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Saline Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen Visits Brisbane |
 We were privileged to have Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor, here in Brisbane recently. Gianna was born at 7½ months gestation 31 years ago. In her words, she has “the gift of cerebral palsy” and “bears the mark of someone else’s decision”. Gianna was born in an abortion mill and her birth certificate is signed by the very abortionist who only hours earlier, had tried to end her life. Her birth certificate states “born during saline abortion” – indisputable evidence as to the events surrounding her arrival on this earth.
At the function on Thursday 4th September here in Brisbane, Gianna commenced her talk with this statement, “In every other area when we hear a heartbeat, we know what that means, but for some reason in this arena (the unborn), we disregard it”.
Gianna gave an outline of her life, being fostered and then adopted, she answered the question everyone wanted to know “Have you met your biological mother?” The answer was yes, at an event at which she (Gianna) was speaking. Her mother poured out a number of vile statements to Gianna and told her that she was “an embarrassment to their family”. No remorse, no shame, just “pure hate” (Gianna’s words). Gianna feels that her biological mother’s reaction was because, not only does Gianna have the ‘audacity’ to live, but she has a great joy in living. She has forgiven her mother whom she describes as being a broken woman. Gianna said, “I am God’s girl and He watches over me”.
Gianna has a beautiful inner joy and called upon the young people present to enrich the lives of those around them by going out of their way to be pleasant to someone every day, to have a spirit of service. To the women she said, “Do not neglect yourself. You can’t love others unless you love yourself. Choose to shine.” She went on to say that the purity ring she wears is to remind her that she “should not know certain things until the time that she should know them” and is waiting for her “potential new boyfriend” to become her husband.
And to the men she said this - “YOU ARE MADE FOR GREATNESS – YOU ARE MADE TO HONOUR AND DEFEND WOMEN AND CHILDREN, NOT LEAVE US. YOU ARE MADE TO BE COURAGEOUS. YOU’RE NOT MEANT TO USE WOMEN, you are meant to DEFEND US. No matter your age, no matter your history, today can be a new day. BE WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE”.
It was a great turn out considering the heavy rain that had fallen all day, with approximately 160 present. For those who missed out, Gianna’s talk is on our new website www.cherishlife.org.au (click here to go direct to the page) as well as her radio interview on ABC 612AM-4QR. |
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What’s been happening with Cherish Life? |
 Since our last newsletter, much has been happening here at Cherish Life Queensland. We were invited to participate in the Family Life Expo being held at Kawana on the Sunshine Coast in August. To participate in these “feel good” events does a number of things — firstly, it affirms the decision by those hosting the event that their time and effort in inviting us was not wasted and encourages them to invite us next time. It also affirms the importance of our role in society, and within their vision of the event. The world seems to run by the code “it’s not what you know but who you know” and it is ‘good business’ to make contact with people in every area. Above and beyond all of that is the opportunity we have to show the public the beauty and wonder of life in the womb. The amazed looks of the dads and the youth when they hold the foetal models or read the posters showing foetal development, shows we are having a very positive educative impact. These events cost us a substantial amount of money but are crucial in educating the general public about life issues. Many dads pick up the 5 month model and hold it near the expanding bellies of their wives and ask with a grin “What else is in there?”
Unfortunately “Children by Choice” were also at this event, allowed in under the guise of ‘counselling’. The only information in plain view on their table was about abortion, including a petition requesting signatures for abortion to be decriminalised. At least four people come to my stand and told me how upset they were to see an “abortion stand” (their words) at a family event! They were encouraged to contact the event organiser and discuss their complaint. Remember — it is not enough to be upset, we must always take gentle action.
At the beginning of the year we were also invited to join the Chamber of Commerce for this area and I was privileged to have been invited to be the speaker at the second meeting attended. Recently an invitation was proffered from a second Chamber of Commerce group in this part of the city which we are happy to accept. We are also part of the network of community groups that hold interagency meetings about every 6 weeks. I cannot stress enough the importance of being involved in these groups - it shows their members that we are not placard-waving zealots as depicted in the media, it shows we are just regular people who care deeply about those under pressure, whether it is abortion or euthanasia. It is also helpful to our organisation to foster contacts in many business areas as they may be able to offer help, either financial or by action, with projects we undertake. Most importantly though, it provides an opportunity to discuss the prolife issues. Remember, this is a battle for hearts — we need to gently change them, one at a time.
Our rebranding Sausage Sizzle was held in August and apologies to those who missed out on the mailout for this and also Gianna Jessen’s visit. There was a glitch in the system re the envelope labels, however the Sausage Sizzle had been advertised in the July newsletter under “Upcoming Events”. And a story to tell … at the rebranding event I was having a chat to the cook (thanks Neal) when a young girl came over to use the bbq. Within a couple of sentences she said she’d had an abortion … another opportunity to help heal a heart … and yet the media says abortion doesn’t affect women. If this is true, than why do these women ‘confess’ to a complete stranger this saddest part of their past?
Did you miss out on Gianna Jessen’s talk on Thursday 4th September here in Brisbane? If you did it is probably because we did not have your email address. Email is the fastest, cheapest way to get information out to you when opportunities or events occur with short notice as was the case with Gianna. As you can appreciate, it is costly and time consuming to have hardcopy notices printed and posted. We had a mere two weeks to organise a speaking engagement for Gianna so if you missed out please send us your email address and never miss out again.
Our next major event is the annual Fundraising Dinner being held on Friday 7th November at our usual venue, the Indooroopilly Golf Club. Our guest speaker is yet to be confirmed but our track record to date has included some dynamic speakers and this year will be no different, so book and pay early to avoid missing out.
Finally, Sanctity of Life Sunday is on November 9th - please talk to your priests, ministers and pastors about including the life issues in their sermons and also if you would be able to provide some prolife brochures etc for the congregation available from our office.
So as you can see, we haven’t had time to let the grass grow under our feet and deeply appreciate your support, both real and financial, to continue to build a culture of life.
Teresa Martin
State President |
Nambour/Sunshine Coast members – new Cherish Life branch forming – be active – your skills and talents are needed.
Contact: Teresa (ph 3871 2445), email
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or Con (ph 0408 002 990), email
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The first function will be held in late October. We look forward to a vibrant and active future. |
We have had lots of requests for our purple “Cherish Life” t-shirts since the rally in February so we are now offering them for sale. Adult sizes are men’s sizes: S, M, L @ $25 each. Children’s sizes: 12-14 @ $15 per t-shirt.
NOTE: You must PREPAY for these. When we have an order of 100 we will be getting them printed. Credit card facilities are available over the phone. |
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 “Month 1” billboard, Abbotsford Road, Mayne displayed in August this year from funds raised at the luncheon on June 1st. |
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News from Around Australia |
RIGHT TO DIE BILL DEFEATED
Excerpt from Herald Sun 10.9.08
An attempt to legalise euthanasia in Victoria has been defeated in parliament — Colleen Hartland (MP for the Greens) introduced a private members Bill to legislate right-to-die laws in the upper house in June this year. The Bill was defeated (10/9/08) by a vote of 25-13 — a very clear majority.
“I’m very disappointed because we’ve put a lot of effort into this, the disappointing part is all the people ringing my office urging me to do this and for them this is a terrible disappointment,” Ms Hartland said.
The Medical Treatment (Physician-Assisted Dying) Bill would have enabled Victorians suffering “intolerably from a terminal or advanced incurable illness” to end their lives. It also would have provided protection for doctors who help patients die.
Well done all Victorian prolife groups and all others who worked hard to educate their politicians about the realities of unfettered access to euthanasia.
LATE-TERM ABORTIONS WRONGLY LISTED
Excerpt from LifeNews.com 27.8.08
http://www.lifenews.com/int896.html
Canberra, Australia — An accidental loophole in the legislation that was instituted to pay women a $5000 baby bonus allows women who have late-term abortions to receive the money. Abortion practitioners wrongly list late-term abortions as stillbirths in official governmental medical records thereby allowing for the payment to be made. Under the baby bonus statute, women who become pregnant but sadly lose their child during the pregnancy still qualify for the bonus.
According to the Herald Sun newspaper, Liberal senator Cory Bernardi got the Federal Parliamentary Library to examine the policy and found the loophole. “… the baby bonus is being misused and misapplied to women who do have terminations,” he said. “Clearly that is not the intention”
Not everyone appears to think it is a problem to reward women for having late-term abortions. National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists chairman Andrew Pesce told the Herald Sun that, because some late-term abortions supposedly involve babies who have disabilities, that there is no difference between a stillbirth and a late-term abortion.
INCEST VICTIM ABORTED
Excerpt from LifeNews.com 27-8-08
http://www.lifenews.com/int897.html
A medical panel had convened a hearing to focus on potential discipline for an abortion practitioner who did a late-term abortion on a mentally disabled woman without her consent. The panel learned that Mark Schulberg failed to contact authorities about the fact the woman was raped by her father. She was more than 24 weeks pregnant at the time of the abortion which was done at Schulberg’s abortion centre in Croydon, Victoria.
Schulberg also allegedly failed to contact police to let them know the woman was a rape victim who was legally incapable of consenting to sexual relations. The rapist was sentenced to seven years in prison earlier this year.
Attorney Kevin Armstrong told the medical board that the abortion Schulberg did could have made it more difficult for police to prosecute the rapist by destroying the baby, whose DNA could tie the criminal to the crime. |
MIRACLE NEWBORN REVIVES AFTER DECLARATION OF DEATH
Just after an American team of transplant surgeons started a debate over heart transplants from terminally-ill, but not brain-dead, newborns, a “miracle” in an Israeli hospital ought to make people think twice about endorsing the controversial procedure.
A 600-gram stillborn baby spent at least five hours in a hospital fridge after doctors had pronounced her dead. But when her parents came to arrange for her burial, she moved and grasped her grandmother’s finger. ‘We unwrapped her and felt she was moving. We didn’t believe it at first. Then she began holding my mother’s hand, and then we saw her open her mouth,’ said 26-year-old Faiza Magdoub, the baby’s mother. The child was taken to neonatal intensive care, where she is in critical condition. ~ Reuters, Aug 23 |
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Cherish Life $100 Fundraising Dinner |
Did you miss out on our fundraising Dinner last year?
Book and pay early to ensure your seat at this very exciting event being held on Friday 7th November at our usual venue, the Indooroopilly Golf Club, Indooroopilly.
Call the office on 3871 2445 or put “Dinner 08” in the subject line and email to
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UPCOMING EVENTS - Mark Your Diaries! |
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Nambour/Sunshine Coast Branch Meeting
New Cherish Life branch forming – be active – your skills and talents are needed.
The first function will be held in late October.
Contact: Teresa (ph 3871 2445), email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or Con (ph 0408 002 990), email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Cherish Life Qld $100 Fundraising Dinner
7 November - Indooroopilly Golf Club Book NOW!
Last year a number of people missed out on this wonderful event as they had left it too late to book. Please don’t miss out this time - book early!
Sanctity of Life Sunday - 9 November 2008
Please contact Cherish Life office for information and brochures for your parish/congregation as soon as possible.
Project Rachel Retreat Post Abortion Healing
21-23 November 2008
Contact Lisa at
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or mobile 0410 122 481
(leave a message if it goes to voicemail).
Further retreat dates are on the website www.projectrachel.org.au
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PULSE is still growing rapidly with its dynamic approach inspiring us young’uns to know we don’t need to settle for second rate, but being equipped through PULSE’s Enews, with knowledge surrounding life issues that downright affect us all, we can do better, aim for better and live better.
We have some really exciting projects coming up including a public speaking project called ‘SPEAK’.
If you’d like to hear more, subscribe or subscribe some mates, email
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and check out our updated website www.pulse.org.au thanks to Michael Buckley (from CodeFisher.org)
PULSE - Protecting and Upholding Life at all Stages of Existence - Youth Movement for
15-28 yr olds |
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