Greetings. I am Marsha McCoy, the current leader of the Cobb County Chapter of Georgia Right to Life (GRTL). For the past six years I have coordinated the Cobb County GRTL booth at the North Georgia State Fair. Our booth serves to educate the public about the sanctity of life and personhood.
Three years ago, with tears running down her cheeks as she stroked a 22-week fetal model, a lovely lady whispered the story of forty-three years ago waiting her turn in an abortion facility. She said that she was sad and overwhelmed; however, she felt that she had no choice because she was young and had no resources to raise a child. When her name was called, instead of going with the attendant, she felt a hand push her out of her chair and out the door. Just this previous year, the son she decided to give life to, donated a kidney to her. She said only God could have written that script.
We believe that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is using us as His conduit to provide the truth about the miracle of life to His creation, and dispel the pack of lies sold to the nation which incites women to feel triumphant after the death of their children through what Planned Parenthood wrongly coined “Women’s Healthcare” and a woman’s “Right to Choose.”
Visitors to our booths are encouraged to hold our fetal models. It is our desire that our noncondemning, kind-hearted and loving openness and acceptance allows the Holy Spirit to create a reflection of His love and kindness which has opened many hearts, helping to make people feel comfortable in sharing their personal, and in many cases, heart breaking stories.
Women who have had abortions and regretted their decisions have held our life-like models in their arms, have rocked them, and have wept. With no triumphant note in their voices, they have shared their experiences expressing deep regret over lost children they never saw, never held in their arms, and whose cheeks they have never kissed. We can point those grieving moms to the many pro-life women’s clinics in our area, and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, who offers abundant grace to women, and everyone who has sinned through abortion. Through these efforts our loving and forgiving God offers hope.
The next Tale happened this year and is a reminder that even the Christian community must be educated concerning the origins and sanctity of life.
A professing Christian man stopped by our booth and chatted with us about never really giving much thought to the whole abortion issue. While stating this he was viewing the backdrop for our booth which depicts the stages of life from fertilization to natural death. Near a picture of a sperm entering an egg is the question: “WHEN ARE WE HUMAN?” Next to a picture of an elderly woman is the question: “WHEN ARE WE A PERSON?”
Later he returned and asked, “So, when are we?” I questioned what he meant, and he replied, “When are we a human; when do we become a person?” I pointed to the picture of fertilization and said, “Right there is when we are a human. We cannot be anything else – not a dog nor a cat nor a fish. We are human beings from fertilization until death. We continue to grow and develop all our lives; however, we are a human being, a person, when the sperm unites with the ovum.“
He had no idea about the truth of our origins and stated that he was going to share this information with his family.
One of my favorite encounters was with around twelve teenagers that I could hear before I saw them. They were eating popcorn and cotton candy. As they approached the booth, they slowed down and became very quiet. I was standing to the side so they could see our entire backdrop showing the beauty of God’s story of life. Then I stepped forward and started handing each of them one of our 12-week fetal models. Some declined to hold the babies, although I let them all know that once they were each that size in their mom’s uterus.
One boy in the back of the pack said, “no way.” “Yes,” I said. “Way. ” The spokesperson for the group was a perky young girl who said, “Pregnancy is dangerous to a woman’s health,” (a Planned Parenthood talking point). I said, “So, this thing called life has been happening since Adam and Eve! We would not all be standing here talking to each other if it was so dangerous, because many would have died in the birth process.”
I asked, “Whose mother died giving birth to anyone in this group?” They all started to shuffle their feet and shrug their shoulders. “Not only is it usually not fatal for mother nor her baby,” I said, “but it has proven to protect against certain cancers.”
I asked them if they ever thought of thanking their parents for choosing life for them. No one did. I encouraged them to do so, and one young man said, “Ma’am, I sure am glad that we stopped by this booth and that our friend asked that question. I replied, “So am I.”
If any of these true Tales have stirred you to learn more, or become involved, please contact me, 914-393-1542. I would love to talk with you.
God Bless You,
Marsha
Marsha McCoy
Leader of the Cobb County
Chapter of Georgia Right to Life