When Ohio passed Issue 1 last year, a pro-abortion amendment was added to our state constitution as Article 1, Section 22.  We are starting to see the effects of this amendment take place. At the end of August and the beginning of September, two judges in Ohio put injunctions on long-standing Ohio laws that are now “unconstitutional” as they place a burden on women trying to abort their babies. A law that required a consultation 24 hours before an abortion was blocked, as well as laws that restricted the abortion pill. Now, women can walk in and get an abortion on their first visit, and the abortion pill can be prescribed over telemedicine without an ultrasound, dispensed by pharmacies, mailed to homes, given later in pregnancy, and prescribed by non-physicians.

We have seen the local facility websites updated and observed mothers now having an abortion in one appointment. We have not seen any evidence that telemedicine pill abortions are happening though, or that pharmacies are dispensing them in our state yet. Major pharmacies that dispense the abortion pill in other states should hear from us that we do not want this to start in Ohio. Please take a moment to call, write, or email them to let them know we oppose this. I think it would be worthwhile for us to call our local Walgreens or CVS directly as well and let them know that if they start this, we will have to stop any business with them. Hopefully the individual stores reporting calls to corporate could have a greater impact.

CVS: Call: 1-800-746-7287 | Mail: CVS Corporation, Customer Relations, One CVS Drive, Woonsocket, RI 02895 | Click here to fill out a form online.

Walgreens: Call: 1-800-925-4733 | Mail: ATTN: Consumer Relations, Walgreen Co., 108 Wilmot Rd, MS #2002, Deerfield, IL 60015 | Click here to fill out a form online.

Rite Aid: Call: 717-761-2633 | Mail: 1200 Intrepid Avenue, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19112 | Click here to fill out a form online.

With many women receiving the abortion pill and maybe even some surgical abortions on their first visit, we now only have one chance to reach them before their abortion starts. This is why it is critical to have a constant presence on the sidewalk. Every hour is still covered, but we need a second person for 15 shifts. Please pray these times are filled. We are starting to lose legal protections for the preborn, but we can continue to stand as a last line of defense for these babies and souls.

A constant Chrisitan presence continues to make a huge difference. This month, over 50 people talked to us and took literature, some after just taking the abortion pill or already having an abortion. Three women turned-away from the facility without going to their appointment. Six mothers let us know they were choosing life!

A couple with a rosary hanging in their car spoke to us and then came back the next week saying they had changed their minds! Two women never went in the building. The pregnant mother said, "I was going to have an abortion but now I'm not!" Her friend exclaimed, "It was probably your prayers that changed her mind!" Praise God!  Another mother who we spoke to came back and told her she did not do it. A mother almost pulled out of the driveway without saying anything to us, but at the last minute she stopped and said, “We couldn't go through with it… You are doing a good thing!" It was simply our presence and prayers that moved her. 

A woman pulled into Planned Parenthood at noon one day to abort the child living within her. It was her second visit. Her husband didn't want the abortion, but she felt completely overwhelmed with motherhood and their three small children. She asked God to show her sign if she was to turn away. Our volunteer Renee was that sign for her. She let Renee take a picture of her as she and her baby went home to their family!

Mom M was a teenager who showed up for her abortion appointment at 18-weeks-pregnant even after accidentally going to a pregnancy center. After talking to us, she decided to skip her appointment and get a free ultrasound at a second pregnancy center. We showed her a video of how her baby would be killed and offered to help get her to a maternity home. Even after her ultrasound, she tried to reschedule her abortion 3 times! One time she forgot her ID, another time she was too late to the appointment. By the third try (now over 19 weeks), she had to watch her younger siblings for her mother during the appointment time.  By the grace of God and so many prayers, she finally chose life. She said she could not stop thinking about the video and what abortion would do to her baby. With something stopping her at each appointment, she said she realized how much God wanted to keep her from the abortion and how selfish she had been. We are still working with her to get $900, her very first paycheck, reimbursed from Planned Parenthood. Praise God for His providence! Our prayers are more powerful than we realize!

We also had the unique opportunity to talk to a man who used to work at Founders, an abortion facility that has since closed. He talked about the “trauma” he had to work through from re-assembling the babies’ bodies after the abortion to make sure everything was removed. He has several family members that work at Your Choice Healthcare. He is still pro-abortion but seems to be struggling with it. A Bible study at his church seems to have been life-changing for him. Please pray for Roy. Maybe he will be who God uses to bring conversion to the Your Choice Healthcare staff.

Lastly, had the chance to meet baby Sawyer at the Pregnancy Decision Health Center banquet this month. We will share her story of surviving a chemical abortion next month. We could not help but share her picture now!

We should pray and work that in the future we can change our constitution. Article 1, Section 1 states: “All men are, by nature, free and independent, and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life…” Then, just 21 sections later the constitution contradicts itself by stating that men can be murdered before they are born. One day, may all humans be granted personhood in our law. Until then, we continue to place ourselves where the babies need us most urgently- where they are being killed. We can only continue to do this with your help. May God bless you!