National Memorial for the Unborn

This past weekend I had a class at my school's campus in Chattanooga. One of the ways the school cuts down on costs for students who have to travel for the class is to offer up a hospitality list, which consists of students who volunteer to take other students into their home for these weekend classes. My new friend Lauren, who's another first year in the program, and I drove together and stayed with Linda, a Chattanooga first year and her husband Richard. Now when you use the hospitality list for the most part you have no idea who these people are. Of course at the bare minimum they are A) a Christian and B) pursuing a counseling degree so what do you have to lose?

Lauren and I really did luck out by ending up with Richard and Linda. They were the most amazing couple. We got to spend a lot of time with Linda especially who had Friday night free and hung out with us once our class was over. Linda is 51 and had the most incredible life story. She told us so many cool things about what God has done in her life. One of the other things that was so neat too was that all three of us had worked at a crisis pregnancy center at some time. Once we all figured that out, Linda was estastic to tell us that the National Memorial for the Unborn is in Chattanooga of all places, so she offered to take us there before dinner.

Words can't describe what an incredible place of healing it was, but also what a incredible place of sadness. It was erected on the same place where an abortion clinic was for many years. I think back in the early 90's the abortion clinic closed down and a Christian crisis pregnancy center opened. Next door to this center is the Memorial. Where there are plaques that say things like:

"1/1/80
To my baby boy-
I'm so sorry
I will hold you in heaven
Love, Mommy"

was the very place abotions were performed that took the lives of babies like this. There were hundreds of plaques from mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers, sisters, other relatives from all over the country that were affected somehow by an abortion. Others had placed poems, flowers, teddy bears, and other things on the ledge below the plaques.

Ultimately, this memorial is now a place of peace and healing. Thank the Lord for His never ending care, comfort and love of people of all walks of life, including those who have chosen abortion, and those who were never able to take their first breath of life.

Also, not only did Richard and Linda offer us their beautiful home, engaging conversation, and incredible example of how to live as the light of Christ, they also.......... were black =).