Semper Fi

I met John, a Marine, at our “Should This Exhibit Return Next Year?” poll table at the University of North Texas outreach the first week of November 2010. He had recently returned from Afghanistan.

Standing near the poll table in order to talk with participants, I asked John why he had signed the "YES" side indicating he wanted the Exhibit to return.

“It’s wrong to kill innocent babies,” he answered. “And this seems like a really effective way to say that.”

When I asked John if he’d would be willing to get involved in the pro-life club on campus, he said he didn’t see the point since he already believed in our mission.

“John, let’s assume people believe in the mission you just returned from doing. If we send them to Afghanistan to do the mission but don’t train them before sending them, what will happen?”

"They will die,” John quickly shot back.

“What if we train someone to do the mission but never send them to do it?” I asked.

“Be a waste of time,” he said without hesitation.

“Plus the people you were sent to protect would die?” I asked.

“That’s right,” he affirmed.

Looking at the Exhibit, we both fell silent.

In less than half a minute, John added, “I got it. You want me to get trained to help save lives.”

I nodded yes. I loved not only the efficiency of our conversation, but his follow-up response:

“When does the pro-life club meet?”

Lives depend on training the next generation. Don’t neglect your own training.

Consider participating in a 2011 JFA training event. Make it a personal missions trip. Bring a friend or family member.

You (and they) will never forget it. Neither will those you learn to engage.

Neither will those whose lives are saved.

Semper Fi.

JOIN JFA'S IRONMAN TEAM!

Meet JFA superhero Mike Pluimer! Superheros and superheroines are known to risk their own safety and use their power to help the helpless - without any expectation of reward.

Mike Pluimer is just such a superhero! He will compete on JFA's behalf this Sunday (July 25) in Lake Placid at the Ford Ironman triathlon.

He will make this superhuman effort (swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles - all within about 12 hours) not to glorify his own superhero image, but to help raise money for those who are super-needy - unwanted, unborn children.

One of the charities that Mike is sponsoring in Lake Placid in the Janus Charity Challenge is Justice For All.

Your generous donation to Justice For All earmarked for this event may not elevate you to a superhero, but it will certainly place you on the side of those separated by their concern and care for "the least of these." (Matthew 25.40).

Become a JFA Ironman through your generous donation here or on Facebook (please reference "Ironman" in the memo field for your gift to count toward the Janus Charity Challenge at Lake Placid).

Children like Nick and Donato will not be here tomorrow without your help today.

Conversation 5, Kenesaw State University

I asked a girl who stopped to view the Exhibit what she thought. She told me that all of her friends were talking about the JFA Exhibit and saying that "they couldn't get anymore now."

I asked, "What do you mean?"

She quickly responded, "All of my friends are saying that after seeing [the JFA Exhibit] they can't get anymore abortions. Like, every time they get pregnant they get one. Some of them have been pregnant 5 times and have gotten 5 abortions. One of my friends got one last month and it's been ripping her apart."

Our conversation ended well. I showed her how to walk people through the JFA Exhibit brochure and told her how to guide her friend to local post-abortion counseling services.

--Allison Martinez, Texas A&M, March 2010

Breaking the Cycle at Kennesaw State Saves Child

March 2010

I saw a woman slowly walking around the small exhibit so I took the opportunity to strike up a conversation. She seemed curious as to why we were there and what we were doing. I told her that we also had the large exhibit up on the grassy area at Kennesaw [State University]. She wanted specific directions on how to get there so she could go look at it.

She said, "wow, these pictures are really sad....and graphic..." I asked her more about that. All of a sudden she interrupted me and asked, "Oh is that your poll?" looking at the "Should abortion remain legal" question. I said, "Yeah, that's us too."

She then said, "I had an abortion a few years ago, so I think I'm gonna go sign yes." I was in shock. She quickly walked away from me to go sign her name under yes. As I was waiting for her to finish signing her name so that I could ask her about her abortion and possibly refer a crisis pregnancy resource, another volunteer took the opportunity to talk to her. I waited to talk to her until someone else started talking to me. A few minutes later she was gone.

Later in the day at the large exhibit I saw her talking to another volunteer. Again, I tried to catch her but she left before I could catch her attention. I asked the volunteer who had spoken to her how their conversation went. She said, "That woman is pregnant now and said that she didn't know what she was going to do."

She said that she saw the small exhibit earlier and after thinking about it for a while decided she couldn't do the same thing with this pregnancy.*

--Allison Martinez, Texas A&M University, March 2010

*The Alan Guttmacher Institute reports that about half of all abortions each year are performed on women who have already had at least one previous abortion.

Dust the Rust Off

I feel incredibly blessed to have spent my spring break with JFA in Georgia. God used the trip in numerous ways. I no longer feel "rusty." I even ended up sharing the JFA Exhibit brochure with a director on the plane flight back, which resulted in a 2 hour conversation!

I always instantly notice the spiritual fruits that come from going on JFA mission trips. I feel much more brave and at peace. I also feel charged and more passionate, but also heartbroken about the pro-life cause. And it always makes me want to go on more mission trips : ) ! --Allison Martinez, Texas A&M sophomore (March 2010)

Trained to listen and pray!

Fifty high school students took part in JFA's seat work (4.5 hour seminar) of which forty volunteered for the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) outreach (feet work) in early April.

Below is an excerpted reflection by Shelbi Launer, a Dayspring Christian Academy senior.

"I don’t consider myself a great speaker, but during the outreach at UNC last week, I didn’t need to be a great speaker in order to impact someone’s life.

I discovered that just praying can make an impact. I prayed that those viewing and discussing the Exhibit would see the love God has for both them and the unborn babies.

I continually prayed for those who seemed broken and hard-hearted. It made me sad to see all the hate and resentment.

Although the JFA Exhibit speaks loudly about abortion, those who represent JFA do not. I was amazed at how calm the JFA staff and volunteers were and how they portrayed God’s love through their speech. They showed me how to be passionate but also respectful.

On the way to UNC campus I was really nervous and worried -- about what to say and how to approach viewers. I was scared I was going to make a mistake. What I didn’t think about enough was helping others, and showing them God’s love.

I would like to participate in another Justice For All outreach. I had a great time listening to conversations and praying for each person.

Next time I also want to engage people to help them understand the truth about abortion."

-- Shelbi Launer, Senior, Dayspring Christian Academy, Greeley, Colorado

Your prayerful support helps train tomorrow's leaders (like Shelbi) today to listen and to pray as they give their time and talent on behalf of those without a voice.

Team Up with JFA and Right to Life of Central California

On April 18 - 21, 2010, Justice For All and Right to Life of Central California are teaming up to change hearts and save lives. Details here.

Join the team!

Donate - help JFA train tomorrow's leaders today.

Get trained. Learn about JFA's "Abortion: From Debate to Dialogue" training program.

Partnerships and Repeat Work Saves Lives

Last fall (2010) God led the JFA staff and regular volunteers into Oklahoma for our annual training trek with OK private and public schools.

JFA’s staff and volunteer training program contains 3 key elements:

1. Seat work – Abortion: From Debate to Dialogue (ADD) Seminar
2. Feet work – participation in an ADD Exhibit Outreach
3. Repeat work – individual and/or group follow-up using ADD training

Local partnerships are critical to changing hearts and saving lives before, during, but especially after outreach events.

For each outreach venue JFA strives to partner with pregnancy resource centers who serve their communities 24/7.

During our first training in Oklahoma (2007), we were blessed to connect with Crossroads Clinic, based in Guthrie, OK. Crossroads again partnered with us for our 2009 University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) campus outreach.

Not only did the Crossroads staff join us at UCO last fall with a resource tent/table (pictured right), they brought with them several high school girls from Guthrie to train on each day.

Crossroads shares JFA’s vision for training next generation leaders!

This past February Linda Stewart, Executive Director of Crossroads Clinic, wrote to tell us:

“…our Client Services Director, Stephany, took a group of teens to counsel [at the Crossroad’s table during JFA’s campus outreach at UCO].

[Afterwards] one of these high school girls, a girl named Kyla (a junior), took the JFA Exhibit brochure back to her high school and showed it to fellow students.

Several months later Kyla received a note from a Guthrie high school girl that she didn’t know. It read,

‘Kyla, you don’t know me, but those pictures you passed around at school about abortion saved my baby’s life.’”

Your financial gifts and prayers help JFA develop critical training partnerships that change hearts and save lives, one person at a time.

Pray for us – we’re off to Colorado next month (April 7-14) where we’ll partner with at least 2 high schools, Focus on the Family Leadership Institute, several churches and campus groups. Thank you for your generous support!

Meet Josh - JFA's Newest World Changer

"If you could help thousands of people rethink their view on abortion, would you?"

That was the question for JFA's newest intern, Josh Pedrick (left in picture right). Josh is the youngest sibling of Rebeccah (Pedrick) Wagner, who herself was once a JFA intern and staffer AND is now married to JFA's Director of Training, Steve Wagner.

We're going next-generational at JFA with Josh's internship!

Josh has previously joined JFA for 3 training events - the first time as a 15 year old. Now 3 years later as an 18 year old, Josh reflects:

"JFA taught me how to dialogue with students, reveal truth, and still show gentleness and respect. The training experiences I've had with JFA have truly been life-changing."

Josh shares that a conversation he had at age 15 at North Texas ended with the college student saying: “Before this conversation [with you] I hadn’t given much thought to abortion. But after looking at this [exhibit] I can see abortion is wrong.”

After which Josh said, "This conversation made a tremendous impact...it showed me that I could make a difference in people’s hearts."

His willingness to do anything and everything we've asked and to do it with enthusiasm and charity is indeed a special addition to our team.

We covet your prayers and continued support as we head to Colorado next month!

3,500 Will Die in America Today

More than all killed on September 11, 2001.

Why doesn't this news stop us - in our tracks?

Unlike the Taliban attack, today's assault

Won't catch us by surprise.

We know when they will die.

We know where they will die.

We know how they will die.

And we know why they will die. BECAUSE

THEY THREATEN THEIR FAMILY'S LIFESTYLE.

Why don't we think about those killed by abortion today?

Could it be that we fear saying "YES" to HELPING THEM

WILL THREATEN OUR LIFESTYLE?

Remember Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10)?

His answer to the lawyer's question

"What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

The guy whose day-trip to the city

Was interrupted by an unscheduled and messy encounter?

The story of a person who stopped to help someone left for dead.

Someone very different from them.

Someone Mr. S. may well have had good reason to resent;

IT was an unwelcome interruption in his journey.

IT was a potentially serious financial intrusion

Upon Mr. S' wallet.

His journey to the bigs.

IT was an unwanted burden

An appointed test of faith for Mr S.

Why show mercy?

Who would ever know (at least in this life)

That he simply walked on by.

It was not his mess.

Not his passion.

Not his fight.

"Whatever you did not do... ." (Jesus, Matt. 25.40)

In the words of pro-life luminary Gregg Cunningham,

"The Samaritan not only felt pity for the beating victim;

He took pity on him."

Justice For All prepares people to be Good Samaritans.

To rescue those so small and helpless that

They can be left for dead in a bedpan.

How?

We train people to make abortion unthinkable

for everyone they know and meet, ONE person at a time.

Does your daily calendar allow for such interruptions?

Samaritan-like appointments?

Meetings appointed by God to change hearts.

Are you equipped?

Emotionally?

Mentally?

Physically?

Spiritually?

Willing? (e.g., Jesus, Philippians 2.5-7)

On March 7-19, 2010,

Lord willing, Justice For All will train 300-400 students and adults

In Georgia and Tennessee

To save lives.

Will you be one of them?

Will you help?

If not, why not?

You were born to make a difference.

They can be too.

3,500 will die today

And tomorrow.

Unless we stop to help.

Click here for JFA March 2010 Training info

Click here to Donate

Pray always.

World Changers Who Rest in the Everlasting Arms

I recently had the opportunity to share the speaking platform at "Prime" with Steve Gillis, college pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, GA.

His theme that night was "World Changers." The idea that followers of Christ should be "World Changers" was woven throughout the evening.

In my remarks I briefly referenced the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., yet the recent holiday commemorating Dr. King's life actually celebrates an entire generation of intentional world-changers.

Among my favorites is Dr. Ralph David Abernathy. Fellow activist Andrew Young reportedly summed up Rev. Abernathy's role in the civil rights movement with "Ralph was really the pastor to Dr. King. He was a source of strength to us all."

Asked about his source of strength -- how he withstood the immense pressures of both internal and external criticism not to mention threats to his and his family's lives, Pastor Abernathy quickly reflected with the 19th century hymn's refrain, "Resting on the everlasting arms of Jesus."

The source of Dr. Abernathy's strength (Jesus) is both the start and finish line for anyone seriously considering living in opposition to injustice.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the same source and strength:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty, God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign...over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness...forever." (Isaiah 9.6-7)

God, help me be a world changer who rests daily in the "everlasting arms of Jesus."

Dumb About Abortion

Students "...smart enough to meet entrance requirements..." but dumb about abortion was essence of the antilogy observed by Leslie Cumiford in a recent The New Mexico Breeze article highlighting Justice For All’s fall 2009 outreach at the University of New Mexico (UNM).

Consider Julie, a pre-med UNM junior who scolded me at the “Should This Exhibit Return Next Year” poll table with “Why don’t you redirect your efforts to accomplish something beneficial to mankind?”

Her assumption?

Unborn humans are either not full members of the human community, or if they are, they’re certainly not as valuable as needy born humans.

How indeed can students like Julie successfully test into our institutions of higher learning, but seriously fail a pop quiz about abortion? (Warning: link contains graphic abortion image)

Answer: Bad leadership and a cover-up of unparalleled proportion.

The Cover-up. Over 100,000 unwanted, unborn children on planet Earth are violently killed each and every day - 24/7 (about 3,500 daily in the U.S.).[1]

Do the Google or LexisNexis search. Not a single article in a single newspaper in a single country decried yesterday's violence against 100K unborn humans. Or the day before. Or tomorrow’s.

Why not?

Bad Leadership. Leaders we would expect to expose such evil by instructing those for whom they have oversight are instead relatively silent.

And the truth is few in America's pews want their peace disturbed.

In large part because the majority of those so weekly seated have either participated in an abortion, love someone who has, or want to preserve a future "choice."

The Net Result. Those who could and should be better instructed (born children) enter adolescence completely unprepared for the evil they themselves are vulnerable to experience.

Join Those Prepared to Make a Difference. Help JFA find and train leaders willing to equip next-generation leaders to change hearts and save lives.

How? One gift, one person (You?) at a time.

Click here to financially help JFA annually train over 1,500 students like Josh, Jamie and Kelly to win their generation.

Go here to get trained yourself to make a difference.

---

[1] http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_IAW.html

HOW JFA SPELLS SUCCESS

A decade ago we would have measured success primarily by how many people actually saw the JFA Campus Exhibit and by how many children and families we influenced away from abortion.

We still occasionally do non-statistical surveys during JFA Exhibits. Before our shift to a training organization, we did them to gauge how many actually see the Exhibit on their campus, or at least hear about it. Surprisingly, we found that about 75% of those surveyed typically say that they have either seen the Exhibit or heard about it. And about 75% of those respondents give a fairly accurate response when asked what is the principle message of the Exhibit.

Last week at the University of Kansas (KU), our JFA staff and volunteers set their sights on impacting a potential of 30,000 students, faculty and staff.

For those who didn't see the Exhibit in person at KU last week, they needed only to pick up the Tuesday edition of the University Daily Kansan, KU's campus newspaper. It featured a front page above-the-fold photo and story,"Face to Face with Abortion."

Now even more critical to success for JFA is the 125 who attended JFA's 4.5 hour seminar in preparation for last week's KU outreach--part I or seat work training--and especially the 75 who participated in at least one day of the 3-day outreach at KU (part II or feet work training).

That's because more than ever we spell success by the number of life-changing conversations (Divine appointments) that the JFA staff and volunteers have with individual students and faculty over a 2 or 3-day outreach. We estimate at least 1,000 of such individual conversations took place at KU last week.

Now volunteers do campus surveys as a mobile kiosk that helps them implement and practice their training. For many volunteers like Nicole, it becomes their favorite one-on-one dialogue tool. With 10 or 15 teams of 2 surveyors per team, it's easy to create several hundred conversations in just a few hours. Surveys require virtually no set up and function as a next-step tool that volunteers can use in their own world after the Exhibit training event.

In summary, JFA's return on investment is now measured by:

1. How many JFA staff and volunteers left the outreach venue better equipped to engage their culture as ambassadors of Christ—for years beyond; and
2. What each JFA staff and volunteer does after the Exhibit outreach (kind of like yards gained after the catch in football parlance).

Join us in praying that each volunteer trained will reach out to others after their outreach baptism--like Jinny did after the May California outreach. In case you've been praying for her, here's a portion of the email she received last week from her abortion-minded friend, Amanda (not her real name):

"Hey Jinny. ...I wanted to tell u sorry if I was a little harsh on you...I know that you were trying to help…Anyways I think I'm keeping the baby! I'll keep you updated and send you pics when the little one is born.... I realized that I would probably regret killing it but I would never regret my baby…Yes please keep praying for us!"

Jinny used her JFA training to help make abortion real to Amanda. That’s bottom line success with an unexpected bonus on investment for years to come!

Take advantage of a JFA training opportunity yet this fall or next spring. Improve your ambassadorial skills for Christ and for the unwanted unborn who continue to have no voice in our culture.

Become part of the success that for JFA equals thousands trained (like Jinny) who work to make abortion unthinkable for millions, one person (like Amanda) at a time.

When Less Becomes More...

Have you heard? Charitable giving is down.

It's true. And like many charities, JFA has felt the economic punch.

So when Michael Pluimer offered to enter JFA in the Janus Charity Challenge of the Ford Ironman in Louisville this past Sunday (August 30), I almost didn't do it. But Mike was persistent.

Earlier this summer he had sponsored JFA at Ironman Coeur D'Alene (CDA-June) and won JFA a 3rd place award ($6,000) in the Janus Charity Challenge competition. JFA's list of Janus approved donations for the CDA event totaled over $200,000.

Bob Seemuth, JFA's first ever Ironman sponsor, helped JFA take 3rd place at Ironman Louisville last year (Bob's final Ironman?) with Janus approved donations totaling over $200,000.

So with barely $72,000 of Janus approved donations for this year's Ironman Louisville, I wasn't pressing to get Mike our Janus' approved donor list. Did I mention that Mike was persistent?

On Thursday he emailed to say he thought we had a good chance of winning something, if only one of the $750 or $500 prizes (6th through 52nd place ) awarded to the highest charitable donation finishers.

So when Mike phoned Saturday afternoon to tell me that there were only 30 charities sponsored in a triathlete field of more than 3,000 (normally only about 2000 compete), my spirits revived. There's normally at least a hundred charities competing in the Janus Charity Challenge at each Ford Ironman.

But remember, giving is down.

The net impact of the economic downturn at Sunday's race? Those counted least among us received the most! JFA donors and Mike joined forces to win the 1st place Janus Charity Challenge prize of $10,000 on behalf of unwanted unborn babies!

In the hands of God, less can became more! (2 Corinthians 12.9)

So if you're one of JFA's donors that has given permission for your gifts to count toward Janus Charity Challenge events, your gifts grew by 14% this past Sunday!

Thanks Mike, not only for training your body and enduring a grueling day on behalf of families at risk to abortion, but for your spirit to give more when so many are said to be giving less. Thanks also to Heather, Mike's wife, and their children for giving more to support Mike.

Thanks JFA donors, not only for your partnership in training the next generation to be pro-life in their actions, but for your spirit to multiply your gifts through the Janus Charity Challenge at Ford Ironman competitions.

If you want to make the most of your gifts to JFA and have them count toward Janus Charity Challenge competitions, simply email toni@jfaweb.org with "Put me on JFA's Ironman Team!" in the subject line of an email, put the same text in the memo field of your check, or put the same in the memo field for online gifts.

Then no matter the amount of your gift, by God's grace, it can become more! Because in His hand, less always becomes more.

A Role Model for Acting Like Children are Dying.

Meet Jinny. Our JFA staff fell head over heels over her because she acts like children are dying (by abortion). And celebrates when they don't.

Jinny almost single handedly brought the Justice For All Exhibit training program to her campus, Pasadena City College this past May. I had the opportunity to catch up with her in late July by phone.

At the end of our conversation I reminded Jinny that the JFA staff prays for 30 minutes each weekday at 10:30AM. She emailed me last week (August 13) with this prayer request:

David,

Sunday night, I got a phone call from [an acquaintance]. She was crying because she found out she's pregnant. The conversation was very short. I called her Monday and Tuesday but she didn't pick up. I finally got a hold of her today.

She’s wants an abortion. She’s going to Planned Parenthood tomorrow for information. I’m trying to convince her to keep her baby and to go with me to a crisis pregnancy center.

Can you please pray that she changes her mind?

Thanks, Jinny

My reply:

Jinny, remember your JFA training. Listen, ask good questions, and repeat often.

If Amanda (not her real name) is determined to go to Planned Parenthood, offer to go with her. You might try, "If I go with you to Planned Parenthood will you also come with me to the crisis pregnancy center?"

If you go with her to Planned Parenthood, ask Amanda to request that you be permitted to accompany her throughout her entire appointment. Use your own judgment, but you probably should not talk during the appointment unless Amanda or a Planned Parenthood official asks you a question.

If Amanda will also accompany you to a crisis pregnancy center, have her ask for you to accompany her throughout that entire appointment also. Do not depend on a crisis pregnancy center to show her what she needs to see.

Take a JFA Exhibit brochure with you to show Amanda both human development and abortion. (I advise against taking it into Planned Parenthood.)

About how old is Amanda's unborn child? If you can get her into a room with a computer and high speed Internet, show her this web site - http://www.ehd.org/resources_bpd_illustrated.php (click on the suspected age of Amanda's unborn child and scroll down the page). Talk with Amanda about the development in her unborn child that has already taken place, and will take place in the weeks to come.

But remember, you must not only re-humanize her child, you must help make abortion real for Amanda. This site - http://cbrinfo.org - actually shows a first trimester abortion being done - ask her to watch it with you.

Spend as much time with Amanda as she will permit you to do. Gently ask her if you can pray for her and the difficult situation that she and her unborn baby face. Inquire about the posture of the father of the baby; what do her parents will think (has she told them she's with child?); their involvement may be helpful unless they would pressure her toward abortion.

We're praying - keep us posted.

David

I urged Jinny to remember her training (above). We set up the JFA Exhibit on campuses like Pasadena every month to give students like Jinny a chance to practice their JFA ambassador training.

Yet in truth Jinny had been practicing her training (i.e., her faith) from the moment she emailed our office in 2008 to ask if we would bring our Exhibit training program to her campus.

The good news is what Jinny didn’t elaborate upon in her first email. Jinny phoned me two days later to report that she had actually met with Amanda (= “finally got hold of her”).

And that when they met, Jinny used the Justice For All Exhibit brochure (pp. 2-4) to show Amanda "life before birth" (Side 1: Panel 1, Panel 2, & Panel 3) and "death by abortion" (p.5, Side 1: Panel 4). Jinny reported that Amanda took additional time to look at the JFA Exhibit brochure again before leaving that day.

But that now Amanda was not answering her calls. Jinny feared any future opportunity to see Amanda before her appointment at Planned Parenthood was unlikely.

Jinny said she had Amanda’s mother’s phone number. Should she call her? Jinny feared doing so might burn her relational bridge with Amanda. Yet if she didn’t call… . All indicators pointed that Amanda might get an abortion – later that day.

Jinny chose to call Amanda’s mom to tell her that Amanda was with child and had told Jinny that she wanted to get an abortion. Jinny reported her Amanda’s mom to be very pro-life and very concerned, but not inclined to help Jinny have additional contact with Amanda.

Jinny decided to spend most of Friday, August 14 at the abortion clinic to watch and to wait for Amanda in hopes of talking with Amanda further (since that abortion clinic only does abortions on Fridays).

On August 17 Jinny emailed to say,

David,

Update on the previous prayer request:

On Friday, I didn’t see her at the clinic. I’m not too sure what’s going because she is no longer telling me. But according to her mom, [she] has an appointment for an abortion [on] Friday, August 28. That's in 1 ½ weeks. Let us go before the Lord and plead God to save both the baby and the mother.

Jinny

P.S. Thank you so much for your help, prayer, and all that you do!!!!

And on August 23 wrote,

Hey David,

Prayer Request Update:

Please continue to pray for [Amanda] and her decision.

I believe she is still confused about whether to keep the baby or have an abortion. But I believe God is moving and softening her heart. I recently got this message from her mom:

“Thanks for the info on the clinic (the pregnancy help center). She is leaning more to keeping it (the baby). [She’s] even thinking of names. Please keep praying. She is still kind of confused. Thanks so much! God has answered some specific prayers for her lately and I am praying that this crisis will draw her back to Jesus.”

Thank you so much for all your prayers,

Jinny

August 24 I replied,

Jinny, thanks for the update. We continue to pray. Are you now at [college] or still at home?

David

August 25 Jinny answered,

I just moved up to [my college].

August 26

Jinny,

We're praying for you to have the best year ever!

I'm sure you've already thought of this and have done it but just a reminder to call Amanda's mom each day to ask how she's doing and to pray with her on the phone. Equipping Amanda's mom is the best insurance for helping Amanda's baby and Amanda (and the baby's father).

Let me know Amanda's mom would be interested in talking with one of our staff.

David

August 29

Hi [David],

Prayer Request Update:

[Amanda] had an appointment (for an abortion) scheduled for yesterday, August 28. Currently, I do not know if she went, canceled, or postpone her appointment.

I [sent a] text [to a mutual friend] and called her mom yesterday but they both didn't respond. I really wanted to get back to you last night. Sorry about that. I'll let you know what’s going on when I find out more
information.

In Christ,

Jinny

August 31, Jinny wrote to say:

David,

[Amanda] did not go in for her abortion appointment!!!

According to her mom, [she] has been talking about having the baby. She’s even going in for her first prenatal care this week!!

This is very different from her initial response. Praise God!! He is so good. He is the one who changes people’s hearts! Please continue to pray for her.

Thank you so much for your petitions and prayers to God!!! Do you have any prayer requests?

In Christ,

Jinny

For those of you who've read to end, the best is saved for last! It's a text message from Amanda to Jinny (edited for size):

"Hey Jinny. ...Well I just wanted to tell u sorry if I was a little harsh on you. I just felt like it wasn’t your place to tell my parents. But I know that you were trying to help and maybe it was for the best that they found out early on. Anyways I think I'm keeping the baby! So I’ll keep you updated and send you pics ... when the little one is born.... I realize that I would probably regret killing it but I would never regret my baby. I just hope the little one is healthy and safe. Yes please keep praying for us!...I think it’s a boy...I'm getting excited to meet the little one!"
-Amanda

"The birth canal has become the new Mason-Dixon Line in America."

I've been saying it since March. Most of the so-called "pro-choice" students I've spoken with agree.

Two African-American students from the University of Georgia at Athens (March 2009) were the first to agree with my premise. They did so emphatically, dismissing any parallel between the plight of African-Americans in the U.S. during the 19th century.

The last two University of California - San Diego (UCSD) students that I spoke with on the final Exhibit day of our spring tour (Paul and Chris) agreed without the slightest hesitation.

In the first Mason-Dixon line, black slaves who could escape across state boundary lines separating slave states (in the south) from free states (to the north) ceased to be property--they were considered persons protected by state and federal law.

Once again America has drawn a line that divides people into two classes. Once again America has drawn a geographic boundary that separates those considered to be mere property from those considered to be persons protected by law.

The birth canal has become the new Mason-Dixon line in America.

Training One to Win One

Empowering students like Tony George to reach and teach his peers about abortion is ground zero for Justice For All (JFA).

Click here to read why Tony's leaving his home in Colorado today to join JFA's 2009 May Mission to California for two weeks.

Equipping 14 year-old students like Amanda Coles with life changing/saving skills and opportunities to teach others is job one at JFA.

Amanda is traveling all day by train from California's central coast to join JFA's outreach at the University of California-San Diego. (Actually with students like Amanda, all JFA does is give her parents, Jim and Kimberly, a field trip in which they can further the remarkable training they're giving all 6 six of their children!)

Providing mentorships via internships for college students like Lauren Harrast and Matt McKinley is JFA's best hope for growing future pro-life leaders who are compassionate, bold and winsome ambassadors for Christ.

Lauren left yesterday for southern California to participate in the last training/outreach event of her spring 2009 JFA internship. Matt, both a JFA intern and a philosophy major at Wichita State University, departs for CA next week after his last final.

Training next-generation leaders to be ambassadors of Christ in the nitty-gritty issues of life is the overarching mission of JFA. Abortion just happens to be the deadliest injustice in human history.

It's also why JFA's Director of Training, Stephen Wagner, departed Wichita for California yesterday to begin training volunteers for JFA's 2009 May mission at Pasadena City College and UCSD during the next two weeks.

As 30 JFA staff and veteran volunteers converge on southern California this weekend, they will assemble not to protest the actions of a sitting President, but rather to train several hundred like themselves to make abortion unthinkable for future Presidents!

Though you may not be headed to southern California with JFA's 2009 May Mission, your donation of time, treasure and/or talent will be critical in helping make abortion unthinkable for the next generation.

So don't delay -- donate, call (316.683.6426) or write today to find out more about how you can help establish justice for all! More than 3,500 unborn children died today, most of them because either no one cared enough or those around them were not prepared enough to help their parents and families understand the truth about abortion.

Abnormal

More than 9 out of 10 mothers who hear the words "I'm sorry, but the tests we ran strongly indicate that you have a trisomy 21 pregnancy" elect abortion as their preferred treatment.1

Trisomy 21 is the technical name for Down Syndrome (DS), but it also has a personal name in our family.

When my wife and I were told just minutes after our Dylan was born that he had DS, we were stunned. Not only did we not see Dylan's DS coming, we were taken back by our own cultural reaction to having an abnormal child.

Within minutes after his birth, Dylan was rushed to Intensive Care because the attending doctors thought he might have a septal wall heart defect, not uncommon in DS children.

Not only did Dylan not need heart surgery, a very good pediatric cardiologist told us Dylan’s heart was completely normal. It still took awhile for us to believe the good doctor. In part because a lot of people had already lined up to tell us that Dylan was NOT normal, in fact could NEVER be normal.

So-called experts in their fields, friends, even family regretted Dylan would never be normal; never be very social; never be physically active; would probably not learn to read; never be athletic; never really independent.

In short, we were informed that Dylan was going to completely change (=burden) our lives. A resident physician sat on Dylan's mother's bed just hours after his birth and asked if we knew that tests could have been run during pregnancy that would have alerted us to Dylan’s trisomy 21 condition.

When I quizzed the doc on what our choices would have been had we had the test (amnicentesis) now knowing it would have come back positive, he briefly paused and then replied, "You could have had the choice to terminate."

Talk about an anomaly! Here sat a physician advising a patient who had just given birth of their choice to kill their unborn child before birth by abortion, never mind the born baby was just down the hall in intensive care!

Why? Because most of American culture sees Dylan's abnormalities as posing a greater burden than any family should be forced to endure.

I’d like to tell you that Dylan is completely normal. But I need to be honest – he’s not. In fact, in many respects, he’s very abnormal.

For starters, he likes math. He's certainly not an exceptional math student, he just likes it.

He likes doing "chores" that no one else likes to do. He especially gets into vacuuming -- all 3 floors! Not normal.

On most days he even enjoys cleaning his own room. Remember, he's a teenager…way abnormal!

Dylan loves music, but of course that's standard operating procedure for a teen. Yet instead of privatizing his favorite tunes (with an ipod and earphones) he insists that everyone listen AND join in the celebration.

As some may know, we’re a big family. My children will tell you that I lament the fact that you can come and go at our house and frequently no one ever knew you came and went.

But if Dylan's present you can't enter or leave a room without being greeted with "Hi," or "Bye - I'll miss you" when you came and went.

Dylan likes sports. That’s actually pretty normal.

We swim as a family. If you want exercise at our house, the bus goes to the pool.

If you’re born into our family, we drop you into a lap lane and you either swim a 50 or else – it’s up and back, sink or swim at our house. So Dylan’s a swimmer by default.

Ever try the butterfly swim stroke? Dylan swims it head up - impossible for most. I think he does it that way because he's interested in seeing who's around him.

Dylan swims USA swimming – with his own age group – which means he’s now swimming against 15-18 year old men (he’s 16).

His swim coach used to say the only way we’ll ever find out how fast Dylan can really swim is to put either his sister or me in the lane beside him and say, “Swimmers to your mark… .” I can no longer stay with him even for 25 yards in ANY stroke and I was a swimmer.

Imagine racing against someone who’s really good, but when you fall behind, they slow down and wait for you to catch up. Dylan’s what I call a “social” swimmer. He's more interested in everyone finishing TOGETHER than he is in winning the race.

Totally abnormal.

Why are DS children often so abnormally wonderful? Because people usually matter more to them than stuff or activity. Someone's physical or mental limitations don’t usually impair Dylan’s judgment of their value.

One of my daughters has helped care for a girl for over a decade who the local abortionist tried to abort but failed. Maggie was aborted but delivered alive in an area hospital, albeit with brain damage. She can't talk, walk, feed herself or do anything "normal" children do.

Nevertheless Dylan loves to hang out with Maggie and make her laugh (and Maggie loves being with Dylan and makes him laugh).

Turns out that Dylan's fetal anomaly, anticipated to be a greater burden, has instead been a greater blessing.

When I first met Dylan, I prayed "Why Lord?"

Now I pray, "Dear God, please help me to be more abnormal like Dylan."

[1] Caroline Mansfield, Suellen Hopfer, Theresa M. Marteau (1999). "Termination rates after prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, spina bifida, anencephaly, and Turner and Klinefelter syndromes: a systematic literature review". Prenatal Diagnosis19 (9): 808–812. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0223(199909)19:9<808::aid-pd637>3.0.CO;2-B. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/65500197/ABSTRACT. PMID 10521836 See also David W. Britt, Samantha T. Risinger, Virginia Miller, Mary K. Mans, Eric L. Krivchenia, Mark I. Evans (1999). "Determinants of parental decisions after the prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome: Bringing in context". American Journal of Medical Genetics 93 (5): 410–416. doi:10.1002/1096-8628(20000828)93:5<410::aid-ajmg12>3.0.CO;2-F. PMID 10951466

Chasing v. Changing the Culture of Abortion

What are serious pro-lifers to do when the flagship of American Catholic universities invites the most pro-abortion president in history to their stage on May 17?

The invitation of President Obama to speak at Notre Dame's 2009 commencement and their decision to award him an honorary degree has predictably drawn the ire of knowledgeable pro-lifers.

Each passing day witnesses a new editorial, a talk show reveille or requiem for American Catholic education, or yet another planned rescue of the again tarnished Dome by a pro-life activist.

Frankly, most of these responses come across as chasing the culture of abortion rather than changing it.

At Justice For All we’re committed to using our resources to change the culture by training thousands like 14 year old Amanda Coles to make abortion unthinkable for millions, one person at a time. (Click here to read about Amanda’s training experience.)

Almost all of our future leaders in business, education, medicine, and politics (presidents, members of Congress, and judges), are or will be enrolled in a school somewhere in the nation. Justice For All is committed to reaching as many of them as is humanly possible, and with God’s aid, see their hearts transformed by truth and grace in Christ.

Serious pro-lifers must put serious time, treasure and talent into educating and training the next generation of American leaders BEFORE they reach public office, or the commencement stage at Notre Dame.

Only then will we not be chasing the culture of abortion. Only then will we see our nation's leaders and people truly embrace justice for all.