Memorial mourns loss of lives to abortion

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Jan. 31, 2008

Thirty-five young people walked down the center aisle at Central Baptist Church carrying a single red rose to represent 35 years of legalized abortion in the United States.

As each person brought in a rose, Larry Walsh, part of the planning committee for the Siouxland Pro-life Interfaith Prayer Memorial, read facts about the affects abortion has had on the United States during the last 35 years as well as verses from the Bible.

"Life is a precious gift from God. From the moment of conception until natural death our lives belong to God," recited Walsh. "Since the Roe v. Wade decision, over 50 million young people are missing in the United States killed by abortion."

Todd Fetterman, a parishioner at St. Boniface in Sioux City, was one of the 35 to carry a rose. This was his second year to participate.

"It makes you think about how many abortions have actually taken place," he said. "It is something that I believe in and like to participate in."

Walsh said that the roses "represent 35 years of destruction of God's finest gift to man - an innocent life full of hope, full of promise."

"Later today these roses will be left at the Tomb of the Unborn Child (at Trinity Heights). They are going to be left in the cold of winter to wither and die just as the future sons and daughters of this world have died in the cold reality of abortion - the holocaust of our time. Let us pray to God for all of these survivors of the holocaust," said Walsh as he recognized the 35 who had carried roses.

The pro-life memorial was held Jan. 27, the Sunday after the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision to legalize abortion.

The service began with an opening by the master of ceremonies, Dr. Don Cork and a welcome by Pastor Don Craig, both of Central Baptist Church.

Bishop R. Walker Nickless offered the opening prayer. He recalled the Gospel of St. Luke 1:35-37 in which the angel came to Mary telling her she would bare a holy child, the son of God.

"O, God, nothing is impossible for you," prayed the bishop. "We live in a world where the barren desire life, while many who are fruitful disdain it. Send your Holy Spirit upon us that the power of the most high might overshadow us. Grant us all the grace and evangelization so that we may know the sanctity of human life. We gather today to pray and to mourn those who have lost their lives these past 35 years."

Then the presentation of roses took place.

Throughout the service a choir from Mater Dei School in Sioux City led by Julie Tebbe sang selections such as "Breath of Heaven," "Mary, Did you Know?" and "Go Make a Difference." The Knights of Columbus presented an honor guard for the entrance and exit of the service.

The keynote speakers were Mike and Cheryl Wells of Le Mars who shared their pro-life story with the attendees. The theme of their talk was "Open Your Eyes."

Mike is the CEO/president of Wells' Dairy, Inc. Cheryl has a speaking ministry called Cheerful Hearts. They have been married for 30 years and have four children. Mike and Cheryl opened a ministry center in Le Mars called The Living Center five years ago as a resource for the body of Christ, connecting people to life, abundant life in Christ.

Before the couple was married, Cheryl got pregnant and they faced some hard decisions.

"I had made the choice to get us involved in a physical relationship outside of marriage almost from our first date," said Mike. "There were a lot of decisions to be made. We had a lot of people counseling us at 17 and 18 to get an abortion."

Mike had thought that was the right thing to do and Cheryl said, "No." As a result, their first son, Michael was born.

"We did what we had to do to raise our son," said Mike. After a few years, things were not working out for the couple and they divorced. They tried to remain friends and do what they needed to do to care for their son.

They both were seeking a relationship with Christ and that eventually led them back to each other. They got married again and had a daughter, Tiffany.

"It is easy for me to talk to a young woman or an older woman about issues. I can relate. I know the shame. I know the guilt," said Cheryl. "I am so thankful that Jesus has made all the difference in my life. He has forgiven me."

Another time of hardship for the couple was when Mike had a vasectomy and then decided to reverse it. The couple then had their third child Rachel.

"Rachel represents that time in my life of understanding that God had a perfect plan for me and I chose to walk down my own path," said Mike. "This was a way for me to redeem myself."

To have "perfect timing" for the fourth child, Cheryl went on birth control and then it took them four years to have their last child.

The couple pointed out that they learned that they needed God to be part of their life and needed to trust in him.

The event closed with a prayer by Pastor Gene Stockton of Heartland Community Baptist and the singing of "God Bless America."

Following the prayer service, the roses were taken to the Tomb of the Unborn at Trinity Heights in Sioux City to wither and die in the cold. Prayers were also said.

Rebecca Wilson, a parishioner at Nativity Parish in Sioux City, attended the service with her 10-month-old son. She mentioned that her mother instilled the pro-life beliefs in her and brought her up knowing about the issue.

She went to the service because "it helps me stay uplifted in the pro-life movement to see so many people that believe the same things I do."

Not only did she participate on Jan. 27, but she has gone to pray at Planned Parenthood on Tuesdays.