Impact Report April 2015
At Justice For All, we’re mindful that every pro-life student with whom we interact will meet scores of people throughout their lives—people we ourselves will never have the opportunity to engage. This is why our mentors energetically impart to these pro-life students the tools that will prepare them to change hearts and minds on their own.
In this Impact Report, you’ll meet a few of these students who have become ready and eager to create conversations about abortion. I hope their words will give you a glimpse of the impact of your investment in JFA, and I hope they’ll help you see that, with the help of JFA mentors, you also can become ready and eager for your “next conversation.”
Steve Wagner, Executive Director
The next conversation. That’s one of our passions at JFA. After three recent JFA projects, students reflected this same passion back to us, expressing that they are now ready and eager to create conversations in order to change hearts and minds about abortion.
JFA trainers Rebecca Haschke and Catherine Wurts led a workshop in January for Nebraskans in Washington D.C. after the annual March for Life. About one month later, one student wrote to Rebecca:
Catherine Wurts (left) leads a portion of a two-hour JFA workshop for 220 students and 43 chaperones from the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln after the March for Life.
“Today…three of my friends [and I] were waiting in a lobby to do interviews for Girls State. There was also a girl from [another high school] that was waiting along with us, and somehow we got on the topic of abortion and she was pro-choice. It was the perfect first encounter and chance to use the skills you taught us. She was very good about hearing our side, and we were good about hearing hers. She [gave] the exact reason most [give]: ‘Just a clump of cells.’ We were able to ask questions and stay on the same page with her without overwhelming her, thanks to you and your presentation!” - Elizabeth
Students from St. Mary’s Catholic High School survey a student at Arizona State University.
Elizabeth left the January workshop feeling both that it was important to put the workshop material into practice in a conversation about abortion and that she was ready when an opportunity presented itself. In February, students from two Catholic high schools in Phoenix (St. Mary’s and Bourgade) showed the same eagerness for conversation after participating in JFA’s full training program:
Through practice, students are ready to share images respectfully in future conversations.
“I would not have even known how to begin a conversation with someone about abortion… The training gave me conversational tools and gave me confidence to use them whenever possible.” - Miranda
“After the outreach I really thought more about the influence I have on people and how… just bringing up the subject could influence a lot in their lives. JFA really made me realize that I need to be more confident in being able to speak my opinion on the subject because it could have a bigger impact than I know.” - Mikhaila
“I have labeled myself ‘pro-life’ probably since I first heard the term being used. I didn't fully understand, however, how extremely meaningful and valuable that term really is. I realize now…my role as a spokesperson for those who cannot speak. I am here to defend human life, whether it be inside or outside of the womb. I had a sense of this notion before attending JFA, but my experiences in the seminar and out in the real world…solidified my views and my beliefs; [they made] them real.” - Emilio
Of the 44 students (and one faculty member) from these Phoenix schools who participated in a day-long seminar (Seat Work) and a day of outreach at Arizona State University (Feet Work), all but a few made a commitment to create a conversation about abortion in their everyday lives within two weeks (what JFA calls “Repeat Work”). JFA’s carefully sequenced training program had helped them become ready and eager for the next conversation.
In March, another high school student in Oklahoma had a similar experience during a camp that JFA trainers led for Christian Heritage Academy’s Salt and Light program. After one day in a JFA seminar and one day of outreach, he wrote the following:
“It was one of the best experiences I’ve had, ever. From this trip, I hope to encounter people and have tough conversations with them. I plan to use the exhibit brochures in the future and hopefully be able to pass out the ones I have currently before next year… I would do [the trip] again because of the value of knowing how to lead a conversation about hard topics with people… I feel like God gave me a tool to build bridges across to people and show them the straight and narrow path… My takeaway is that no conversation is too tough and everyone matters no matter if they are ninety years old or one month in the womb.” - Jack
These students are now ready and eager to change hearts and minds about abortion on their own. Let’s pray that God will provide opportunities for many “next conversations” and that he will cause their efforts to result in many changed hearts and saved lives.