One does not have to look far to find the leaders of the Pro-Life movement. Coming from all walks of life and with various beginnings in Pro-Life work, there are dozens of activists that can be pointed to as powerhouses in the fight for life. Some of the more well-known ones are Abby Johnson (the former Planned Parenthood manager who changed sides after seeing an abortion firsthand), Lila Rose (the undercover investigator who founded Live Action News in her parents' living room when she was just 15), and Kevin Sorbo (the star of the 1995 Hercules TV show, who routinely bucks the typical Hollywood stance on abortion). They all had a hand in reversing Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, and their tireless work is saving more children than ever before.
With the knowledge that so many amazing people are already fighting for life, it can be tempting for an individual to take a back seat in the fight. And many do. Individuals, organizations, and even churches claim to whole-heartedly support the work, but then do nothing to aid it themselves. But, on such an important issue, which literally holds the lives of millions in the balance, sitting back in placid agreement is simply not good enough.
Jim Ball knows this problem all too well, not only because he sees it every day in his work with 40 Days for Life but also because he struggled with the same reluctance fifteen years ago. If asked, Jim would have called himself Pro-Life. He thought the killing of innocent babies was wrong and he was reminded of the cause every time he drove past the abortion clinic in his city and saw people protesting in front of it. But it took a particularly dedicated Pro-Lifer (an old man who was seemingly always on the curb) to get Jim out of his car and asking what the movement was all about. In a few simple words, the old man helped Jim see that sentiment meant absolutely nothing if not backed up by action. Arguments fill up the air, but initiative taken changes hearts. The old man could have shouted the Pro-Life message from the tallest rooftop, but it was his continual presence on that curb that truly spoke volumes. Convicted beyond the shadow of a doubt, Jim joined 40 Days for Life and hasn't looked back since.
In a sense, 40 Days for Life, founded in 2007 by a Jewish man who was inspired by the Texas prayer vigils, was the perfect organization for people like Jim. The whole group is made up of former sideline-sitters who put aside their hesitation and fear after feeling a Divine push to put action behind their convictions. And that action has been powerful and richly rewarded. 40 Days for Life has chapters all over the United States, encompassing over 600 cities. Its prayer vigils (aka, the easiest way to be involved in the Pro-Life movement) attract over 300 volunteers each year. The organization has been present if not instrumental in numerous events that either broadcast the Pro-Life message or influence legislation in favor of the unborn. And 40 Days for Life is recognized as the largest Pro-Life organization in the world.
40 Days for Life's sidewalk counselors are on the corner of every abortion clinic they can locate. Its affiliate group, Sleep No More (an organization that focuses on getting men involved in the work), marches in the dead of night to prove that, no matter the conditions, Pro-Lifers will always be ready to protect the unborn. Even simple contributions like hand-knit hats aid the organization in proving that it cares before, during, and after birth.
While all this is amazing, it is only possible because "everyday people" got off the sidelines and contributed in simple but impactful ways. A step taken outside of an abortion facility. A hat knit for a child you'll never meet. A prayer whispered at a vigil. Grace shown to those who hate the movement. Small things piling on top of each other to slowly but surely create a mountain of testament to the value of life and the movement's devotion to protecting it.
Jim Ball's proudest moment while working with 40 Days for Life came in February 2013, when a doctor from the abortion mill Jim used to drive past personally told him that the facility would be closing in a few short months. "Your presence outside is the reason we're closing" he said. While permanently shutting the doors of that building was always the goal, Jim couldn't quite fathom it when he first heard the news. Years of marching, hundreds of volunteers, thousands of steps taken, simple people doing what God had asked them to do...had all culminated into something wonderful. Faithfulness rewarded. And, while the closed doors were by no means the end of the Pro-Life movement or Jim's involvement in it, after so many years it was nice to see palpable progress.
Sources: Interview with Jim Ball
Photo Credit: Roman Catholic Dioceses of Charleston
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