320: The Unknown

This little building, not even marked with a sign, is identified with just three large numbers at the top: 320.

Walking by, one might notice the birds and squirrels roaming freely through the overgrown pine trees and holly bushes. If you were to simply observe--not knowledgeable of its history--you might even remark about its apparent peacefulness, as a quiet breeze hurries past. Blue skies with fluffy cumulus clouds accompany the early morning, as sunshine beats down on the front aspect of the building.

So what exactly must be occurring in through the doors of such an intriguing place central in Heritage Hill District, Grand Rapids?

Is it a cancer treatment facility, placed here so the suffering patients might take in the songs of robins and a light touch of warmth from the sun as they leave from a day of painful treatments?

Is it a daycare center where children can jump into the puddles that abound on rainy days? 

Is it a simple office building, seeking to be a hand of help to individuals in the community?

Well, it must not be, you reason.

Why are there people standing outside that building? 

What's up with the ladies from the next-door building, who are peering into the parking lot, saying something to each person exiting their car?

Why are heads bowed in mournful prayer near those aged pine trees? Looking closer, you can even see one of these individuals bowing her face to the ground with tears streaming down her face.

A flustered face makes her way around the corner, taking a proud stance, not far from those who are praying. But she does not stop to bow her head, but to raise a pink sign.

What could be occurring that would compel all these people to be outside this precarious, unnamed building?

Typing the address into Google, you discover its name: Heritage Clinic for Women.

The website describes what is done inside the glass doors. But you've never heard of these procedures before, so you search out a fuller explanation.

Anesthesia is administered.

Dilators cause the cervix to open.

A suction catheter is inserted into the womb.

The forceful catheter is pointed near the developing unborn baby.

Moments prior, the little one was growing peacefully inside his mother's womb. Having arrived to the ninth week of development two days prior, this young man had just triumphantly completed the embryonic period of development, now entering the fetal stage. Every little embryonic milestone had been reached: his cardiovascular system was established and his heart took its very first beats [1], he could move purposefully and respond to touch [2], the process of ossification was ongoing--soon this little guy would have strong bones like his mommy [3], just to name a few!

But now, the doctor had determined that the reasons proposed were good enough to bring about his death.

The suction catheter was turned on.

The amniotic fluid covering the baby was sucked away.

Next his head entered the catheter.

The doctor watched as small hard pieces of bone and white matter from the baby's head entered the suction canister.

A string of intestines could be seen.

Little fingers; little toes.

Finally, the placenta was sucked away.

"There." The doctor remarks, "All in a day's work."

A red biohazard container marked "Products of Conception" now contained this tiny, traumatically killed child. 

In a room nearby, another staff member dumps the red container, seeing this little boy as the day's science experiment. There's an eye. There's an arm. There's a tiny heart. You can even see the brain matter.

Outside, the prayers continue.

"Lord, rescue the lives of these children inside this building."

I am well aware people find me to be utterly strange and out there to sidewalk counsel, but when we know something so barbaric is being inflicted upon these precious unborn children, to be silent simply is not an option of any kind. Little ones of our local community are being purposefully killed each and every week in this unmarked building.

Let us not be indifferent. Let our hearts be affected as we consider that 27,339 abortions occurred in 2019 in Michigan. [4]

That's 27,339 unborn children who were intentionally killed.

Some in the way described above--a Suction Curettage abortion in the 1st trimester--others via a medical abortion, or D&E. I challenge you to carefully watch every one of these kinds of abortion procedures here. Do not be uninformed about the horror some of the tiniest members of our world experience each and every day.

That's 27,339 women who need to find healing after an abortion.

If you have had an abortion and need healing, please know these is forgiveness and grace available to you. Garden of Hope and Project Rachel would love to serve you through this painful time. Or feel free to reach out to me directly. 

Today we have 27,339 reasons to speak up for life right where we are.

If you knew your willingness to raise your voice in defense of life could mean one less child was killed this year, would you do it?

Regardless of the results, though, if we know of lives being saved or not, we cannot know so grave an injustice and do nothing.

We are existing at a point in history in which the gravest human rights violation of all times is occurring. The smallest children in our society are being flushed down toilets and suctioned into biohazard containers.

25% of all pregnancies are ended through abortion. [5]

It is time to rise up in defense of the unborn. 

It is time to set aside what others may think of us; we must be far more concerned with the estate of the tiniest members of our world who are being readily killed.

Today is a Wednesday. The abortion clinic is open today, putting little ones to death.

Do not be one more person who walks by the precarious building, deceived by the false appearance of calm. 

That little baby does not feel calm.

A tiny precious heart is beating a little faster as his death ensues.

"Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die" (Prov. 31:8, NKJV).

-- 

Moore, K.L., Persaud, T.V., & Torchia, M.G. (2020). The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (11th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier. [1] pp.178, 561 [2] pp.188, 185 [3] p.186

[4]  State of Michigan (n.d.). Table A: Number, Ratio and Rate of Reported Induced Abortions Occurring in Michigan, 1982-2019. Retrieved From https://www.mdch.state.mi.us/osr/abortion/Tab_A.asp 

[5] World Health Organization (n.d). Key Facts on Induced Abortion Worldwide. Retrieved From https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/news/440KeyAbortionFactsFinal.pdf?ua=1