(5/5/07–I have lightly edited this post, due to the helpful feedback of a blog reader.)

Yesterday, I sat in the Capitol committee room, E2.010 for 8 hours. I was thrilled and frustrated and proud and moved to tears.

You see, yesterday was the marathon committee hearing of the House State Affairs committee, which heard all the pro-life and pro-abortion bills–ten total, six pro-life and four pro-abortion. It was my first experience of a State Affairs committee hearing and an amazingly instructive experience for me.

The hearing began around 4:30p, with the chairman, David Swinford (R-Dumas), calling the committee to order. The first two hours were spent in testimony from the various representatives presenting their bills. It was rather boring and, also, frustrating, as one of the two pro-abortion members on the nine-person committee grilled the witnesses.

Then, at about 6:40p, the good stuff started, with woman upon woman sharing her abortion story. Abortion hurts women. The message was clear. It truly must have been 3:1 with regard to pro-life and pro-abortion witnesses; in fact, one pro-life Rep. said, “It’s good to see so many pro-lifers.  There used to be more of them (pro-abortion) and us.”

It was incredible to hear the silence of the room as the post-abortive women shared their stories, their voices often thick with tears. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. Whatever is spoken in secret will be heard in the light. No one would light a lamp and set it under a bushel basket. They were the most amazing and brave women, and I rejoice that the post-abortive message is growing in momentum, not to be silenced, please God, until women can no longer be wounded by the scourge of abortion. YKC!