San Francisco, California - 23 January 2010 : It was a cold, dreary, rainy Saturday morning - the kind that invites you to stay in bed and sleep in, yet I was fully awake by 6:30am and out of the house an hour later, to join what has now become a yearly tradition for me - the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco. The stormy weather the past week has threatened to dissuade the prolifers from the walk, but as the tens of thousands at the Justin Herman Plaza proved, no rain can deter God's people from expressing their faith and standing up for Life! If anything, I think it has fueled our resolve to show the world that the Prolife movement is not passé. It was amazing!
Through the pouring rain, the crowd intently listened to speakers such as Abby Johnson, a former director of Planned Parenthood who quit her job after assisting in an abortion; Lila Rose, the president of Live Action, an activist group that exposes abuses by Planned Parenthood and others; Irene Beltran from Silent No More, a group composed of those who regret their abortions; Pastor Jim Garlow of San Diego; and Reverend Clenard Childress, founder of BlackGenocide.org as they shared about their personal views and experiences. Countless hearts were moved and touched by their testimonies which have infused such inspiration and energy to the group as they started the walk.
Our group, the Couples for Christ & its Family Ministries was one of the last groups in the two-mile stretch of people walking along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to the Fisherman's Wharf and all the way to the Marina greens. It was remarkable to see such a diverse mix of people - young and old, the clergy and the laity, people of different nationalities - all braving the streets of San Francisco to be the voice of the voiceless, to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, to go against what society has considered the norm.
The time has come for Christians to stand for the truth. And the truth is simply this, LIFE IS SACRED -- all of God's creation is. Human life is most sacred of all because God made us in his own image and likeness. As Scriptures remind us, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you." (Jeremiah 1:5). May we always have the strength and courage to live our faith, in season or out of season.
Jeanette Castro is a member of SFC SanFrancisco/Peninsula chapter, celebrating 15 years in the CFC community. Loves boogieboarding, journal-writing and faith sharing.
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