South Africa's Christian Action organization sent out an invitation calling pro-life Christians in their country to participate in the annual Life Chain event on Sunday 2 October 2005:
If you are in Cape Town, we certainly hope that you will make the time to join us at the entrance to the Waterfront in Buitengracht Street, downtown Cape Town, on Sunday 2 October at 1:45PM. We also trust that you have been able to encourage your church leaders to promote and pray for the Life Chain. Do bring as many friends and family with you as possible.Life Chains have been held every year since 1987 in the USA and since 1992 in South Africa. Officially, over 440 000 babies have been killed through abortion in South Africa since 1 February 1997 – legally.
The Life Chains which will be held throughout the country on 1 and 2 October will be one of the positive and practical ways that we can stand up for the sanctity of life and speak up for the right to life of pre-born babies.
Here is the full email sent out by Christian Action:
“For You created my innermost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb…my frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body…” Psalm 139:13-16LIFE IS SACRED!
The most dangerous place in the world is not Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan or the Congo. The most dangerous place in the world is the womb. Pre-born babies are being killed in their mother’s wombs at a greater rate than any other section of society. The mortality rate for pre-born babies varies from 1 in 4 to 1 in 3.
A growing number of Christians worldwide are beginning to recognise the abortion holocaust as the greatest crime being committed in the world today. It is an urgent priority for the church to expose, oppose and end this war against children made in the image of God.
“They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters…the land was desecrated by their blood.” Psalm 106:37-38
Abortion is the modern equivalent of child sacrifice. Just as God’s people opposed Pharaoh’s decree to murder new born boys in Egypt (Exodus 1:15-22), so we need to protect pre-born babies from abortion today.
Just as King Herod sought to kill the babies in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16), so abortionists are attempting to butcher babies today.
The sanctity of life is an essential article of the Christian faith. The Bible makes it clear that life begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 44:2; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41). The pre-born baby is then genetically, physiologically and organically a distinct person. At that moment life begins. At about three weeks after conception the baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Six weeks after conception the baby has its own lifelong brainwave.
If the absence of a brainwave is considered the sign of death, why then is the presence of this brainwave not accepted as a confirmation of life? Birth is not a magical act that turns a non-human into a person. Birth is only a change in environment for a life that began many months before. Every abortion stops a beating heart. Every abortion ends a brainwave. Every abortion is the murder of a helpless and innocent human being.
Sunday, 2 October, is International Life Chain Sunday. Over 1 million Christians in over 900 locations worldwide are expected to stand for the right to life of pre-born babies. Will you be part of this great chain of Christian love and concern?
Life Chains have been held every year since 1987 in the USA and since 1992 in South Africa. Officially, over 440 000 babies have been killed through abortion in South Africa since 1 February 1997 – legally.
The Life Chains which will be held throughout the country on 1 and 2 October will be one of the positive and practical ways that we can stand up for the sanctity of life and speak up for the right to life of pre-born babies.
We certainly hope that you will show that you care by standing in a Life Chain near your home. If you are in Cape Town, we certainly hope that you will make the time to join us at the entrance to the Waterfront in Buitengracht Street, downtown Cape Town, on Sunday 2 October at 1:45PM. We also trust that you have been able to encourage your church leaders to promote and pray for the Life Chain. Do bring as many friends and family with you as possible.
Through these Life Chains we pray that God will enable us to reach:
- Mothers who are considering abortion,“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those who are led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, but we knew nothing about this, does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?” Proverbs 24:10-12- Medical personnel who must decide whether to participate in abortions or not,
- Christians who need to consider volunteering to work at a Crisis Pregnancy Centre,
- Pastors who need to begin preaching on when life begins and how we are to love our pre-born neighbours,
- Journalists who should present the other side of the abortion story,
- Politicians who need to enact legislation to protect pre-born babies from the violence of abortion,
- Lives that will be saved.
SOME GUIDELINES FOR PRAYER & ACTION
1. Promote the Life Chain as an extension of your congregational worship and witness on the Lord’s Day. What we are aiming to do is to honour the Lord by showing Christian love to our pre-born neighbours and to mothers going through a crisis pregnancy.
2. In the event of Sunday being a rainy day – do not let rain dampen your enthusiasm. We will never let bad weather cancel a Life Chain. Take a raincoat or umbrella if the weather looks threatening, but still come. God honours sacrificial service. Our witness will be even more powerful and effective in the rain.
3. The Life Chain is a family event for young and old. Do bring folding chairs for pregnant mothers or for older or handicapped church members. Do also give careful supervision to young children to ensure that they are kept well back from the roads.
4. Most passers-by will be supportive of the right to life of pre-born babies. However, a small minority will be hostile. If you receive opposition, please respond with politeness and with a positive Christian attitude.
5. The Life Chain Committee has arranged for several hundred “Abortion Kills Babies” posters. These have some hymns and choruses, Scripture verses and prayer guidelines on the back. They will be available for you to use for the event. Please do be sure to return them in good condition so that we can use them again for the next pro-life event. Should you want to keep your poster, they are available on sale. You can also make and bring your own signs. We recommend these slogans: Jesus Forgives and Heals; Adoption – the Loving Option; God Have Mercy Upon SA; or Jesus Loves the Little Children.
6. A wide selection of pro-life books, tapes, videos, T-shirts, precious feet lapel pins, stickers and leaflets will be available at the Life Chain. You can help support the pro-life ministries which have advertised and organised this and many other pro-life events by purchasing some of these materials. If you can make a donation to help cover costs it will also go a long way to ensuring that a pro-life work and witness continues until abortions are no longer legal in South Africa.
7. Please drive carefully and park legally. If possible share vehicles with others from your area to limit parking congestion. And do be sure to pick up any litter. Let each one of us conduct ourselves as Christians should – to the glory of the Lord.
8. Pray that the Lord will work through the Life Chains throughout South Africa to:
- Bring conviction of sin to those who have worked to legalise this slaughter of the innocent;“Are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray…” Mark 14:37-48- Persuade abortionists to repent from this evil;
- Comfort mothers who are going through a crisis pregnancy to show that many Christians do care;
- Encourage medical personnel to have no part in the killing of pre-born babies;
- Save the lives of many pre-born babies who are scheduled for abortions.
In Christ’s service
Lenora Hammond
www.christianaction.org.za
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