Let me share a quick story with you today:
A high school girl sat down at her desk with a sigh, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. She had just spent another lunch hour trying to convince one of her friends that abortion was wrong and that all human life should be protected.
This was not the first time they had had this conversation, but each time got a bit harder and she became more and more discouraged. It seemed like no matter what she did or said, her friend refused to change her mind. It wasn’t just that she couldn’t convince her friend, however, that bothered her. What really hurt was that none of her other friends would back her up, not even the ones from church. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered. It was obvious she was the only one who felt this way.
What was the point?
For those of us active in life ministry, these thoughts are probably pretty common. We all face feelings of failure, isolation, and burnout at some point or another. This is especially true for our high school and college students. As a recent college graduate myself, I know first-hand that defending life on campus can be a very difficult and exhausting task. With peer pressure, a culture of political correctness, and, oftentimes, an unsympathetic faculty, it can be very easy for a student to forget that there are others out there that not only share their beliefs, but are actively involved in promoting the sanctity of human life.
What these students need is something to remind them that they are not alone and that, despite what they see, we are being successful in our efforts. For me, this reminder came in the form of a trip to Washington D.C. for the March for Life. After my experience, I was motivated and full of renewed passion for life and the work that needed to be done.
Today, you have an opportunity help to make this happen for another student like me.
Very soon, Y4Life, the new youth and young adult ministry of Lutherans For Life, will be sponsoring five students from around the country on a trip to the 2013 March for Life in Washington, D.C. They will be joined by a large group of high school students from St. Peters, Missouri. While they are there, they will not only have the opportunity to take a stand for life at the march, but also to connect with thousands of other teens and young adults who are passionate about life at the March for Life Youth Rally and the Students for Life of America Conference. They will hear from some of the prominent faces of the For Life youth movement and will be equipped and motivated to share their beliefs back home.
Taylor, one of the students who attended this trip last year, described her experience this way:
“March for Life changed my life. My eyes were really opened to the situation and I saw what we were fighting for and the difference we were making. I think it’s important to fight for all those lives that God wonderfully made. I’m looking forward to going back to learn, help, and save lives.”
If you would like to help Taylor, and students like her, experience this wonderful, life-affirming trip, please consider contributing to our scholarship fund. We are providing each of the five students and two chaperones with a $250 scholarship to help defray the costs of the trip. We have had several generous donations to this fund and are in our final days of our fundraising campaign.
If you are interested in sponsoring a full or partial scholarship, you can donate online on a special fundraising site set up for this program, or you can send a gift designated for Y4Life to the Life Center (Lutherans For Life, 1120 South G Avenue, Nevada, IA 50201-2774).
Thank you so much for all that you do to support Life and to support these students in their passion and efforts. You are truly a blessing!
Laura Davis is Director of Y4Life
ldavis@lutheransforlife.org
979.716.8030