by Ashley Baldwin, Communications Coordinator

Longing for adventure, I headed down to D.C. from Delaware in January, 2008.  I was 19, passionate, and eager to to become part of something great:  Saving children’s lives on a regular basis.  I was volunteering for another pro-life organization, Rock for Life, and was asked to come to the March for Life to help with activism, sell merchandise, and help with the events that surrounded the March.

Quickly I made a lot of contacts and canvassed the city encouraging young people to join our efforts.  As I prayed outside of Planned Parenthood and listened  to many nationally known speakers encourage and activate the crowds, I couldn’t help but wonder, “What will be next after this weekend?  After the March for Life, what will I do?”

The morning of the March I was busy helping another volunteer put together an 8 foot wide banner.  A fiery, beautiful, red-headed woman came right up to me.  Bursting with excitement she said, “I want you to be part of my team!  Have you ever been to California?”

Growing up in a small state, the thought of visiting California was just a dream.  I smiled and agreed to hear her out.  The late Kortney Blythe’s recruiting efforts were successful.  After two weeks of prayer, I followed the Lord’s leading to California and joined Kortney Blythe, then Survivors Campus Outreach Director, and the Campus Outreach team for the 2009 Spring semester tour.

Now five years later I am the Communication Coordinator for Survivors.

I am so thankful to have met Kortney, to have known her, lived and worked beside her in this movement.  Kortney was killed in a car accident in October of 2011 on her way home from a pro-life conference in Georgia.  Kortney, her unborn daughter Sophy, and the other driver were immediately killed on impact.  I continue to mourn for her loss here on earth, but celebrate her in Heaven.

I am thankful for her boldness and energy that hooked me into coming out to California to be apart of the Campus Outreach team.  She was passionate about the mission of Survivors, to educate and activate the youth of this country into ending abortion, and was always inviting anyone she could to join in this movement.  I share her vigor for this generation.

Our hope,  prayer, and plan for this March for Life is that we will meet many more young people who we can encourage to join our team here at Survivors, and activate in the mission of life.