Tony Gosgnach
The black American community is bringing to the pro-life sphere the spiritual principles which guided Martin Luther King’s civil rights campaigns.
U.S. blacks are planning their first Annual National Hour of Prayer between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on May 11, says Reg. Johnny Hunter, National Director of Life Education and Resource Network (LEARN), which is sponsoring the event. LEARN is a Virginia-based organization which works to the spread the pro-life message among blacks and other minority groups in the U.S.
The event will see black Americans from across the U.S. go to the abortion clinic nearest them for an hour of prayer and supplication to God, he says.
The prayer effort is the conception of Rev. Ben Cox, a Chicago churchman who served as a strategist for Martin Luther King. “He understood that the word really needed to go out to the afro-American community as to what is going on,” says Hunter.
“He recommended we call for one day, one hour for every Christian person of colour to go to an abortion clinic near their community and pray. Not only blacks can come out…any person who is Christian is more than welcome to join us out there. We believe God wants his church to be one.”
Hunter notes the black American community has been particularly devastated by the abortion industry during the last quarter-century—he estimates some 10 million black American babies have been killed before birth.
“We think it’s the most racist thing which has ever happened to blacks in America. Abortionists have killed more blacks than the Ku Klux Klan ever lynched.”
He adds that while blacks made up 12 percent of the American population in 1985, more than 30 per cent of abortions were being performed on them. “In light of this, we feel there’s an urgency for black America to be involved, now more than ever.”
Hunter says Rev. Cox has always believed everything should begin in prayer. “This is something so crucial, we believe the hand of God must intervene on our behalf…I really feel this is God-inspired.”
Hunter says support for the event has already been received from the Church of God in Christ, the Baptist church and the Josephite Catholic priesthood. More than 70 other organizations are being contacted to participate.
He was in South Africa recently for a pro—life conference and invited South Africans to join in. He also hopes to spread the prayer effort to Canada’s black community.
“We’re asking each church to send its entire congregation to the abortion clinic to pray. We don’t want Christians to cower within four walls. We want them to come out and address the gates of hell.”
