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NRL News
Youthful
Idealism and Enthusiasm Will Play Role in As we start a new year, we might want to ask ourselves where we want our beloved movement to be not just at the end of 2009 but 10, 20, and 30 years from now. Do we want it to be thriving in a culture that values life, or would we prefer for those who come after us to continue slogging through a culture that promotes death? The answer is obvious—we really do wish to leave our children and grandchildren a society that cherishes life—and, in a sense, so, too, is the foundation for how we get there. If we are to succeed, now, more than ever, we must focus serious effort on recruiting youth to the right-to-life movement. Fortunately, success just takes a little work on top of the already existing desire to further the cause of the unborn and medically vulnerable. Here’s the good news. Having been involved in nurturing teenagers for nearly 20 years, I know that young people are ready to step up to the plate. Their active involvement is just a matter of identifying and training them. This special edition is about stopping the Obama Abortion Agenda. You will find no keener proponents of the right to life or stauncher opponents of pro-abortion President-elect Barack Obama than young people. So here we go. Question: how can you, John Q. Pro-Lifer, play an active role in guaranteeing our Movement’s ongoing vitality? Identifying pro-life youth is easier than it looks! I’m betting that among your chapter resources is a person who likes to speak to groups about abortion and/or euthanasia. I’m also fairly certain that you have at your fingertips either an old-school phonebook or, if you have joined the technology age, a computer with google-ability. Either one will work nicely to identify churches in your area. Begin by zeroing in on the ones you know to be pro-life and get the aforementioned speaker in to address their youth group! With a youth-friendly presentation that outlines the horrors of abortion and sounds a clarion call for young people, you should be able to recruit one or two teens or college students from each church you visit willing to fight the atrocity. (And trust me, one or two young people who care about the cause and want to make a difference are more than enough to get things started!) Another source for identifying pro-life youth is your own “circle of life,” so to speak. Start chatting up the issue with your teenage children, grandchildren, or the children and grandchildren of your close friends, or even young people in your own church. The teen who shows an interest and chats back is exactly the kid you want to plug into step two! Which is … training! Training can begin with inviting your new recruits to help out with your local chapter events. I highly recommend plugging these amazing new youngsters into your state and local NRLC affiliate. Multiple training opportunities—specially geared toward teenagers and college students—exist around the nation. There might well be a few in your very own state! And if nothing exists in your state, it’s probably time to get something started. We’d love to help with that! On the national level, and in chronological order, we offer the National Teens for Life Summit, held the weekend before or after the March for Life (in this instance, January 23–25, 2009). The summit trains teenagers to be advocates for life in their schools, churches, and communities. National-caliber speakers educate participants on everything from the history of abortion and euthanasia to stem cells and cloning. Practical training for local involvement is also provided. the National Teens for Life Convention, held in conjunction with the National Right to Life Convention every summer. The NTL Convention provides quality workshops and general sessions on all facets of the right-to-life cause. Everything is geared toward junior high and high school-level youth and the convention concludes with a pizza banquet and dance. This year’s NTL Convention will be held June 18–20. Wisconsin Right to Life Teen Leadership Camps, held in Wisconsin but open to teens from around the nation, also use national-level speakers to train the next generation to advocate for life. Weeklong camps cover the basics and advanced training, as well as pro-life games, recreational activities, planning, and fellowship. Please contact your state affiliate of NRLC to find out what is available in your state to help train teens. Many affiliates hold teen summits or conventions of their own, and a number also provide right-to-life camps for youth. It is critically important that, during the next few years, especially, we focus our hearts and our efforts on building our cause for the future. While things may seem daunting in the short term, please remember that the first wave of young people we trained at conventions and camps is already joining the work force. The best way to change a culture is to tap into the idealism and enthusiasm of young people. Trust me on this one! And please, please, please, consider helping us build our cause for the future—one young person at a time! For more information on any of the programs listed in this article, or for information on what training opportunities are available in your state, please contact us at jlittle@wrtl.org. |