ZION, the Joy of Lauryn Hill’s Life: What If She Had Chosen Abortion?

 In the summer of 1996, American singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill met Rohan Marley, a son of the late reggae legend Bob Marley.

Despite the fact that Hill was in a relationship with multi-instrumentalist Wyclef Jean, she was attracted to Rohan, who had played football for the University of Miami.  The two began dating and–guess what happened?  Lauryn became pregnant!

Lauryn’s career was just taking off, and friends and acquaintances urged her to get an abortion.  She resisted the pressure, though; and the pregnancy was actually helpful, in that it helped Lauryn to overcome a period of writer’s block.  In August 1997, Marley and Hill’s first child, Zion David, was born.

Lauryn’s hit song “To Zion” is about that tumultous time in her life, and about her decision to reject abortion and give birth to her son.  Her sultry Caribbean rhythms tell the story of a deep love and joy–the joy she found as a young mother, and the love she felt for her son Zion.

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Sometimes life can seem like that:  It seems you have no way out.  Drastic measures (such as abortion) seem the only possibility.  But each child is a gift, a precious gift from God.

Choose life.

Here, third in my series leading up to the Roe v. Wade anniversary, is Lauryn Hill’s song “To Zion”–chronicling her unintended pregnancy and her choice in support of Life.  The guitar at the beginning is played by master guitarist Carlos Santana.