Lila Rose

Pro-life activist Lila Rose was just a child when she first became aware of the tragedy of abortion.

Growing up in San Jose, Calif., the third of eight children, “we were taught from a young age to love and respect human life,” she told more than 150 pro-life advocates gathered at a church in Arlington, Va., for a mini-retreat.

Rose, a 24-year-old Catholic convert, became involved with the right-to-life movement at 15 when she founded Live Action, a pro-life nonprofit organization specializing in investigative journalism.

At age nine, Rose, a prolific reader, stumbled upon a book on abortion. She went to her mom and asked, “Is this real?” Hearing the affirmative answer, Rose, stunned and uncomprehending, began reading everything she could find on the topic.

“I began to see and realize that even though I was safe, there were other children (who) were not safe,” she said in her talk Jan. 12.

“As I learned more of these things, my heart began to seek out an answer to the question: ‘What can I do? . . . Isn’t there something to be done?’”

Rose prayed to the Lord for him to use her in whatever way he knew was best. “It’s very dangerous to ever ask God to use you . . . because he will,” she said.