As the first day of the International ProLife Youth Conference (IPYC) comes to a close, over 300 young people from across the world are going to sleep energized about the pro-life work they have been activated to participate in. The speakers and panelists have done an incredible job of truly inspiring the next generation to be apart of the global movement for life. I know that incredible pro-life leaders will come from this conference and numerous lives will be saved. As promised, here is what you’re missing if you weren’t able to joins us at the conference.
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
After opening up the conference with the above quote from Ellie Wiesel, master of ceremonies, Reverend Patrick Mahoney, from Christian Defense Coalition shared the main goal of the IPYC, “to leave transformed” in two ways: we do not want to be silent about abortion and we want to take a side on abortion. Speak out against abortion!
Building a Culture of Life -- Lila Rose
After sharing about her prolife journey and her first exposure to abortion at age 9, when she found a book on abortion with images of little aborted babies that shocked her. After getting over the initial shock of learning that what was shown in those pictures was abortion, and that abortion was/is a constitutional right because of Roe v Wade, Lila prayed "Lord, use me to help save lives." Isn’t it amazing what God does when you give yourself? Since then, Lila Rose has been effective in exposing the sexual abuse of Planned Parenthood and much more. You can learn more about her work at LiveAction.org.
One of the things that stood out the most to me during Lila’s talk was when she shared about her teen years doing pro-life work and when she first started having her meetings for what is now Live Action. She encouraged the audience to always persevere and explained how sometimes she would make extreme efforts to plan her meeting to take action in fighting abortion, and no one would show up. Lila mentioned a conversation with her mom. Lila told he mom she didn'’t understand why her friends said they were pro-life but they didn’t show up. Her mom told her leadership is lonely, but you have to keep pushing. There will be times when you feel alone, discouraged, or you don't know what you want to do; but you have to move forward and keep taking the next steps.
This being said, we don't know what the future will bring. You never know when your life will end. It could end tomorrow, but until our last breath we should give our time and make an effort to save lives.
Trust God and move forward in saving lives because we must stop the cycle of death that begins when abortion takes place. Never be discouraged and always trust that God will help finish our work, but always move forward.
Lila left us with these thoughts: Every day try to ask yourself what am I doing for my unborn brothers and sisters? What would I have done during the Jewish Holocaust when people were being killed? Now, will I stop babies from being killed during America’s Holocaust?
Panel Forum: Using New Media to Advance the Pro-Life Message
Panelists:
Jill Stanek of JillStanek.com
Bryan Kemper of Stand True
Lila Rose of Live Action
Jill Stanek Encourages people to be active bloggers for life and here are her 12 tips for Blogging:
Social media tips from Bryan Kemper:
- Strive for excellence- you're representing the pro-life movement.
- Find your niche- become an expert on something
- Think of your blog as a vocation- not your ego trip and be generous and give credit and love to other pro-lifers
- Develop a mission statement
- Blog strategically- what can I blog today that will help our movement the most or hurt theirs the most
- Blog often
- Keep it pithy - edit it well. Keep it as compact as possible. Break up paragraphs and add pictures and graphs
- Give photo credit - link to website or give info
- Write original content
- Cross post to twitter and Facebook - increase visibility
- Be accurate - back up your work and verify even if great source
- Develop a thick skin -- people will criticize you and defame you for what you do
Status 365-- Sign up for automatic pro-life updates to your Facebook page at AbolishAbortion.com
"Young people believe God is bigger than abortion!" Bryan Kemper
Lila Rose’s shares on social/new media:
It’s cutting edge and bypasses the boundaries of filtered media. Where we couldn’t break through the gatekeepers of media years ago, we can now with the powerful tools like Facebook and Twitter.
Visual media is even stronger than a lot of words. Pictures have historically changed public perception and made history. Images of of the slave trade, the civil rights movement, the Jewish holocaust of World War II, and many other atrocities have been put to a stop because people saw first hand what was happening and didn’t allow it to contiue. What’s so amazing about this is that you can be the distributer of images and videos that change the culture!
Some questions asked of the panelists during the social media session:
Q. What can one do when they see women online who say they're considering having an abortion?
A. Pray to the holy spirit to guide your words.
Tell the woman you care about them and their baby.
Remind the woman it is child and abortion will hurt her emotionally and physically.
Tell her she can make the right choice and you will help her.
Q. What if you post something Prolife and it turns into a big debate?
A. Don’t go down a rabbit trail. Always bring it back to the unborn babies and those hurt by abortion. Be kind and loving in your response. Don’t make enemies by answering disrespectfully. People will respect you and your opinion even if they don’t agree with you when you’re respectful. There are far more people reading those comments and conversations that don't say anything, but it they learn form it.
Closing remarks from panelists Bryan Kemper -- Online activism cannot replace actual activism. It should only supplement activism.
Austin Ruse, C-Fam
C-Fam’s work is amazing and so many don't know it. Austin shared that we (the pro-life movement) “have won”! As the UN has tried to make abortion a universal right C-Fam has actively stopped this from happening.
"When someone raises the flag. others gather to it." Austin Ruse
"History is made by those who stay to the very end." Austin Ruse
Words on ending abortion from Austin,"The microphone will not be taken back unless it is taken back here and all other places."
Bryan Kemper of Stand True Bryan Kemper from Stand True encourages young people to participate in BeMyVote.com campaign to change the 2012 elections to promote the dignity of human life.
The challenge Bryan gave to everyone at the conferene:
What would I do if the house across from a Nazi camp was mine? Would I help a Jew who came to me asking for help? Would I go and try to save them? A holocaust is happening in our society today. Babies are torn apart and taken away in trashcans from abortion clinics. There are two big differences between the Jews and the babies in the womb: 1) stage of life 2) the child in the womb does not have a voice.
A lot of people say, "yeah, being prolife and standing against abortion is great, but I’m not called to it".
We are all called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our neighbor is our fellow human being. Am I going to walk past my neighbor robbed and beaten on the side of the road? Am I called to love my neighbor as myself or will I leave my neighbor to die in a ditch? That ditch is over 53 million lives lost to abortion. But I don’t feel called to help my neighbor?
Dr. Eogan De Faoite of Ireland’s Youth Defence
Dr. Eogan has worked to help keep Ireland abortion free!
In 1992 a group of 7 college age students stood up against Ireland’s version of Roe v Wade, and they were successful. This group is called Youth Defence. They were made the leaders of the pro-life movement in Ireland by organizing events and creating awareness to fight to keep Ireland abortion free. Nearly 20 years later, Ireland is still abortion free! Commitment to the cause, strength in conviction, trust and motivation in God, and having courage to take necessary risks is what has kept abortion illegal in Ireland. This movement doesn’t need a bunch of people; it needs a group of people to take a bunch of risks. All these risks are nothing when we consider what we are fighting for.Youth Defence has had to develop a quick pace to stay one step ahead of the opponent to keep Ireland abortion free. Abortion needs to not be illegal; it needs to be unthinkable.
Activism, outreach, and education are the keys that have helped to keep Ireland abortion free to this day,and graphic images have been a huge part of conveying what abortion truly is to the people of Ireland.
In closing, the International ProLife Youth Conference has been an incredible, inspiring, and motivating experience. There is much more I could share, but I would have to write for days. I encourage you to share this article with your friends and family. We will work to end abortion. Will you be apart of the global movement for life? Answer the call!
For the Dignity of the Born and Unborn,
Timmerie
Continue to Follow the conference live on www.Twitter.com/Timmerie and stay tuned for more blog updates!
Read about day 2 of the conference.
Great to read how well the conference is going, blessings from Ireland.
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