We’ve mentioned our Healthy Sexual Boundaries Education program before in previous posts, speaking about what we do, what students learn and what they walk away with. This past month, RETA staff Jeff and Joni were at Concord Junior High School and experienced a shocking moment with a student.
During the presentation, Joni called five male students and one female student volunteers. The guys line up on the side of an aisle runner, each representing a different relationship for the female volunteer who holds a rose. Each male student takes petals off the rose as a representation of the female giving parts of herself away - first emotionally with the first couple guys, then eventually physically. As the female approaches the last guy in line, who represents the man she’ll marry, she’s carrying what’s left of her rose. She could have an STD, a previous abortion or a child from a previous relationship that she’s going to have to talk through with the man she wants to marry. The students learn how difficult those conversations can be. This isn’t done in a condemning way, but as a way to help students think through how their current choices impact their futures.
Joni has done this presentation several times, but this particular time a student said something that hasn’t been said before. Joni mentioned that an unplanned pregnancy happened with guy number four in line and that this would be something that could impact her relationship with guy number five. While she’s saying this, the fourth male shouts, “Abort! Abort! Not keeping it. No way.” Joni did a great job of continuing on with her presentation, but circling back to the student’s comment. She shared about what we experience at RETA, with those who have made abortion decisions and the guilt and shame that come with those decisions years down the road, our staff having worked with several women and men whose abortions have impacted everything in their lives since that moment - ruining marriages, relationships and jobs.
The thoughtless response of the student was shocking, but it was a reminder of how important education about life is. Especially in our homes. Parents, we must have frank, open and honest dialogue with our children about the choices we made growing up, good and bad and help them set boundaries. We must teach them the value of life, the gift that it is, from conception to the grave. We need to advocate for pre-born children, support families in need, treating them with dignity and respect, and to show the grace of Jesus Christ to others, as we all hurt ourselves and others through our poor choices.