hope and change, hope and change, it is time we realize there is no real hope until there is real change. As John Paul II said, “A nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope.” For the sake of baby Hope and the millions of others may we never turn a blind eye, never forget and never be silenced. If we don’t speak out, who will?
