Event Reports

2011 Conference Highlights!
Contributed by Real Choices Australia.

Our 2011 inaugural annual conference was an extraordinary success by any standard.  Attended by more than 60 delegates from around Australia, and including delegates from New Zealand and the UK, it was a valuable time to share research and strategies from around the world.
 
It was refreshing to see so many new and passionate people wanting to learn more about the damaging impact of abortion, and the strategies we can implement to better support women.
 
Speakers presented on a broad range of issues, and included the very latest in academic research on the adverse psychological outcomes of abortion, also addressing the issue of the psychological impact of RU486. 
 
An adoption workshop conducted by our Patron Melissa Ohden was highly evaluated and raised many issues about the inadequacy of adoption processes in our country.  This has highlighted an area of potential research for us which we will pursue over the coming months.
 
Further highlights from the conference will be made available on our website over the next couple of weeks.
 
In the meantime....
 
PLEASE MARK YOUR DIARIES FOR NEXT YEAR!
 
Yes, we have set the date for next year's conference!
 
May 18-20, 2012
 
Venue to be advised.

Four billboards have been erected as part of the '40 Days for Life' campaign. The billboards have been up for two months -  in Gosnells, Bayswater and Fremantle (for the first month) and in the second month (until the 24th April), in the inner city suburb of Mt Lawley. 

The organisers contacted 'Youth Defence' in Ireland and gained permission to use some of their artwork and concept. One volunteer, Joanne Tate-Cicchini said that the billboards were very effective and had received coverage in the West Australian newspaper. Members of the general public provided positive feedback. 

The billboards referred to the website www.nobodydeservesabortion.com  

From the ACL Team

Last Saturday more than 5000 people turned out for the second annual March for the Babies to commemorate the second anniversary of the passing of Victoria’s abortion laws which allow abortion up until birth for any reason. In response to the apparent media ‘blackout’, ACL’s Victorian Director Rob Ward penned an article for the internet journal Online Opinion.

“Just because abortion is controversial and divisive, doesn’t mean journalistic standards should not apply”, Rob writes.

He begins " ...news judgements employed last weekend call in to question whether or not there is interest in striving for accuracy and balance when it comes to controversial topics such as abortion.

One must wonder this when we look at the reporting, or rather non-reporting, of the March For The Babies on Saturday, October 9, in Melbourne. Despite pre-event media notices being sent to every TV, radio and newspaper in Melbourne and the presence of a number of film crews and journalists, the event was subject to a virtual media blackout. What little reporting there was came via the published comments of opponents of the event.

Conservative estimates put the crowd at March for the Babies at more than 5,000, while a protest group representing the “pro-choice” side was between 30 and 60, the higher number coming from an ABC staffer who was present.

The Australian Associated Press news wire service, reporting from Brisbane on the small “pro-choice” rallies, appears to have relied solely on information from a “pro-choice” spokesperson and seemed unable to get anyone from the March For The Babies to comment. How hard could it have been?

AAP said March for the Babies in Melbourne attracted 400 people while the “pro-choice” demonstrators numbered 200. I was present at March for the Babies and witnessed the “pro-choice” protest. I counted around 60 but note the Herald Sun reported there were 30.

AAP was happy to have a “pro-choice” spokesperson speak on behalf of March for the Babies saying that the “cashed up pro-life movement bused people in from all over the State”.

If AAP had bothered to check, they would have found that both claims were false. Yet this was syndicated throughout the nation and picked up uncritically by several reputable news outlets including The Age."

Read the entire article>

PS: Naturally, the Life Network Australia team were at the March in Melbourne. We can verify that there were a lot more than 400 pro lifers there!

Interestingly, the Sydney Morning Herald today described pro life Australians as a ‘noisy minority’. Apparently ‘the anti abortion lobby is loud, it is organised and often it is downright offensive.’

Standing on the steps of the the Victorian parliament on Saturday looking at 5000 peaceful families and 30-odd coat-hanger waving and condom-brandishing pro-abortionists with signs saying ‘I f***ed Jesus’ and chanting through megaphones, it wasn’t hard to tell which crowd was the offensive, noisy minority.

You may recently have heard about Melissa Ohden, considered a 'voice for the voiceless'. Melissa miraculously survived an attempted saline abortion at around six months in the womb. After years of questioning she has emerged to tell her story of hope and triumph - to be a voice for the millions of babies who have not survived and the babies still being aborted today.
 
Melissa Ohden has had an enormous impact on those who heard her speak during her tour in Australia during September. In only three weeks Melissa spoke to over 2,000 people who attended events to hear her incredible story - high school students, the general public, business people, politicians, pregnancy support workers and others involved in various pro life fields and groups. Thousands more heard her speak on 5 different Australian radio stations and read about her in newspaper articles. She was on the front page of the Sunraysia Daily (Mildura local paper), with another large article on page four. She was involved in filming a television advertisement and YouTube footage.
 
Melissa demonstrated compassion and forgiveness when telling her story, and her audiences responded. Some with tears, sharing their own stories of abortion, or the stories of relatives or friends that impacted on them, some with gratitude that Melissa is here at all to tell her powerful story. On a topic that can be so divisive, Melissa engaged and embraced everyone that she came in contact with.
 
Some of the feedback from Melissa's tour:
 
"Thank you for all you did in organising Melissa's tour!!!  Congratulations on the success of it all. It was wonderful to have Melissa visit Toowoomba. Her personal story, interwoven with the devastating effects of abortion on individuals and society, yet triumphing in wholeness and forgiveness, greatly impacted all who heard her. The Gala Dinner was a special and successful evening with Melissa's speech being the highlight.  She is a relaxed and gifted speaker who Emily's Voice would be keen to invite again in the future.  The filming in which Melissa was involved on the following day was carried out with ease and enthusiasm.  Thank you for bringing Melissa to Australia!" -Emily's Voice, Toowoomba.
 
"Melissa's visit to Mildura was a bridge building exercise between those who already understand the damaging impact of abortion on lives both past, present and future, and those who had either not thought about it before, or had only experienced the righteous anger of those who oppose abortion.  At Zoe Pregnancy Support we believe the often harsh features of the polemic divide or 'anti/pro choice...abortion' is unhelpful and destroys opportunity to bring hope and genuine choice to those who most need it.  Melissa's Social Work training underpinned her life story which speaks loudly for the truth about abortion in a gentle and powerful way.  It is without doubt Melissa changed lives when she graced us with her presence and shared her life story... Thank you Life Network Australia.  Thank you Melissa Ohden.  We are in your debt.  Together we have, and will continue to make a difference". Anne Webster - Zoe Pregnancy Support, Mildura.

Melissa Ohden in Australia related links:

Hear Melissa speaking in Canberra

Open House Radio

Bill Muehlenberg's Culture Watch

Australian Christian Lobby

A Catholic Notebook 
 
Sunraysia Daily

HD. Magazine

On Saturday 17th of July The Babes Project held a fundraising Market Day and Garage Sale. It was a fun, family day with a sausage sizzle, face painting, hand made crafts and lots of treasures to be found amongst the donated garage sale items. It was great to see so many people brave the cold Melbourne weather to come and support us!



Thanks to The Babes Project for this report.

A New Campaign is Ready to Go!
A new ad has been filmed and is ready to go to air on Toowoomba TV in July!  This time we are featuring a male perspective on a baby that is not born yet.  Gavin tells of his fears when as a younger man, he thought he was not ready for fatherhood or its financial responsibility, but 7 children later, how he is delighted in his children.  Pictured below are Gavin and his wife Leisel, with 6 of their 7 children.  You can also see the ad at www.notbornyet.com in July.

Training for Pregnancy Support Workers
Next weekend, 19 & 20th June, will see the first Toowoomba training conducted by Priceless Life Centre for Pregnancy Support Workers.  This is a great step forward as the city becomes more prepared to assist those in unexpected pregnancy as well as those needing help following the birth of a baby or also post abortive support.  If you are interested in another training opportunity later in the year, please contact Liz Preston at info@pricelesslifecentre.org.au or call 07 3856 3007.
 
Emily's Voice Gala Dinner
Emily's Voice is excited to announce that abortion survivor and international prolife speaker Melissa Ohden will be coming to Toowoomba during her first Australian tour, For the Love of Life, and will be speaking at an Emily's Voice Gala Dinner on Monday, 13th September.  Please mark your diaries with this important event!  Also consider who you can invite to join you at the dinner.  Discounted tickets will be available for tables of 8.  What an excellent opportunity to promote the work of Emily's Voice and the prolife message!  Advance bookings can be made at info@emilysvoice.com.

Melissa Ohden is a saline infusion abortion attempt survivor, living after an abortion attempt on her life when her mother was 6 months pregnant. She was adopted and raised in a loving family and is now a totally healthy 33 year old, married and has a daughter of her own.

Advertising - which message?
In Britain, one pro abortion agency is advertising its services on Channel 4 TV.  Through a loop hole in the advertising code, Mary Stopes International, one of the richest abortionist groups in the world, has been encouraging pregnant women to contact them about their "options".  Over 1000 complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Authority in the first 2 weeks the ad has shown.

Emily's Voice, however, is committed to giving the unborn a voice and giving a positive message of life in the media.  What a different message!  Thank you for your support that allows this to continue, campaign by campaign!

On the 25th May 2010, approximately 800 West Australians marched in the Remembrance Walk and Rally for Life to mark the 12th year anniversary of "the most despicable piece of legislation passed in WA Parliament in 1998". This legislation made abortions legal up until 20 weeks on request and even later into the gestation with two doctors' consent.
 
This year Western Australia will mark the deaths of 100 000 of unborn babies killed by legal abortion, unbeknown to most people. 100 000 WA children are missing from our community, since 1998. This is equivalent to 8 large public high schools every year for 12 years. These unborn children did not have the opportunity to learn, laugh, have loving relationships or families of their own, due to having their innocent and defenseless lives taken by the sanction of our Government.
 
As well as reminding the Government of our discontentment of the current law, the purpose of the Rally was to mourn the deaths of the unborn children. "We also remember the tens of thousands of mothers who have been harmed by abortion, regardless if it was their choice, or made easier by the passage of this legislation, or whether they were pressured by others, we pray for them", said Dwight Randall, Director of Life Ministries, Pregnancy Problem House and the Coalition for the Defence of Human Life.
 
The walk started from St Mary's Cathedral at 7pm, with an address and prayer with Archbishop Hickey. We were given electric candles and a silver or gold brooch of unborn baby feet at 10 weeks gestation and proceeded to walk through the streets of Perth. It was very encouraging to see men and women, young and old uniting together against the tragedy of abortion. It is very important that our youth see these types of demonstrations, so that they are aware that not everybody sees abortion as the right "choice". It should make people think about making better choices in life, taking care of their physical and mental health and supporting others who may find themselves in a difficult situation. Many people play a role in someone's decision for an abortion and as friends, partners and family, we can show a woman that she has the support she needs to have her baby.
 
During the walk, we stopped at Government House, where we had a prayer of repentance. Dwight Randall spoke, along with 4 young speakers, one of which was a young male. This young man pointed out to us, that even though abortion is legal, the fathers of these unborn babies, have absolutely no rights in stopping their unborn children from being killed by abortion. Abortion has also harmed many men. He also encouraged men who did find themselves involved in an unwanted pregnancy to step up to the plate and support their partner and child and that looking for a "quick fix" to get out of their responsibility can leave long lasting emotional scars on both parents. It could also be their last opportunity to ever be a father.
 
We arrived at Parliament House around 9pm, where we were met by Pro-Life Politicians from across the board of all political parties. Each pledged to uphold the right to life of unborn babies and asked us to support Pro-Life politicians in our polling area. State Liberal MP, Peter Abetz, proposed the idea of mandatory 3D, colour ultrasounds for women contemplating abortion and a 48 hour "cooling off" period, to help reduce the staggering number of abortions performed in WA. This legislation for the viewing of an ultrasound has been passed in 16 states so far in the USA.
 
A fitting end to our walk was to gather together and bow our heads for a minute's silence for the loss of the unborn children, their mothers and their families to remember the tragic loss and hurt caused by the legalisation of abortion.

Thanks to Joanne Cicchini for sending in this report.

Over 300 people marched in Christchurch on April 10 to highlight the value of all human life, and to speak out against abortion, according to LifeSiteNews.

The New Zealand March For Life focused especially on the application by the pro-abortion Family Planning Association to the New Zealand Abortion Supervisory Committee for a license to use the chemical abortion drug RU 486 at their Hamilton clinic.

Local group, Stop Family Planning is working to raise awareness about the FPA’s attempt to convert its 30 centres throughout the country into abortion mills, initially committing chemical abortions against mothers and their pre-born babies.

As supporters of the march, Stop Family Planning commented, “It is excellent that all these groups are speaking up together on behalf of the unborn: that pre-born babies are valuable, that New Zealand’s abortion rate is appallingly high, and that the FPA should be denied their application for a license to kill yet more babies throughout the country.”

A press release from the March for Life organisers says that approval of the deadly abortifacient drug would open the door to further destruction of human life in the country, which already has approximately 18,000 pre-born babies killed every year by surgical abortion.

"As a community we're working hard to fight child abuse for children that have been born," said March for Life spokeswoman, Sargia Harrison. "But when are we going to, as a community, speak up for the silent unborn citizens of our country and say - enough with the killing?"

"It is imperative that we all take a strong stand against child abuse, whether it occurs before or after birth. If we place a low value on pre-born babies, then at the end of the day, this attitude will impact on the value we place on all human life. It is a very dangerous way to go."

"It's time to stand up for the mothers who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation. It's time for guys in New Zealand to stand up and support their wives, partners and girlfriends. A crisis pregnancy is a really scary thing for so many women, so instead of forcing them into a corner where they feel abortion is the only way out, we need to offer women real alternatives. We want women to be able to make a truly informed decision," she said.

The inaugural March for Life started in Christchurch's Cathedral Square following short speeches from a number of Christchurch high school students on the need for the young people of New Zealand to value life and speak up against abortion.

Rallying underneath the Bridge of Remembrance, President of Prolife Canterbury, Lydia Moore, spoke of the Family Planning Association's application for a license to commit abortions with RU 486, chemically killing pre-born babies up to 9 weeks gestation.

“The Bridge of Remembrance serves as a memorial for us so that we never forget the sacrifice made by New Zealand men and women who fought for our freedom,” said twenty-two-year-old Sargia Harrison. “They sacrificed their lives for us to protect the innocent – why are we turning around and killing New Zealand's most vulnerable, pre-born citizens?”

“It was great to see so many young people at New Zealand's inaugural March for Life,” Harrison said.
“Young Kiwis are standing up against the complacency of our society which has created a culture of death, allowing abortion to kill so many of their own generation.”

The March for Life was supported by New Zealand Family First, Right to Life New Zealand, Focus on the Family, Family Life International, Prolife NZ and Stop Family Planning NZ.

Abortion changes you. That is the message Michaelene Fredenberg is presenting to US commuters through her current advertising campaign.

According to LifeSiteNews, 2000 posters are displayed throughout the New York subway system for the next four weeks, as well as 5 billboards in St Louis. The posters carry a variety of messages from women, men, grandparents, siblings and friends who have been touched by abortion.

The ad campaign presents an alternative to the common misconception that everything will be alright after an abortion. Far from alright, many women find that the procedure that promised an easy solution, only brings more problems.

One poster features a young woman. The text reads, ‘I thought life would be the way it was before – at first I felt relieved, the abortion seemed to erase the problem, things are different now, I wish I could go back – abortion changes you.’

The Abortion Changes You website features personal stories and poems by those who have experienced abortion. Most describe the profound impact that abortion has had on their lives.

Michaelena, 44, was inspired to undertake the campaign after her own journey after abortion. “I thought the abortion would erase the pregnancy. I thought I could move on with my life. I was wrong,” Fredenburg explains on the website. "Abortionchangesyou.com is a safe place for those touched by abortion to begin their healing journey."

Report from the organisers:

The 40 Days for Life campaign in Melbourne is now over the half way mark and has been very successful in more ways than one. The timeslots are regularly filled with any number from one to 16 pray-ers.

On one occasion, a 'people mover' from St Peter Chanel turned up with 8 more pray-ers just as a tattooed woman in her late thirties passed the group and became very agitated! She accused the prayers, and anybody who wanted to listen, of condemning her for aborting her baby. Two pregnancy counsellors with the Helpers of God's Precious Infants asked her to come away from the group to allow her to vent her anger. She hesitated, but fortunately the rest of the pray-ers moved away and  continued praying with renewed earnest! That gave the counsellors the opportunity to allow her to express her pain and anger to them.

About 10 minutes later a counsellor and the woman embraced. It was very moving. It turned out that she was a lapsed Christian and was thrilled to be given the Divine Mercy chaplet and a Miraculous Medal -a memory of her youth. The woman was herself a counsellor for drug, alcohol and physically abused women. She was also grieving the loss of a close friend who had suicided after being forced by her family to have an abortion.

She was appalled to hear that the abortion clinic 'counsellor' was an employee of the clinic and not independent. The much subdued woman was given all the information she needed from the sidewalk counsellors to help start her own healing process.

On another occasion, late in the afternoon, a young Asian couple arrived at the clinic unaware that it had closed for business. This allowed some of the prayers to engage them in a friendly conversation. The young man was studying accountancy and his girlfriend was studying nursing. His girlfriend was pregnant; now a mother.

They did not really want an abortion but being overseas students they were not eligible for Medicare and so had to find $10,000 dollars to have the baby in Australia!!! Of course they did not have that kind of money! They could not go back home to have the baby because of their shame at failing their parents' high expectations. They were given brochures that showed the development of the baby and the pain of abortion and later the couple were found reading these in their car.

The important point here is that private prayer is of course important. However, do not let that be a cop out! We do need a real presence of pray-ers to show that there are people who care enough to be there praying for anyone contemplating an abortion or to offer any help which may be needed.

Our Lord is asking each and every one to do our bit to stop this slaughter of the innocents! Do you hear His call? Please register a time slot on the vigil schedule to be a witness for life!!!!