There’s something rather lovely about Freshers’ Week. New beginnings, new friendships, new adventures, and of course… students trying to figure out where on earth their next lecture is.
But amidst all the excitement of university and college life, we at Life Network had the wonderful opportunity to be present at the University of Malta, Junior College, ITS, and MCAST, meeting students, exchanging ideas, and having some genuinely beautiful conversations.
And perhaps one of the discoveries that stuck with us was that so many students had no idea we existed.
Not exactly the discovery one hopes for when representing an organisation, admittedly. But it turned out to be a rather wonderful opportunity.
Many people are familiar with the debates surrounding abortion. Far fewer, however, are aware of the practical support available to women, mothers and families facing difficult circumstances. And this was precisely what made our conversations so worthwhile.
There was something particularly heartwarming about watching people’s reactions as we explained the different forms of support Life Network offers. Even students who openly identified as pro-choice were often genuinely pleased to discover that such help exists. Whatever our differences of opinion, we could agree on something rather beautiful, and that is that women facing difficult pregnancies deserve to know that they are not alone.
And sometimes, that common ground was enough to spark a conversation that neither side had expected.
Of course, there were also plenty of opportunities to talk about the fascinating beginnings of human life. Did you know, for instance, that fetal hiccup-like movements have been observed as early as eight weeks of pregnancy? Or that, from fertilisation, a new combination of DNA is formed, carrying genetic information that will influence everything from eye colour to countless other characteristics?
For some students, these were familiar facts. For others, they were little discoveries that prompted surprise, curiosity and a few more questions.
But perhaps what struck me most was that meaningful conversations need not begin with agreement. Sometimes they begin with a question, a surprising fact, or simply the discovery that an organisation you knew little about is doing far more than you imagined.
We went to Freshers’ Week hoping to share information about our work. We came away reminded of something equally important: how beautiful it is to meet people where they are, to listen, to exchange ideas and to discover the humanity that connects us even when our perspectives differ.
After all, Freshers’ Week is about discovering new possibilities. And if, among the lecture timetables, new friendships and free pens, a few more students discovered that help is available, that questions are worth asking, and that no woman should have to face a difficult pregnancy alone, then our presence was worthwhile indeed.
Sometimes, making a difference begins with something as simple as making yourself known.
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Together, we’re building a culture that values every life.
Thank you for being part of it.
