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Students go barefoot to build pro-life awareness
By Linda L. Osmundson
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Photo By Linda Osmundson |
On Oct. 4, students planted 3,300 crosses on the Student Center grounds as a visual reminder of the daily number of babies lost through abortion. Crosses bore slogans such as “Where there is life, there is purpose.”
One barefoot participant, Kelly Champlin, said she hopes college women who might experience a future crisis pregnancy will remember the visual impact.
A group of barefoot students gathered for a photograph by the crosses. One girl stood apart and waited for the photo session to end. Then she approached the group.
“I have a question for you guys. Do you believe all abortions are wrong?”
One student in the group, Lily Moody, answered, “We believe adoption is the better choice.”
The girl explained that at 16 she was raped by two men and conceived. She didn’t want a child by such fathers so chose abortion. The group quickly assured her they don’t judge. Only God judges and he is merciful and forgiving, they explained. No one would condemn her, they emphasized. She thanked them and walked away.
Many have experienced or know of similar situations. One compelling story was shared at the BEARfoot for Babies Oct. 6 evening lecture by pro-life advocate Claire Culwell. The soft-spoken 22-year-old adoptee spoke about meeting her birth mother a few years ago and discovering that she is an abortion survivor.
Culwell’s birth mother became pregnant at age 13 and was taken by her mother to an abortion clinic. Supposedly the abortion was successful, however, her pregnancy continued. After returning to the clinic, the teen learned the procedure only aborted Culwell’s twin. Too far along for another abortion she was taken to an adoption agency where she remained until the baby was born.
Culwell, born two and a half months early, weighed just 3 pounds 2 ounces and was on life support. She had dislocated hips and club feet as a result of the abortion attempt. Yet, she warmed her adoptive parents’ hearts.
“They had been praying for that baby that they would adopt,” Culwell explains in a video at the BEARfoot for Babies website www.bearfootforbabies. org/12. html). “My mom has kept a journal and God was faithful because they were praying for that baby while the abortionist was trying to take my life. It didn’t work because of God’s mercy and grace and faithfulness to my parents.”
Culwell’s whole story can be found at www.claireculwell.com.
TV personality and co-founder of 40 Days for Life Shawn Carney delivered a lecture Oct. 3. The first 40 Days campaign took place in 2004 in College Station, Texas, where it dropped local abortion rates by 28 percent. In 2007 the program spread to all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland and Denmark. It has saved thousands of babies and converted many abortion center workers.
Bishop James Conley celebrated Mass Oct. 5 in St. Peter’s Church for a small congregation of loyal “BEARfoot for Babies” supporters. He reinforced the Old Testament story of Jonah from Jeremiah and noted that Jonah was a reluctant prophet. He compared Jonah to Christians of today who are called to speak for the Lord but many times also revert to being reluctant prophets. They shy away from professing their beliefs to eliminate uncomfortable situations with friends, family and community.
The bishop spoke of the current “misguided efforts to foster false values among the youth, to silence the voice of objective moral truth in the public domain.”
He commended the students who, via their barefoot initiative, exercise their constitutionally protected right to live according to their religious convictions. After Mass, Bishop Conley addressed the “BEARfoot for Babies” banquet of participants and supporters.
For most of the day Oct. 6 students prayed outside a Planned Parenthood clinic. After attending Culwell’s talk, they lit the night at UNC’s Turner Green with an illuminated rosary.
Closing ceremonies on Oct. 7 included a Mass, a barefoot procession around the university campus and Benediction.
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