Real Conversation at OU: Spheres of Influence

On Tuesday, I had the privilege of sitting in on a conversation on the University of Oklahoma campus.

Caleb, a high school student volunteering with JFA that day, and I were discussing a previous conversation when we were approached by an OU student named DeWayne* who asked what the exhibit was about. He seemed very pro-life. He believed life started at conception and that generally abortion should be illegal. We built common ground there and I asked questions to understand his beliefs.

At this point in the conversation, DeWayne paused in his processing of abortion and asked Caleb and me a question. He said, "Everyone has a certain amount of energy that they use to address different things in their spheres of influence. I choose not to get upset over some things because they don't affect me yet. Why do you choose to spend your energy talking about abortion?"

It was a packed question. I wanted to slow him down and address one thing at a time because I heard a lot in what he was saying. But it wasn't me who needed to speak. As I was thinking about how to unpack DeWayne's question, the volunteer spoke up. Caleb told a story about how his brother's roommate in college had said the word "super" so much that all the roommates eventually began using the word "super" in their vocabulary subconsciously. Then his brother, who was now using the word frequently, unintentionally spread the word to his Chik-fil-A coworkers. Within a year or two, the word "super" had gone from being used by one person to 95 people who did not know the original speaker. Caleb's point? Your influence goes far beyond what you will ever know.

This impacted DeWayne. We could see it in his eyes and he told us as much right away. "You're right," he said, "I hadn't thought about it that way. It's worth it to have the conversation about abortion because we have no idea who it could influence." I thanked God that this young man had connected the dots. This is a point I try to get many pro-life students to reach. I am asked at every campus, "It doesn't affect me. Why should I even have an opinion?" At every campus I want to explain to people that the topic of abortion may not seem like it affects them, but they can influence others if only they will speak up.

DeWayne got it. He is now willing to start talking to people about what he believes regarding abortion. This young man, through the conversations in his future, will make an impact he had never thought possible.

He did not think it was worth his time and energy to have the conversation, but he was willing to ask us why we thought talking about abortion was worth our energy. I did not have the words he needed to hear, but the high school senior volunteer did, and he spoke up.

Are you willing to have this uncomfortable conversation? Have you formed your opinion on abortion? Have you done the research?

If not, are you willing to start down that path?

If so, are you willing to speak up?

Your sphere of influence is larger than you can imagine.

oPIN Your Eyes Project

Ever since watching the Paper Clips documentary on the Holocaust a few years ago, I have wanted to find a way to both commemorate and help visualize the loss of life in this country from legalized abortion. Two weeks ago, I Googled "paperclips abortion" and found Alyson: a working student who was one step ahead of me. Back in March, Alyson started the oPIN Your Eyes Project, collecting diaper or safety pins to raise national awareness for the lives lost because of abortion. To do this, she set a goal of 9 months to collect 300,000 safety pins to represent the 60 million abortions in the U.S. since Roe vs. Wade in 1973. All she needs is 10 people to send in 2,000 pins each by Thanksgiving and she will reach her goal. 

After connecting with Alyson, she agreed to do a Question and Answer post with me. I hope you enjoy getting to know this incredible young lady:

Q1. How did you get interested in Pro-Life? 

A. I have always had a passion for “the least of these."  When I was a little kid, I wanted to help the poor or those who could not help themselves.  As I grew up, that desire expanded into even wanting to help people with disabilities.  As I grew older, I learned about other people who would fall under “the least of these” category.  Now, not only do I desire to stand up for those who are killed in the womb, but my heart also breaks for the Muslim people.  (After college, I plan to become a Missionary in closed countries to reach Muslim women and children with the hope of the gospel.)  I cannot pinpoint an exact day or time when I decided to be Pro-Life.  I have grown up in a Christian home, and so I always knew abortion was wrong.  Although I knew it was wrong, I did not jump out there and get involved with Pro-Life marches or anything like that.  It was more of an understanding, but no action accompanied it.  I did hold some Pro-Life signs on the side of the road with a group of Pro-Lifers one time, but that was it.  Now, this past January is when I began to consider taking more of a public stand.  It was when I read WORLD magazine's article by Marvin Olasky, called “Incapable of Shame.”  For more on how that changed me: https://opinyoureyes.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-story-behind-opin-your-eyes.html   

Q 2. What was your impression of the Paperclips movie? 

A. My first impression of the Paperclips movie was how amazing it was that those middle school kids worked hard to create such a beautiful memorial for all those who had died in the Holocaust.  It also made me cry, to just imagine what all those Holocaust survivors went through!  As I watched it, it confirmed my idea to do a project like the Holocaust Memorial for the babies who have been aborted.  I thought, “if these little middle schoolers could do this for something like the Holocaust, why can’t I, a high schooler, do something like that for abortion which is 10x worse (in amount of babies who have died)?”  I had no idea what all this project would ask of me, even after seeing that movie.  The movie did prepare me for the time and effort I would have to pour into this project, but it just scratched the surface.  

Now, after reading the WORLD magazine’s article, that is when an idea of bringing national awareness concerning abortion was birthed. The actual oPIN your eyes idea was conceived when I remembered the Children’s Memorial Display of the Paperclips that I had visited several year ago.  After considering how I could collect diaper or safety pins like those middle schoolers collected paper clips, that is when we watched the movie to see what all was involved.  

Q3. Why safety pins? 

A. Well, I associate safety/diaper pins with babies, especially diaper pins.  Plus, it was the closest thing I could think of to paper clips.  They are roughly the same size, and people (mainly ladies) seem to have plenty around the house.  It just seemed to practically fit the idea, both collecting wise and in proportion to how big these aborted babies are and how they are uniquely different. 

Q4. What is your goal with the Project? 

A. While my goal is to collect a certain number of pins, my ultimate goals are:

1. To glorify God    2. To bring awareness of what we have lost as a nation.  3. To be able to visualize this massive number.

Q5. Share a cool story since starting the Project:  

A. Oh dear, there are a lot.  I have talked to people who were almost aborted, and those are such neat stories of how God spared them and then to see how God is using them.  One of those stories was about a little girl who was at a church I was speaking at.  Her grandmother introduced us to her 3 year old granddaughter who “was a walking miracle.”  The child’s mother had been on meth when she found out that she was 32 weeks pregnant and “her tummy was flat as a board."  They didn’t know what to expect when the baby was delivered. Would she have all her fingers and toes?  What about her brain?  How would it be affected?  When we first arrived in the packed (small) sanctuary that night, this little girl was the one that stood out to me above all the rest. She was adorable!!  She was attentive and engaged in the whole service.  We overheard her grandmother prompting her to quote John 3:16 to an older woman sitting nearby.  She touched our hearts before we even met her.  Her grandmother said she was born without any problems.  Indeed, she was a walking miracle!  

Q6. What is the most encouraging part of this for you?  

A. There are two things that have been encouraging to me.  (1) When pins do not come in as quickly as they used to, God sends some form of encouragement.  Sometimes it is a person I have not met who contacts me, or sends me pins, or I get a chance to speak somewhere about my project.  (2) I have seen so clearly how God has placed a passion to stand against abortion on certain people’s hearts.  I have found that even if I present my project exactly the same to two different people, their reactions can be quite different because of how God is working in each one.  The first person might respond with an “oh that is nice” comment and move on, while the other might respond energetically, eager to help me in any way possible.  I have been so encouraged when God directs me to multiple, like-minded, and passionate people during this project.  

Q7. Why should people send you pins? 

A. These pins, at the end with the final display, will be a way to help our nation be aware of how many babies have died.  It is a way they can play a part in bringing awareness.  My prayer is that God will use this awareness and the final display of pins to help Christians realize how many babies we have lost and to stand up to change how our country views abortion.  

Q8. What was the initial response and how has that changed? 

A. When people heard about my project, they were surprised to see a young person being willing to stand up against abortion.  But as time has gone on, responses have varied.  I think that it depends on who I talk to, if God has already stirred in their heart a desire to stand up against abortion, or not.  I also think that the amount of time I spend on the project affects the amount of pins I receive and the number of responses as well.

Q9. Who has given you the most support? Pins? Emotionally? 

A. The most support in general, has been my mom.  She has been right there with me through every step, pushing me to take initiative and to do it myself, while also being there for me if I need advice or an idea.  She has been the back bone of this project, though she won’t admit it. :)  

The most support pin-wise, I would say is a church in our area.  They gave 50,000 pins after I spoke at their church.  

The most support emotionally, would be God, my mom, our prayer team, and my family.  Without all of them, I would have quit a long time ago.  At our church, there is a dear older lady who has been so sweet and supportive of my project.  When I told her about the project she hopped on board and asked how she could help.  I had no idea at the time, but she has been so passionate about it and collecting as many pins as she can for me.  She has been extremely supportive and encouraging.

Q10. What is the biggest surprise you experienced from the Project and why? 

A. Oh goodness, God sends such great surprises to me nearly every time the project begins to feel slow. I would say that the biggest surprise was when I contacted several Christian radio stations, and Chris Fabry responded, asking me if I would come on his show!  So I did, and God worked through that to send me pins from people who had heard me share about my project on the radio.  

Q11. Who is your public inspiring figure and why? 

A. Honestly, my role model is Jesus and if I had to pick an earthly one, it would be my mom.  She is always so strong and knows just how to get what needs to be taken care of, completed in the most efficient way.  She seems to be always right and gives the best advice.  Now, my dad is also my role model.  He is the most solid man you could ever find.  His counsel holds fast to God’s Word and he continually holds up God’s Word as the guidelines for our thinking and way of life at home.  Both of my parents are my role models and I hope to, one day, somehow reach at least a half of what they are!

Q12. Where do you store the pins? 

A. In Ziplock bags and in cardboard boxes in our sunroom.  My brothers help me count the pins that are not sent in counted.  (But, we do ask people to send in their pins counted.)

Q13. What is the final goal for displaying them? 
A. I have not fully created a final display.  But I want to create some sort of large container that looks like a large baby bottle.  Hopefully the container will be somewhat clear so that people can see the pins inside.  I hope to place the display in a public area.   

Thank you so much, Alyson, for taking the time to do this Q&A and especially for dedicating 9 months of your year to this cause. God bless you in the last month of your collection and in your future endeavors. 

All Alyson needs is ten people to send in 2,000 pins each by Thanksgiving and she will reach her goal. Through Amazon Prime, 2,000 safety pins can cost as little as $10, 1,000 at $5 and so on. Go to opinyoureyes.com to learn where to send the pins.

To learn more about oPIN, visit https://opinyoureyes.blogspot.com/ and follow the project on Facebook and Instagram. Alyson shares easy links to Amazon to show your support with pins, pins, and more pins.