ACU for Life participated in National pro-life Chalk day Tuesday to share the meaning of Pro-Life. The chalking opened up debates about pro-life and pro-choice around campus throughout the remainder of the week.

On Oct. 22, a group of students met during Chapel to write down messages about the pro-life movement on Campus sidewalks of ACU. Fourteen students participated.

While students showed up to share their thoughts about the controversial issue, many opposing students left comments to defend their own beliefs.

Many of the comments in chalk read: “Life Matters” and “We are the Pro-Life generation.”

Marissa Trujillo, senior theatre education and design tech major form Forney and president of ACU for Life, said she witnessed students using water to erase the chalk.

“It happened right next to me, someone emptied out their entire water bottle on something I had written,” Trujillo said.

ACU for Life’s leadership addressed opposing messages.

“The vice president of our group and I actually spent an hour before Chapel on Wednesday, responding to every single thing that was written opposing our initial chalk messages,” Trujillo said. “The intention in doing this was to continue to spread the truth.” 

Opposing comments included sayings like, “women’s rights matter” and “Pro-Choice is the best choice.”

Trujillo said she accepted opposition and spoke with pro-choice students at the GATA fountain to welcome their beliefs.

“People were visibly offended and angry when they were talking to me,’ Trujillo said. “There was a lot of aggression coming from their part, but I was wholeheartedly there wanting to listen to what they had to say and respond as well. I heard every argument in the book but I was able to speak in response with truth.”

After Chapel, a group of students watched as Trujillo stood at the fountain answering questions.

Gusbot Hayes, senior family and youth ministry major from Dallas, said he saw students questioning Trujillo at the fountain.

“There were folks who wanted to educate others about the movement instead of argue,” Hayes said. “It got loud, but they handled it with respect. I respect that.”

ACU for Life is a group that promotes life while advocating for pro-life students on campus. Their goal is to spread a message that educates students on controversial issues.

“I was not at all offended or angry that people had written responses to our initial chalk messages,” Trujillo said. “It was really encouraging to see students on campus so passionate about something. It gave ACU for Life and the people that wrote the opposing messages an opportunity to have dialogue about an issue that is extremely important and needs to be talked about.”

ACU for Life has weekly chapel at 5 p.m. on Thursdays in the Onstead Packer Biblical Studies Building, room 130.