Warm up your voice. A pro-life group is organizing Christmas caroling nationwide in front of abortion clinics to bring the “Christmas message of peace and joy to the darkness of the abortion clinic.” Pro-Life Action League’s “Peace in the Womb” caroling will be held throughout the month of December in 80 locations across 30 states. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the event, initiated by executive director Eric Scheidler, son of Pro-Life Action League founder Joe Scheidler. 

In an interview last year with The Stream, Eric Scheidler said that one of the motivations for the caroling event is the great sorrow he feels at the thought of a woman getting an abortion at Christmas. “It’s a weight they could carry around every Christmas,” he said. “At the same time, what a wonderful time of year to choose life.” 

“We gather to sing carols, reminding abortion-bound mothers that the salvation of the world came through an unplanned pregnancy. … We want to offer hope, help and alternatives to assist women in choosing life for their children,” Scheidler said. “We’re there to really put the emphasis on the image of the Christ-child being born in Bethlehem so many years ago.”

The Christmas carols are selected specifically to “evoke this Christmas image that really is so powerful of the hope and the joy that came in the world through the birth of a child during a difficult time,” Scheidler explained. “Quite the unexpected pregnancy. And it’s a great example to all parents — saying ‘yes’ to life, even when there’s a tremendous challenge to it, there’s a great hope still available to people.”

The caroling elicits a much more positive response than any other activity the group does. “There’s something about Christmas carols, people — even the people who escort the pregnant women into the center for the abortion — enjoy the Christmas caroling,” said Scheidler. “The most powerful reaction is when women have decided not to go through with the abortion.”

Scheidler told the story of one year’s caroling in Chicago when logistics made their singing heard quite easily from inside the abortion center. The group sang Silent Night, and afterwards, a woman emerged from the clinic and told them she’d decided not to have the abortion because she heard the song and imagined Mary and the baby Jesus. “We’ve seen it again and again,” said Scheidler.

In addition to Christmas caroling and depending on location, participants could hold pro-life signs, provide sidewalk counseling and stand around an empty cradle — symbolizing the anticipation of birth as well as what would happen if an abortion takes place. 

Scheidler said that mothers have changed their minds after hearing the carolers. At least 9 babies were saved last year, including one in Wood Dale, Illinois: “The couple came out of the abortion clinic with huge smiles on their faces,” Scheidler said. “The mother declared, ‘We’re having a baby! We changed our minds!” while the father thanked the carolers, saying, ‘Good job!’ All they’d done was sing Christmas carols, and a life was saved.”

For more details and information on how to participate, see “Peace in the Womb” Christmas Caroling at https://prolifeaction.org/event/caroling2017/.