Abortion attempt survivor. Voice for the voiceless.

With the March for Life just a few short days away, I know that pro-life leaders, organizations, and hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers are in a whirlwind of preparation for the upcoming events.  It is with both a mixture of excitement (to see old friends, make new ones and take a stand for life), and great sadness, that we mark the 39^th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.  As many of you begin your hectic travels from across the U.S., and even from other parts of the world, to participate in the March for Life events, I wanted to give pause for a second to focus on what I believe is an important part of the March for the movement and the cause of life.

You will be blessed to hear from amazing individuals from across all spectrums of the issue of abortion during the March’s events.  From the mothers and fathers who grieve the loss of their children to hearing from leaders about how YOU can get involved, the opportunities to learn and grow are endless. And certainly, with every speaker that you listen to, every workshop that you attend, every step that you take during the March, you are also paying respects to the tens of millions of children whose lives have been lost from that one decision made 39 years ago.

As an abortion survivor, I believe that it is a mighty blessing indeed to not only be alive, but to be a voice for my pre-born brothers and sisters who were not afforded the opportunity at life as I have miraculously been afforded.  And on behalf of my 52 million brothers and sisters who were rendered lifeless and voiceless, I want to grant you pause from your busy schedule of preparation for the March to say thank you.  Those who have heard me speak know that it is difficult for me to find the exact words to describe what it’s like to be an abortion survivor sometimes.  Being a survivor is a blessing, a miracle, it is sometimes a battle, it is always a gift, it is my purpose, it is the root of my passion, and being an abortion survivor is, quite simply who I am.  It’s equally as difficult for me, sometimes, to put into words what it means to me to see people fighting for lives like mine every day, and what it’s like to see hundreds of thousands of people converge on Washington D.C. to not only acknowledge what was done 39 years ago through the Roe v. Wade ruling, but to acknowledge the lives of those that have been lost, the lives that have been forever changed, and even those lives, like mine that were meant to be lost but were saved.  And I was saved not only by God’s merciful hand, but through the acts and prayers of individuals just like all of you who are heading to Washington.

I have been blessed over the years to not only become acquainted with doctors and nurses who provided care for me after I survived my biological mother’s failed saline infusion abortion, but I have also been incredibly blessed to meet a Priest and over twenty laypeople from the community who used to march and pray outside of St. Luke’s Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, back in 1977 in order to peacefully protest and offer their intercessions for lives to be saved.  It is no coincidence to me that out of a handful of abortion survivors, I hail from none other than Sioux City.  The prayers and actions of ordinary people led to an extraordinary thing happening-my survival! I pray that your time at the March further invigorates you to continue to do extraordinary things for lives like mine once you return to your own community.

As a mother and speaker, my schedule doesn’t always allow for me to attend the March for Life, but I can tell you that whether I am there marching alongside you, or I am somewhere else speaking, it brings truly genuine tears to my eyes to see and hear of the number of individuals in attendance, it touches a place deep inside of my soul to know that you are there, taking a stand for lives like mine, and that my preborn brothers and sisters, and all of us as abortion survivors, are remembered. 

Thanks to the Family Research Council (FRC) and their current pro-life campaign, “I’m Pro-Life Because,” for encouraging individuals and families to share why they are pro-life.  As a pro-life family, Ryan, Olivia and I were proud to share our pro-life views and the foundations of why we are pro-life with the world.

Here is the information about the FRC campaign, and our submission to it.  I hope you take the time to visit the FRC blog site and see and hear more beautiful stories of why so many are pro-life.

As the FRC blog site reads:

We have been incredibly inspired by the outpouring of enthusiastic and creative submissions to our “I’m Pro-Life Because” campaign. There have been a number of truly remarkable and miraculous stories shared with us over the last few weeks.

We received one such story and image this past weekend. Sweet, energetic, bright three-year-old, Olivia Ohden, is holding a picture of her sonogram and is a vision of love and joy. The image is accompanied by the words “I’m Pro-life because my mom, Melissa Ohden, is an abortion survivor.”

In 1977 Olivia’s grandmother, Melissa Ohden’s mother, had a saline infusion abortion in a hospital in Iowa.  After her mother delivered the baby, Melissa was believed to be dead. But miraculously, a nurse saw signs of life and this little baby who should have died at six months of gestation survived and thrived…”

Please visit the FRC Blog website www.frc.blog for more information about how to share YOUR story and listen to an interview that I did with them regarding our submission.

If you have not yet submitted your story, please consider doing so.  By sharing our stories, we all make an impact!

“How do you know if you’re making a difference?” the man in the audience asked me during a question and answer session at a high school pro-life rally that I spoke at in 2011.  This moment will forever be ingrained in my memory.  I was not so much surprised at his question,as we all consider it from time to time, no matter what our life’s work, as much as I was at his tone.  The way that he posed his question made it sound as if he wondered the difference that someone like me, an abortion survivor, a pro-life speaker and advocate, can make in this world.

“I know that I’m making a difference every day.  I can feel it in the depths of my soul.  We may never know on this earth the difference that we make, but we have to have faith.  From time to time, I’m given a glimpse at the difference I make.”  The words that came out of my mouth in reply were heartfelt and true.  And despite his tone, the one that made me think he was looking for more quantitative data than a qualitative response, he seemed appeased by my answer.  But was I appeased? That was the real question…..

Months later, I am still appeased.  I believe every day that whether I am out speaking, appearing on tv or radio interviews, writing, or praying with Olivia for the lives of the preborn, I am making a difference.  By simply living, by existing as an abortion survivor, by being courageous enough to be honest with the world about who I am
and what happened to me, by sharing my story and life so that others can be informed and inspired, I am making a difference.  And yes, every once in awhile, my qualitative heart responses are given a quantitative number, a life saved, a heart changed, that further appeases my soul.

I know first-hand of three babies that were saved from abortion, this past year, after their mothers had the opportunity to hear me speak and know the truth about abortion.  I can think of at least six different young adults, this past year, who were courageous enough to come forward to me and share that their hearts and minds were changed on abortion after having met me and hearing me speak.   And most astoundingly to me, I can’t even begin to tell you how many post-abortive men and women have found healing and peace after getting to know me and the love and forgiveness that I offer to anyone who has been touched by abortion.  Truly, the emails and letters that I receive are staggering.  And although I am most pleased to have a hand in saving the lives of children like me who are vulnerable to abortion, I am just as pleased to be bringing about a change of heart and an opportunity to heal, in a world where so many have been wounded.

As 2012 gets underway, I look forward to each and every opportunity that I have to make a difference in this world, and the beauty of it all, is that although we may not always get the opportunity to know of the difference that we make by working to save and transform lives, by simply sharing of our lives, our truths, our love and forgiveness, we are all making a difference every day, no matter what role we play in that work, and maybe, just maybe, by this time next year, we will all have the opportunity to reflect on it together.