The following is an interview I did on July 31, 2009.

“I was stunned by this killing,” begins Joy DeKok. “My novel, Rain Dance, deals with abortion in a much different way and I felt a genuine desire to respond to the death of Dr. Tiller. Nothing is gained from his death. Everyone loses. I grieve for doctor’s family.

Many pro-life people resent what they call a “media bias.” Do you believe this bias exists?

 Yes. The good done by the pro-life side of the issue is usually disregarded. We’re only newsworthy when a rare radical takes the law into their own hands. Radicals don’t represent the vast majority of people who believe life begins at conception. I wish the media would take another look at those of us who are pro-life. We’re regular people who generally confine our participation to voting, writing letters to the editors of local newspapers, contacting our political representatives, praying, or at the most joining in a peaceful protest now and then—although this last one is rare for us. I’m tired of being called ‘anti-choice’ or labeled ‘anti-abortion.’ I don’t label the pro-choice folks ‘anti-life’ and neither does the media. There is prejudice on both sides of the issue, but truly, we on the life side are not all like the very few who take the law into their own hands. We are tired of being lumped in with them.”

Do most pro-lifers abide by the law?

“The ones I know do. In my experience, the pro-life movement is best defined as one of political participation. There are fringe fanatics on both sides. We on the life side are wise enough to know they are not the majority. To be honest, Dr. Tiller’s determination to perform late-term abortions, was radical to some on the pro-choice side of the issue—at least the pro-choice people in my life who commented on his work. While we don’t agree on the right to choose, we find common ground on late-term abortions. Dr. Tiller seemed driven to continue his work at all costs, much like his murderer who was willing to end the doctor’s life. Both were seriously wrong. Dr. Tiller, however, did not break the law. His killer did. While I am appalled by abortion’s legality, it cannot be ignored. That’s why the pro-life movement is mainly political. We chose to work within the law to change the law.”

What about a recent comment by Al Franken of Minnesota’s historic senatorial race that the majority of abortions are chosen by Christian women?

“I’ve not heard Mr. Franken’s comment so cannot respond to this part of the question. I have heard and read similar comments by others. I do know that as a nation most of us have some kind of Christian heritage whether we are active believers or not. When a woman is asked for a religious affiliation on medical forms, it’s possible she is recording her childhood church connection. I’ve also read statistics from the Guttmacher Institute that about 250,000 women who chose abortion each year check ‘evangelical Christian’ as their religious affiliation on abortion forms. I see at least three possible responses to this: First that they are intentionally being misleading on the question of religion. For many women in a crisis pregnancy, the less real information you have on them, the better. Second, if this is true, we need to know and open our hearts, arms, and sanctuaries to post-abortive women. The third is the most likely answer: the Christian faith is full of flawed, scared, and at times desperate people. When it comes to life and death questions, we still align with our true faith – even when the death involved is abortion. While those who oppose us wish it weren’t so, we are great in number. We’re not perfect, but the One we believe in is. He is also the only one capable to true and total forgiveness.”

Do you have any more comments on Dr. Tiller’s death?

“I do. As a pro-life supporter, the murder of Dr. Tiller is contrary to my beliefs. His life was precious too. His family’s loss is great, and I express my heart-felt sympathy to them. While I want to see abortion laws changed, I do not want to see doctors who provide abortions murdered.”

In your novel, you include an abortion that is quite realistic. Why did you choose to keep that scene in the book? Weren’t you concerned with how women with abortion in their past would respond?

 “I was. I struggled with it, took it out, rewrote it, put it back in, and repeated the process. Some people wanted a happier ending—where Stacie chose to keep the child and give it to the infertile woman—sort of a Sarah and Hagar story. That was not the story in my heart. I prayed hard knowing many women who had chosen abortion would read the book. The story was not complete without the abortion scene, so it stayed. I’ve since had several ‘Stacies’ thank me for leaving the scene intact. It was difficult for them to read, but they’ve told me, ‘You told my whole story—the one I couldn’t. Thank you.’ I’ve asked if that part should have been deleted. So far their unanimous response is, ‘No.’ I’m thankful for their courage in reading and supporting the book. Then there is the other side of this question—the women who are pro-life and find themselves loving Stacie more than any other character in the book. Talk about rewarding!”

When asked why they would publish a novel about abortion, Sheaf House Editorial Director, Joan Shoup, said, “Rain Dance is a perfect fit for Sheaf House. The author has written a beautiful story her test readers and reviewers love. She didn’t shy away from the difficult and refused to end the novel with ‘happily ever after.’ ”

Sheaf House Publishers is a small independent publishing house with big goals. Shoup continues, “We are dedicated to publishing books outside the expected norm for Christian publishers. We are not afraid to talk about abortion, infertility, sex, or many of the other issues facing all of us today. We publish both edgy and comfortable fiction. In all we publish, we’re committed to our beliefs and our brand.”

What concerns you most as a pro-life woman?

I want to save the lives of babies, but more than that I want to help women who have chosen abortion and now regret it, find healing. If the voices of these beautiful, strong, and intelligent women are heard, the issue will be seen for what it is: a personal crisis with political impact in this generation and those to come.”

Resources  you might be interested in:

www.healingheartsinternational.org

www.sheafhouse.com