Event Reports

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.