The pro-life community is on the ground, assisting flood victims suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The amount of pain and loss Harvey victims are experiencing is overwhelming, but the heroic exploits, donations, and acts of kindness from individuals across the nation are helping to change that pain from tragedy to overcoming, and pro-lifers are playing a part.
Coming alongside women and families to meet their practical needs during Hurricane Harvey — or any major life event — can assist vulnerable women to choose life in the midst of disaster.
In Texas, the best in human compassion and selflessness can be witnessed. Thousands of everyday citizens have stepped up to rescue the helpless, elderly, and disabled. America is watching this overflow of love for human life, because deep inside each us, we recognize that life is valuable and always worth intervening to save.
This emotional photo of Houston Police SWAT Officer Daryl Hudeck carrying the mother of a 13-month-old baby sleeping peacefully demonstrates the sacrificial way Americans have been responding.
Houston Swat Officer saves baby and mom from Harvey floods (Photo credit: AP)
Lauren Enriquez of Human Coalition
Many Texans have realized that pregnant women who have lost just about everything will need a helping hand like never before. Human Coalition’s public relations manager and Live Action News contributor, Lauren Enriquez, told Live Action News that she and her family came through the hurricane relatively unscathed, but, as a Houstonian, she is emotionally exhausted. And so are the many volunteers.
Lauren is helping to alleviate the pain of Harvey’s destruction by taking supplies and food to several shelters and picking up towels that she can wash and dry at her home. She described the way her community has banded together to help:
It has been the most beautiful display of humanity I have ever seen. Strangers are walking the streets passing out food, neighbors are putting all their cleaning supplies on tables marked free.
She is also working with the grassroots Kingwood Pro-Life Women to collect and distribute supplies to local pregnancy centers impacted by the storm.
Lauren urged that, even as the days go on, the residents of Houston and the pro-life ministries in the flooded areas cannot be forgotten: “We have to be sure this… does not become old news.”
Juda Myers, founder of Choices4Life, an organization which helps restore honor and dignity to women who have been raped and children who are conceived in rape, also weathered the storm well, but said many near her did not. She many spent the week surrounded by flood waters, Juda continued reaching out to defend moms and their preborn children.
Melissa Conway, Texas Right to Life
Melissa Conway, Director of External Relations for Texas Right to Life is also located in Houston and made it through the storm well. However, some of her family and friends lost everything. Like others in the area, Melissa has stepped up to serve her city and those in need.
My family and I have been out involved actively in helping others throughout Galveston County. I’ve cooked meals, we’ve worked on home demo, debris clean up, and FEMA filings and are planning to continue providing assistance as long as needed.
As a pro-lifer, I truly believe that where there is life, there is hope. Therefore, I fight to defend life everyday.
The emotional toll of enduring the storm and processing the aftermath is a bit difficult at times, but the need to provide assistance and move quickly with restoration and rebuilding for so many has turned to a mission of providing hope to those that are impacted by the effects of the storm.
Hurricane survivor, Elizabeth McClung, Development Director for Texas Right to Life, warned that the pro-life community should not become desensitized to the devastation:
When we fight evil every single day it can become easy to be desensitized to pain and the constant flow of suffering that exists in our society.
Elizabeth McClung, Texas Right to Life
“The devastation is at your front door in a very raw and tangible way and rampant in our community of 6 million people, the need is very present and real. You have to choose to survive and we, as Texans, choose to come back stronger.
Texas Right Life was able to open its doors despite several staffers still being displaced and unable to get back into their homes. The staff has stepped up to serve their community.
“Needless to say, for everyone at Texas Right to Life defending others and offering a helping hand is part of our DNA,” Melissa told Live Action News.
“Our political director has arranged teams of folks to come in from all over the state to assist with Liberty County. Our development director is taking a team south to Rockport and Aransas County this weekend to help where the eye of the hurricane hit. Harris county is the recipient of efforts from several of our staffers.”
Pro-lifers across the nation are pitching in to offer life and a helping hand to Harvey victims. A North Carolina pregnancy center has become a drop-off site to collect donations for a Texas pregnancy center destroyed by Harvey. Others are collecting baby items for displaced victims.
Elizabeth, Melissa, and Lauren are concerned that pregnant women in crisis may not be able to receive the help they needed due to Harvey’s devastating damage to pro-life pregnancy resource centers in the affected area. Melissa called these centers “boots on the ground” and pointed out that when they can open again, many will need “clothing for moms and babies, diapers, wipes, and other material resources in abundance.” She continued:
We as a pro-life community have a unique opportunity and obligation to love like never before, give to support to life in unparalleled proportions and to be the hands and feet of Christ.
Now is the time, more than ever, to protect the most vulnerable among us and combat the predatory schemes of big business abortion attempting to victimize women and their babies as they are living in the tragic remains of Harvey.
Lauren warned that Harvey could push desperate pregnant women over the edge, right into Planned Parenthood’s front door where their children will be killed:
A woman who finds out she is pregnant within the next few weeks may believe the lie that abortion is the best option for her, so we have to get these centers rebuilt.
Pregnancy centers ensure that women have access to care. The longer it takes for them to rebuild, the more opportunity Planned Parenthood will have to take advantage of pregnant women in crisis.
Thankfully, Lauren pointed out that in Harvey’s immediate aftermath, pro-life groups took to the streets in front of Planned Parenthood to give women real options and offer help to meet her needs. Houston Coalition for Life, which offers help women seeking abortions, is outside Planned Parenthood.
Big blue bus outside Planned Parenthood offers free ultrasounds.
Lauren said that within days of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall, the Coalition’s big blue bus was parked in front of Planned Parenthood in Houston to offer free ultrasounds and assistance to women in need. “Not even Harvey can stop the pro-life movement in Texas,” she told Live Action News.
To assist vital pregnancy centers in the affected flood areas, Texas Right to Life’s website is spotlighting pregnancy centers located in the hardest hit areas, so people can offer them direct assistance.
Pro-life is pro-people, and that is why we must sacrifice as much as we can to help our neighbors — both born and preborn. Treating every human life as valuable and precious is what being pro-life is all about.
