Yep. That’s a goat.
So is this.
When it comes to being friendly, goats don’t have a great reputation. These little characters didn’t seem to know that, however. I was introduced to them at the Nashville Zoo, and from what I could tell, their day revolved around licking hands and snuggling up to visitors.
Petting zoo goats aren’t the only ones defying stereotypes—pro-lifers do it every day. Abortion advocates like to pretend that we don’t care about women and stop worrying about babies after they’re born, but the reality couldn’t be more different. While we won’t nibble on your shoe (probably), we do want to help. If you’re a new mom who needs assistance or someone who wants to provide it, the pro-life community has options.
One place to find those options is the appropriately named OptionLine.org. It features bilingual information about pregnancy along with the ability to chat with a representative. And if you’re not online, you can still access the site’s services by texting the word “HELPLINE” to 313131.
A key feature of OptionLine is its pregnancy help center locator. Pregnancy help centers are places where pregnant women can turn for assistance, particularly when they’re in vulnerable circumstances. One of the largest pregnancy center networks is known as Care-Net.
With local affiliates across the country, Care-Net provides women with free pregnancy tests, pregnancy information, and material resources. Some locations also offer consultations with licensed medical professionals, ultrasounds for pregnancy confirmation, and testing for sexually transmitted infections.
In addition to giving support, care centers provide opportunities to contribute as well. Christina Martin has written about her experience as a center volunteer and compiled a list of ten ways you can be of service. They involve such things as holding formula and diaper drives, donating maternity clothes, and organizing baby showers for center clients.
Sometimes you can make a pro-life difference simply through what you say, and that includes letting women know abortion isn’t the only alternative to parenting. Talking about a website called Adoption.com is one way to do that. The site allows couples who’ve been cleared by a licensed adoption agency to create an online profile explaining what they have to offer. One of those couples is Matt and Angela Bernier. Based in Virgina, the Berniers have already adopted a son named Kyle and they’re hoping to find a sibling for him.
Although I had a good time seeing some of Nashville’s cutest goats defying their critics, it wasn’t nearly as rewarding as helping the pro-life community do the same. And the good news is, there’s no shortage of opportunities to be a part of that. Because whether you need a hand or want to lend one, the pro-life movement has a place for you.
