Alycia Hartley is a one of our amazing sidewalk counselors at GCRTL. She can often be found at the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic (3255 E Main St) praying for the women and the workers inside the clinic or offering encouragement to visit the prolife pregnancy help center across the street. Alycia is working to enter into religious life in the next few months with the Sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit, a Catholic religious order that works in the education of children and the care of the elderly. Since Alycia will soon be moving, we thought we’d share her story as the May Volunteer spotlight of the month. Below, she shares – in her own words, why she became involved with the GCRTL Sidewalk program.
I still remember as a kid, hearing the word “abortion” on TV often, and not knowing what it meant. Finally, I asked my mom what this mysterious word meant as it was mentioned on a news segment. Her frank reply was that this word “abortion” meant killing a baby when it was still in its mother's belly. I asked her how this could be allowed, and she again bluntly replied, “I don't know.”
As I became older, I remembered what abortion was, and the truth of what it really was. As my eyes were opened to how horrific abortion is, in its procedure and number of victims, I felt a strong pull to do something significant to end this tragedy. The reality of abortion became all too real for me one day, when before the Ohio 20-week abortion ban, I saw a very young woman with a large “baby bump” enter the abortion mill to terminate her pregnancy. This was shocking for me to see, but I began to realize there really isn't a difference between this advanced pregnancy and someone only several weeks pregnant. Both pregnancies contain a life that must be cherished and protected.
When I learned about GCRTL's Sidewalk Counselor Training program, I knew that this would be a real, tangible way to reach out to women in need, and hopefully save them and their babies from a horrible choice.
During the course of the GCRTL SWC program I have been witness to, and told of, great things that are happening on the sidewalks of Columbus's abortion mills. The SWC program is definitely changing lives, and I am sure it will only continue to do so as more heroic pro-lifers work as SWCs to end this injustice.
Thank you, Alycia, for the many hours that you have dedicated to helping build a culture of life here in our community! You will be missed greatly.
If you’d like to learn more about Alycia’s decision to enter into religious life, you can visit her Aspirant page online.
I still remember as a kid, hearing the word “abortion” on TV often, and not knowing what it meant. Finally, I asked my mom what this mysterious word meant as it was mentioned on a news segment. Her frank reply was that this word “abortion” meant killing a baby when it was still in its mother's belly. I asked her how this could be allowed, and she again bluntly replied, “I don't know.”
As I became older, I remembered what abortion was, and the truth of what it really was. As my eyes were opened to how horrific abortion is, in its procedure and number of victims, I felt a strong pull to do something significant to end this tragedy. The reality of abortion became all too real for me one day, when before the Ohio 20-week abortion ban, I saw a very young woman with a large “baby bump” enter the abortion mill to terminate her pregnancy. This was shocking for me to see, but I began to realize there really isn't a difference between this advanced pregnancy and someone only several weeks pregnant. Both pregnancies contain a life that must be cherished and protected.
When I learned about GCRTL's Sidewalk Counselor Training program, I knew that this would be a real, tangible way to reach out to women in need, and hopefully save them and their babies from a horrible choice.
During the course of the GCRTL SWC program I have been witness to, and told of, great things that are happening on the sidewalks of Columbus's abortion mills. The SWC program is definitely changing lives, and I am sure it will only continue to do so as more heroic pro-lifers work as SWCs to end this injustice.
Thank you, Alycia, for the many hours that you have dedicated to helping build a culture of life here in our community! You will be missed greatly.
If you’d like to learn more about Alycia’s decision to enter into religious life, you can visit her Aspirant page online.
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