About 1,600 women, men and youth committed to the sanctity of life attended a Focus on Life dinner in Vancouver on May 10. The dinner launched Phase 1 of a three-week television campaign to let women know they have options if faced with a crisis pregnancy.
The crowd was treated to a preview of three 30-second ads that began running last Friday on Vancouver TV stations. Intended to deliver a compassionate message to women with unexpected pregnancies, the professionally produced commercials have been successfully aired throughout North America, and are being credited for a drop in abortion rates.
In Michigan, for example, rates fell by more than 40 per cent after the ads started airing.
Organizers of the sold-out dinner were gratified by the response, and are already anticipating Phase 2 of the campaign, later in the year.
Guest speakers at the function included: Norma McCorvey, “Roe” in the Roe vs Wade court decision, which legalized abortion in the U.S. (she has since become a pro-life advocate and a Christian); Dr. Heather Morris, an obstetrician and co-founder of Alliance for Life Canada, who gave a history of the pro-life movement; and Dr. Darrel Reid, president of Focus on the Family Canada.
McCorvey gave an account of her conversion, which stemmed from the routine contact she had with pro-lifers while she worked at an abortion clinic. It was in response to repeated invitations from one little girl that she eventually returned to church. In an interview prior to the dinner, McCorvey said Roe vs Wade was based on a “foundation of lies.”
Abortion activists “needed a woman who was pregnant, thought that she wanted an abortion, and who would sign on with them and not leave in the middle of the case.” Homeless and pregnant, she was that woman, and willingly signed the affidavit necessary.
Participants in the Focus on Life dinner contributed an impressive $200,000.00 toward the cost of the TV advertisements.
