Abortion: We need more than slogans

Thank God for Facebook! A friend has just shared on her Wall that “abortion does not make you unpregnant, but the mother of a dead child”.

I know what that means. In 1995, I was home for holidays from university and taught at a nearby school. My sister had completed her secondary education and stayed at home without much hope of proceeding with studies or getting a job.

One morning, a cousin of ours who lived with us and was very close to my sister walked up to me and said that my sister wanted to see me. Quite unusual, because my sister and I got along well and spoke freely. It wasn’t long before I realised there was a serious problem.

Sister was weeping when I went to speak to her. I hardly understood what she mumbled through her steady stream of tears and sobs. Cousin helped out. She explained that sister was pregnant and needed a little money to remove the pregnancy. No other member of the family was aware of this and sister wanted the three of us to keep the secret.

I cannot recall my initial reaction. But as a Catholic, I was convinced abortion is wrong. That, though, would not make any sense to sister in her great distress. Nor did I try to find out what the man responsible for the pregnancy thought of the matter. I must have concluded that had he accepted responsibility there would be no crisis.

A month or two earlier, I had met a former schoolmate walking fast towards town. She was already a single mother of two. The next day the news came that she had died while undergoing an illegal abortion at a private clinic. Everyone was in shock. I attended the funeral. That incident sealed my resolve against abortion.

I told my sister as gently as I could, but firmly, that I would not give her money to carry out an abortion. It was not only wrong but I also feared she would die. I promised her that we would take care of the baby.

Fifteen years later, my niece Lilian is a tall, lively girl quickly turning into a beautiful woman. She works hard at school and is a big help at home. Lilian’s mother who has been married for 12 years is very proud of her daughter. Every time I visit their home or they visit ours, I remember quietly that Lilian would be nowhere in this world had she been aborted.

Right now, there is a huge debate in Kenya about abortion. The Catholic Church, other churches and Muslims successfully demanded that the new Constitution being written states clearly that life begins at conception. Powerful lobbyists promoting abortion-on-demand want the Constitution to be silent on the issue or to state that life begins at birth.

Pro-abortion activists argue that legal and safe abortion would save women from death and sickness resulting from illegal procedures done by quacks in backstreet clinics. It is certainly true that many young and poor women die in Kenya and elsewhere from complications related to botched abortions. But what would be the logic of trying to save lives by killing innocent and defenceless little human beings?

On the other hand, although the Church and other pro-life persons and groups have done well to fight abortion, it is not enough merely to preach against it. As I write this, there are many women and girls struggling with the anguish of crisis pregnancy, like my sister did. Is the anti-abortion message the only thing they need to be told? They most likely know that already. They need a solution to the problem.

Christians are best placed to help. How about setting up a free 24/7 national crisis pregnancy hotline? We could have a counsellor in every parish and Catholic institution to handle cases. Carry out a national awareness campaign against abortion which includes information about where to find help. Set aside an annual Life Week celebrated in every diocese.

Where do we get the money? Ah, a lot of Church money, if you ask me, is spent on useless projects and ceremonies. Plus, we could take a special collection during Life Week to support a National Crisis Pregnancy Network that reaches every corner of the nation. There are many other ways of raising funds.

It’s true: abortion does not make one unpregnant, but the mother of a dead child. But a campaign of slogans alone would not stop abortion. Spare a thought for the distressed woman (like my sister) who is pushed by her situation to make the unfortunate decision. Her crisis must be addressed. Quickly.

My lord bishops, when do we launch national Catholic Crisis Pregnancy Networks?