Buffalo Ruined My Life

March 1999
Rev. Cal Zastrow

Buffalo Ruined My Life

The 1992 "Spring of Life" in Buffalo ruined my life. I came to Buffalo back then and got caught up in the words and emotions of the Christians standing for life. There were rallies, prayers, and street activities. It was the first big rescue in Amherst where I was arrested. Twenty-four days later, I went to court and was released from my overcrowded jail cell.

Before Buffalo, I could say that I believed the Bible, I could know abortion was murder, and still be comfortable ministering in church while children got their arms and legs ripped off. My trip to Buffalo brought me face-to-face with Baby Tia (a beautiful aborted baby girl) and hundreds of Christians who became "living parables" to a nation that had forgotten these children. Buffalo ruined the notion in my mind that I could say that abortion was murder and not try to effectively stop it. Buffalo smashed the lie that my comfort and liberty were more important than the lives of children. Destroyed was my opinion that God was pleased with my prayer to end abortion while I disobeyed His commands to rescue innocent children from those who would murder them. My pro-life tokenism and shallow sacrifice were ruined in Buffalo. Thank God!

The greatest Christian retreat I've ever been on was held in the asbestos-filled dungeon of the Niagra Street Armory and the Erie County Holding Center, Bravo day room.

The national abortion movement lashed at us with vehemence, attempting to smash and dissipate the pro-life movement in America. Those lashes became laces that tied us together and steeled our vision, strategy, and commitment to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the very gates of hell manifested in America's abortuaries. Far from burying Operation Rescue, "Buffalo" is still the rallying cry to peaceful Christian rescuers who know that lawsuits, persecution, and imprisonment won't stop us.

Hundreds of mills have closed across the USA since the Spring of Life. Tens of thousands of children's lives have been spared. The number of freestanding abortion centers in Buffalo has dropped from six to two. It is not the time to quit until God is glorified by having every child in every womb in America being protected by law and love. It is not the time to celebrate our victories until abortion is as common as American slavery is now.

The enemies of God hope that you'll stay home and let the children die. We pray that you will come and stand in the gap for the babies and for revival in America.