The Knife and the Baby

In the pro-life cause there are many ways to serve:  volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center, speaker’s bureau, education, political action, the list could go on at considerable length.   One of the toughest tasks for pro-lifers is bearing witness to the sacredness of innocent human life outside of an abortion clinic.  The pro-life protestors are usually subject to verbal attack and sometimes physical assault.  It takes brave people to volunteer for such duty.

On November 24, Sarah Winandy and Leah Winandy, mother and daughter, were standing outside of the abortion clinic in Duluth, Minnesota, calling itself the Duluth Building for women.  Part of the Pro-Life Ministry of Duluth, they were passing out pamphlets and protesting abortion. 

Mechelle Hall, a pregnant woman, walked towards Leah Winandy.  Hall pulled out a knife and waved it at Leah, and said, “Don’t come near me.”  Leah told her, “Please don’t kill your baby.  Fear God.”  She approached Hall, “Look and listen to your ultrasound.”  Hall came towards Leah and held the knife to her throat.  Leah was unhurt and Mechelle Hall was arrested.  Here is a video report on the incident.

Mechelle ultimately changed her mind about having the abortion.  She said that the protestors made her realize that she did not want to kill her baby.  Her words to the Winandys, “Thank you for being there.  If they weren’t there, I probably would have gone through with it and regretted it for the rest of my life. It probably would have gone the other way. I’m sincerely sorry for doing that to her.”

Leah agreed to Mechelle receiving probation instead of a prison sentence.  “I forgive Mechelle for what she did; I do forgive her because God has given me forgiveness in my heart for her.”

God can use the most unlikely of incidents to call out to our hearts and souls.