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On May 21st, nearly 100 little boys and little girls, moms anddads, grandmas and grandpas took their theology out of their church house and allowed it to become biography on the streets of Shaker Heights in front of one of the longest standing killing centers in Northeast Ohio, Surgi-Center. Pro-life Saints from all denominations became living parables for the beauty of life and the God-ordained institution of family. Tom Raddell, Director of Life Link, the Cleveland arm of Operation Save America, and full-time Life Link missionary, Mary Ellen Urmin, organized the event as a witness to the community, the women scheduled to kill their child that day, and to the workers of inequity. Says Tom, “We wanted to show the blessing of what family can and should be, and that children are a gift from God; that they should be protected and are not a “problem” to be eliminated.” With a backdrop of pink and blue helium balloon arrangements that read, “It's a girl” and “It's a boy”, the event began with praise and worship by Sue Cramer and Jeannie Raddell. Tom brought forth a word of exhortation and Mary Ellen led in a prayer of deliverance for the women already in the building, and for the abortion mill employees whose eyes were transfixed upon us almost the entire time. At one point, four of them waved white kerchiefs out the window, taken as a symbol of surrender! May it be so, Lord! Mary Ellen also had a chance to speak with a dad whose baby was scheduled to die that morning. He had almost given up hope, but Mary Ellen convinced him to “go back in and try one more time” to save his baby's life. Balloon Man Gene was making balloons in animal shapes, children were using sidewalk chalk to write messages, and they even made their own pro-life signs which they proudly held as they paraded on the sidewalk donning their balloon hats. This was the first Family Day held at Surgi-Center, though the group has done others over the last several years. Previous Family Days have been held on Shaker Boulevard where there are two other abortion chambers within the same block of one another, but the decision was made that the Love and Life of Jesus was also needed at Surgi-Center! Thanks to the preemptive work of attorney Joe Murray of Tupelo, MS, with the city of Shaker Heights, the police were well informed of our First Amendment rights and left us alone, praise Him! Some passerby joined us for pizza and pop and goodies afterward, and many told us they had no idea that the unmarked building was an abortion chamber. Is it any wonder that this mill is only known by those who take part in its evil? Thanks to all who participated in exposing the evil works of darkness, according to Eph 5:11! Because of you, it was a beautiful, life-proclaiming day in an otherwise dark and hopeless area.
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