A few days ago, a retired doctor visited our office. As he talked with us, he wondered out loud about an aspect of the abortion issue that I puzzle over, too.

The issue was this: How can people be so distraught by horrible human rights abuses such as school shootings, persecution of religious groups, or discrimination against minorities – and yet turn a blind eye to the 56 million preborn babies who’ve been aborted? How can so many Americans sit by and do nothing to end the killing of preborn babies?

I’ve been thinking a lot about these questions, too. As I was mulling the questions, a thought came to me about how abortion is almost an invisible tragedy. So few people actually see the victim, the preborn baby, or have a relationship with him or her.

My point is that we connect more with people who we relate to. We are more likely to send a meal to the family down the street whose house burned down than we are to a family in Haiti who can’t even afford one meal a day.

It’s hard to relate to a preborn baby if you’re not his/her mother or father. Sometimes it may be hard to relate even when you are the mother or father. It doesn’t mean that preborn babies are less valuable. We just have a harder time relating to them.

So, how can we help people relate to preborn babies in the womb and open their eyes to the tragedy of abortion?

One way is just to remind them that abortions are happening. I think people honestly just forget sometimes. Share an article on your Facebook page or invite them to attend a pro-life event in your area.

Another way may be to share facts and photos about preborn babies. Every time I help at a fair booth, I see people’s amazed faces as they pick up our fetal models or look at the photos of tiny babies in the womb. When people see a baby at 12 weeks sucking their thumb or twins interacting in utero, they begin to relate to preborn babies.

These are just some of my thoughts and ideas about making people more aware about abortion. I’d like to hear your thoughts, too. Please feel free to email me at lifelines@paprolife.org or comment on our Facebook page.