To anyone who has spent any amount of time in pro-life work, you can attest to the constant struggle for life. It can be draining.
I admire pro-life heroes such as Jim Hughes and John Hof for their ability to maintain a positive outlook, while at the same time, dealing with death every day of their lives.
Everyone learns to cope in their own way.
Whether you regularly get together with friends to have a laugh, attend church everyday, or just sit by yourself every now and then and watch a silly show, such as Fawlty Towers.
Myself, I have found, over the years, that in addition to the need for regular prayer, keeping life in perspective is the best way to deal with the constant nastiness thrown your way.
Readers will know about my heart for Russia, and the need I feel to keep going back there to help those who have much greater needs, day by day, than I do.
Earlier this year I was sent an appeal and was told a story I will now share with you.
On April 29, 2000, a little boy was born to Daniel and Maria Hoffman. Alesio Nehuen Hoffmann Lopez came into this world with a severe hearing loss.
His mother got ruebella when she was three months pregnant. The nice, happy people in white coats, who are members of the medical community, naturally recommended that she abort. Maria refused, because she already “loved the boy that they were waiting for.”
This little boy is alive today because this brave couple made a choice for life.
These are the stories that continually hearten me and make me see that all our work is worthwhile.
To make a long story short, I was sent an appeal by folks connected with the family, who are trying to raise the money needed for this little one to undergo surgery to place implants in his ears, thus allowing Alesio to hear.
The family involved, and Alesio himself, all live in the tiny town of Santa Anita, in Argentina.
It’s a reputable story as I checked into the details. Things in Argentina are much like they are in any poor nation. Children live in poverty, but the truths about life are prioritized in ways we often cannot grasp here in our comfortable Western world.
After much prayer and thought, I have decided I want to help this little boy, and the brave family God has placed him in.
So what does this have to do with you? If we can leave any legacy here on earth, it would be that we never turned away when asked for help.
Alesio is here because God has a plan for his life. His parents and friends have asked me for help, and so I ask you.
What can we do? We need to raise about $25,000 for surgery that would be performed in Buenos Aires.
Is this “pro-life” work? I can think of no better way to show we are pro-life than to help a pro-life family, who chose life rather than death. Isn’t that what we are all about?
I am working to set up a trust fund that can take donations towards Alesio’s surgery.
Until that time, you can send your donations to Life News, c/o 621 Grandview Rd., Kelowna, B.C., V1V 2C8, and mark your cheques “For Alesio.”
I think if pro-life people and pro-life groups rallied together, we can help this little boy and the parents who bravely chose life for him.
If you agree with me, and want to help, please drop me a line.
It is rewarding work, to be sure, taking a little time to be intimately involved in the people we are trying to help, change and mould into a culture of life. |
