By Laura Kizior and Susan Ciancio
Teaching your children about the sanctity of every human being’s life is fun and rewarding. Going to pro-life conferences and the annual March for Life is even more exciting. St. John Paul II calls for each of us to do our part to spread the culture of life in the world.
Starting in your own community is a great way to do this. But how do you start in your own community? Evangelization can be hard when you aren’t sure where to start or how to approach the subject. Here are some creative ways to get the conversation going in your own backyard.
1. Visit your neighbors
Just recently, an elderly neighbor across the street lost her live-in sister to cancer. Now she lives alone and has very few people to visit. I’m not sure how or why, but a large pile of branches sat in her driveway for weeks, as she had no way to dispose of them. Then, just this weekend, the man living next door brought his two young children outside and cleaned up her driveway for her. That is love. That is the epitome of being a neighbor.
These are small things that mean so much to others. And they should come as naturally to us as brushing our hair.
There are many things we can do for our neighbors, especially during this stressful time of the pandemic. Do they need groceries? Are they lonely? Do they just need someone to check on them or talk with them for an hour or so?
Our days are busy, and oftentimes we barely have time for ourselves, but we cannot forget about people who need us. We cannot forget to show others that they are valued and loved. Acts of kindness, messages of love, and words of affirmation go a long way as you build a culture of life in your neighborhood.
2. Give
Organize a fundraiser for a local pregnancy resource center. True change in the world starts in your own community by taking care of your neighbors. Each person must do his part to help create a better place for the future. One possible way to do this is to go door to door in your neighborhood as a family asking for donations for a pregnancy resource center.
When you do so, use it as an opportunity to talk about why helping moms in difficult situations is the most compassionate approach to an unplanned pregnancy. Most people agree that abortion should be reduced because it indicates a serious social problem, but few understand the real need to help moms. Be sure to point out that their donations will directly assist women in their own community.
3. Evangelize with apparel
Sport snazzy pro-life clothing. Wearing a pro-life T-shirt or hoodie while you’re cutting the grass, gardening, or even just walking the dog is another way to evangelize the culture of life in your neighborhood. While you won’t always know the effect of being public about your belief in the sanctity of every human being’s life, sometimes wearing your pro-life clothing in public will spark a fruitful discussion.
Having a pregnancy resource center bumper sticker on your car is another good idea. You will never know how many lives you save simply by giving another option to women in desperate situations.
There are many things that you can do to increase awareness of abortion and the threats to life. By being a witness for the culture of life in your day-to-day activities and in your neighborhood, you are directly helping to change society for the better. Remember that change starts with you—in your home and in your community.
What other things can you do to be a witness to life in your own neighborhood?
This article has been updated and reprinted with permission and can be found at cultureoflifestudies.com/blog/3-ways-to-spread-the-culture-of-life-in-your-neighborhood/.