By The Culture of Life Studies Team
Teaching your kids about the sanctity of human life is fun and rewarding. Going to pro-life conferences and the annual March for Life is even more exciting. Saint 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.
Organize a fundraiser for a local pregnancy resource center. True change in the world starts in your own community, 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.
Make cards for the senior citizens of your neighborhood. The elderly are often lonely and have very few people who visit them. Show your elderly neighbors that you care about them by spending a few moments of your time with them. Offer to help them with difficult tasks around their homes. Write them a card that expresses how they are valued and that says you are there if they need someone. Help them feel loved and cherished, for no one should feel abandoned or unwanted.
Sport a snazzy pro-life T-shirt. Wearing a pro-life T-shirt 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 human life, sometimes wearing your pro-life shirt 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?
For more information on American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program, visit cultureoflifestudies.com. There you will find exciting resources for your children and your family—resources that are invaluable to building a culture of life in your home and community.