Abortion in China: Hoping to make a difference

For my [Jason's] newspaper class I ask the students to prepare PowerPoint presentations on significant news topics that they're interested in. Typical topics include pollution, food safety, 富二代 (which basically means "rich kids gone bad"), celebrity scandal, and so on...

Then, after all of the students have given their presentations, it is my turn. My topic (this time and every time) is abortion.

I define the terms "pro-choice" and "pro-life" and state the typical arguments from each side, then describe (with words and pictures) the various methods of abortion. The photos I include are intentionally graphic, and quite frankly, unsettling. Although the students (mostly girls, by the way) have been indoctrinated with propaganda supporting abortion and inundated with advertising stressing the ease, availability, and comfort of abortion, they seem to have never encountered any of this basic information and have certainly been protected from seeing any pictures revealing the horror actually involved.

To conclude, I reiterate my position (pro-life, of course) and explain the importance of prevention -- by abstinence (now) and birth control (later). I also mention giving the baby up for adoption, if need be.

Each time I give this presentation, it is an emotionally powerful event -- for me and them -- and at the end I'm always praying that maybe what I've said and shown will have an impact. But I've never quite had a way to measure that impact -- until now.

This semester, on our final exam, I asked the students "What is something that you learned, that you especially remember, or that you particularly enjoyed in this class? And why is this important to you?"

Over half of the students mentioned the abortion ppt as being the most significant lesson learned.

Here are some of their responses:
"I think your lecture is good... It really changes my thought, and will never have the abortion."

"If I don't learn this class, I won't know how bad it is. It is very important to me in my life. If I want to have a abortion in the future, when I remember this class, I won't choose this way."

"Because as a girl, I think we should know such kind of information."

"In China, abortion is so popular, they think the fetus are not the 'real' baby, they have no life, so they do abortion without thinking. I really do not like this concept."

"It's a serious topic that informs me of the significance of abstinence. And also we should change our attitude towards having abortion."

"Firstly, I learned how dangerous abortion is... [this] can help our girls to grow up and get a correct value to life."

"Learn about abortion, makes me know that fetus is a real life. We girls can not do abortion, there are other choices instead of abortion, such as adoption. Girls should protect themselves."

"...because I start to know that abortion can be murder because the fetus is really a life, and the mother can also be in danger."

"Abortion is very bad and we should avoid it. Because to some extent is murder."

"...and abortion is equal to kill a living person, which is so cruel."

"Fetus is a life, we should cherish them."

"Having an abortion is not a good thing, it will influence our psychological and physical health. For me, I won't choose abortion if I'm pregnant."

"Abortion is a kind of irresponsibility to the life. I wouldn't do it in my life."

"...if you are pregnant, you should choose better way, but not abortion."


These are the heartfelt responses of impressionable college-age girls who have come of age in a largely atheistic country that promotes strict population control (sometimes going so far as to "force" abortion, even on married women) and in a rapidly changing society that is, in many ways, increasingly morally bankrupt and by all means "lost."

Knowing this... Well, you can imagine my joy and sense of hope as I read these comments.
And please understand, I do not want to take credit for any good that comes from this. I am honestly humbled and just very thankful to have an opportunity to directly impact the lives of at least a few young Chinese.

I ask you... Please pray for these students -- and for us -- that we all may have the wisdom to know and the dedication to do what is right in the sight of God.