"Beads, Babies, and Bank Robbers"

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/man-robs-granite-city-credit-union/article_b10d7358-5ce5-11e1-af33-001a4bcf6878.html

  

FAT TUESDAY, at least in Granite City, was off with a BANG! While our vital pregnancy outreach was embedded outside the local baby slaughterhouse enticing the abortion-minded women to come inside our ultrasound van with colorful Mardi Gras beads, a local bank within earshot was being robbed. A faithful seminarian and a local pastor with a few prayer warriors joined us and stood praying as we softly offered the clients our free services, “And we have beads!” What can I say? Props help :), and it caught their attention.

Danielle and her cousin came over as I was setting up and BAM, GAME ON! Her cousin came inside ahead of her and whispered, “I really don't want to be here. I had an auntie die from an abortion.” “Oh my!” Danielle stopped and picked up one of our rubber fetal models as she came inside the van. She said, “Oh, I don't know if I can do this.” “Do you have an appointment for an abortion?” I asked. “Yes,” she replied. “I don't know if I can do it." “You don't have to do it; that's why we are here.” Her cousin spoke up and asked, “You know what happened to auntie?” I asked her, “Why did you bring her knowing your favorite aunt died from an abortion?” She replied, “Cause she had no one to drive her.” I went over the risks and complications as I began to scan as well as how many lawsuits we have personally helped butchered women file against this mill. She had tears in her eyes and we could hear a commotion outside the ultrasound van.

Then, there it was: an approx 15 week old baby auditioning for its life on the screen. "Oh look, there's a hand!" Danielle exclaimed. "Oh Lord, I don't think I can do it!" I asked if she had other children. "Yes, five,” she replied. I then shared how many we have. “For real?” both women questioned. “Yes ma'am.” I pointed to their pictures inside the van. "Oh my, they're beautiful." There was more noise outside the van. "Danielle, the circumstances are not the baby’s fault. What is your biggest problem now?" She shared, and we jumped on it. We listened to heartbeats, and she asked if we could tell the sex. We peeked, and the baby appeared to be a boy. "Oh, call my husband.” Her cousin dialed, but there was no answer. She asked how we manage with our large brood. I responded, "I couldn’t do anything without the Lord. He provides and answers prayers.” Although she kept murmuring, "I'm not going to do it,” there was doubt in her voice. Her cousin said, "You better be sure, cause I'm not coming back here." "Please, encourage her to keep the baby."

I went over resources, and then Daniel came inside to warn us the area was swarming with police, FBI, and dogs as a bank nearby was just robbed. This is the devil’s playground; we see everything out here. Danielle hugged me, took our literature, and announced that she was still going inside to see what they had to say. With sweat on my brow, I sternly told her, "Don’t let them talk you into something you will regret." "No, I just want to hear what they have to say." "The only thing they can help you with is scissors or suction." Her cousin then shared her auntie’s name and the facility that killed her. I told her to remind Danielle, and disheartened, we watched them walk across the parking lot.

We no sooner cleaned up when I stepped out onto the sidewalk to see the action. Another abortion client pulled in front of us, and we stepped up and began softly asking her, "Can we help you?" She looked at the signs and had tears in her eyes. She took my hand and said, "I don’t think I can do it." Wow! I calmly answered, "You don’t have to do it, and we can help." We brought her inside the van as her husband sat in the car. She asked if he could come in, and my assistant went to get him. I asked preliminaries as she sat back. She said, "Those signs, they're horrible, but that’s what it will look like?" "Yes, those signs are horrible, but they are the truth."

As her husband came inside, I quickly scanned. There on the screen was an approx 11 week old baby begging for her life. She was jumping and struggling inside the ocean that surrounded her. "Emily" explained her situation. "Why do you feel like you have to go in there and kill this baby?” She shared that she was having problems with her husband, but they were reconcilable. In addition, living with her grandmother was not the greatest. I told her, "Everything you just mentioned does not validate taking another human being's life. All these things are fixable." She was gently crying; both were looking in awe of their precious baby. Then Emily exclaimed, "Look, the baby is jumping!" I asked her, "Are you feeling that?" She replied, "Yes, but I thought it was gas all this time.” "No, that’s your baby telling you she is in here." Emily then said, "That is what I have been feeling.” We listened to the heartbeats, 160 per minute; sounded like a girl.

Suddenly, what looked like despair turned into hope. I even brought up the option of adoption and shared our personal experience of rescuing and adopting babies into our family. They concentrated on the picture boards of the many babies we have saved and mothers we have helped. They asked about the photo of the post abortive woman who collapsed behind the mill, hemorrhaging after her abortion. No one knew she was lying there in a pool of blood until we found her. We called EMS and literally saved her. Wow! We went over with Emily and her husband resources that we could help with and physician follow-up. They promised to keep in contact. We blessed them with some food money and received hugs from both. Thank you Lord!

The swarm of law enforcement had diminished, but the abortion mill lot was full. We were catching our breaths when there was another knock on our ultrasound van door. "Angela, this young lady needs your help.” "Hello, I'm Angela,” and I introduced our assistant this day as she came in and shared, "Torry told us she didn't really want to go in the clinic." “Well, praise God! That is why we are here.” We set her up for an ultrasound. There on the screen appeared an early pregnancy, approx 4 weeks. "You don’t have to go in there.” We went over our resources for her and her child and suggested another follow-up scan and physician visit. She accepted our literature and was so grateful we were there.

I can't tell you how gratifying it feels to be a "Window to the Womb.” Our assistant this day was “privileged” to see and experience lives scheduled to die be saved from the jaws of death through the use of ultrasound and real people who care.

Deeeep breath…the best part as we were dragging our van wheels leaving this evening, was Danielle and her cousin coming back out and yelling over to us in the van, “She ain't going through with it. She's keeping the baby!”

“Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For indeed, that's all who ever have.” -M. Mead

~Angela

MOSAIC/THRIVE ST. LOUIS Pregnancy Centers

Cash Cows of Metro-St. Louis:
Certain pro-life organizations would rather perpetuate abortion than prevent abortion

January 2012

       Why do pregnancy centers that collect OVER $1 million per year and pay their directors $80,000 per year exist? Because they are “window dressers”. They have lost their focus and have fallen in love with making money. They have turned into financial businesses. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Thrive St. Louis and Mosaic Pregnancy Center do. They are supposed to be helping women and their unborn children. At both of these centers, pregnant women have to be a so-called “client” of theirs, take classes, and register before they give birth to their baby to receive any help. If a desperate mom in need of baby supplies and immediate assistance visits one of these centers for help after she has given birth to her baby she cannot get any help, unfortunately, because that is their standard policy.

       Mosaic Pregnancy Center just last year collected approximately $760,000 in donations and grants, and approximately $550,000 was paid out in salaries and employee benefits alone, http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments//2010/371/218/2010-371218460-072720ba-9.pdf. Only a few thousand dollars actually went towards helping moms and babies in need. What a disgrace and shame! They have turned their operation of a pregnancy center into a money grubbing business. At least they have quit advertising in the Catholic Times newspaper asking for more money under the guise of a Catholic organization. A couple of years ago, they presented an advertisement in the newspaper saying, “As Catholics, we,” trying to pass themselves off as a Catholic organization in order to collect more money.

       Almost two years ago, March 9, 2010, at Illinois legislator day, Mosaic Pregnancy Center director Kathy Sparks was passing herself off to legislators in Springfield, IL claiming that she was the ministry performing ultrasounds outside the Hope Clinic in Granite City. We caught her red-handed as we were only feet behind her in the reception line greeting the legislators. Maybe that is why she took off and out the doors when she saw us in line. You can only imagine how embarrassing it was as we introduced ourselves to the lawmakers and had to correct them. Performing free ultrasounds outside the Hope abortion Clinic has been a part of Small Victories’ daily ministering as we have for the past twenty years.

       The reason our ministry started was because Sparks’ center was referring women for abortions and was not helping desperate women in need. Referring girls to the abortion clinic was brought to our attention by a pregnancy center in Collinsville, Illinois. They, too, were encountering business cards from New Beginnings/Mosaic that referred girls to the abortion clinic. Marilyn Welling was one of the several volunteers who brought this to our attention.

       Another instance of deception is the Shawn Reagan fiasco. On March 17, 2005 our ministry was alone standing outside Hope abortion Clinic. Once again, another underage girl was brought for an abortion. Her frantic parents showed up outside the mill pleading, trying to get inside after their daughter’s school notified them that she was not in school. They discovered that she had been brought for an abortion that they had no knowledge of and did not want to happen. The girl’s mother, Shawn Reagan, cried out, “That’s my grandchild! I should be in there with my daughter.” Shawn was arrested and placed inside a police cruiser. For several hours we called law enforcement officials and the State’s Attorney to no avail. We contacted the local media, and they covered this tragic situation fairly well. This mother had no access to her daughter or grandchild. Only hours later was this 14 year old girl thrown out to her mother who sat in a squad car most of the time.

       The family had many problems after this episode. It was all over the media. Kathy Sparks took full advantage of this tragic situation by imploring Shawn Reagan to do three fundraising banquets for New Beginnings/Mosaic. This was relayed to us by Shawn Reagan herself after Kathy Sparks paraded her around from fundraiser to fundraiser like a trophy. I asked Shawn, “Did you get paid for this?” She answered, “No.” “How did Kathy Sparks help you?” Shawn replied, “All Kathy Sparks did was give my daughter a pregnancy test in the beginning, and then she just paraded me around to do fundraising banquets for her.” I questioned, “Well, how did this help you?” Shawn responded, “It didn’t. You’re the one who helped me and my daughter outside that abortion clinic.”


       This displays the character of Kathy Sparks. She is there to LOOK like she is doing pro-life work while she hijacks the work of others who are. We crashed her little “glory party” when we showed up at the Missouri state capital where legislators and media were listening to testimonials concerning underage girls being brought over state lines to Illinois to have secret abortions http://www.smallvictoriesusa.com/News/2005/A%20Day%20at%20the%20Circus%20Sep.html. Kathy Sparks, along with Representative Jane Cunningham and former Pregnancy Resource Center director and Sparks’ mentor John McCastle sat with Ms. Reagan. Surprise, we were seated with the pro-aborts. When legislators asked for any further testimony from witnesses we held our hands up and were asked to present it. We gave them heaven and told the truth about who and what organization is standing outside this abortion facility in Granite City, Illinois holding these distraught mothers of underage girls coming across state lines. And it is not Kathy Sparks.

       We gave the lawmakers facts and statistics on this occurrence and the rise of abortion clients coming from Missouri. We shared several tragic situations and also informed them that we are the only pregnancy resource outside this abortion mill that is open everyday as an alternative to abortion-bound women. We also stated that we do not discriminate. We help everyone in all stages of pregnancy and at all hours. Girls do not have to jump through hoops in order to receive assistance.

       Why would Kathy Sparks choose to selectively help pregnant girls? She goes so far as to state on her brochure that girls must come to her pregnancy center at the onset of their pregnancy and must take classes in order to then receive help. In addition, Sparks limits ultrasounds to women who are only in their first trimester. This is exactly why abortion-bound women are not walking into pregnancy centers like Mosaic and Thrive seeking help. Rather, they are dashing to abortion mills that are more than willing to provide an immediate “solution.” And that is why our ministry is so vital.

       Thrive St. Louis collected $1.7 million last year and less than 10% went to actually help moms and their unborn babies http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments//2010/431/304/2010-431304395-070129d1-9.pdf. Over half of the amount they collected went towards salaries and employee benefits, with very little going towards helping women in need. Thrive St. Louis is still in denial over hiring a pro-choice Miss Missouri to speak at their major fundraising banquet in 2004. http://www.smallvictoriesusa.com/News/2004/missmissouri.html

       Ministries such as the two above should not be masquerading themselves around as doers of God’s work when they are actually living off of the abortion holocaust ravaging our nation. Innocent babies are dying, and they are worried about how much money they can make. They have lost their focus. Instead of preventing abortion they are propping it up. If abortion came to an end tomorrow they would be jumping off their buildings. Why aren’t newspapers like the St. Louis Post Dispatch or the disgraceful St. Louis MetroVoice run by Jim Day reporting these facts? WHERE IS THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY?

       Jim Judge of the Better Business Bureau of St. Louis recently reported that with any non-profit organization, over 65% of the money collected should go directly towards their stated purpose, not to salaries. It is very clear that both of these organizations do not come anywhere close to meeting this guideline. Both of the directors of these organizations and anyone else in the organization that receives a paycheck should be exposed as frauds.

       Our Small Victories ministry collected $101,000 in donations last year and almost 75% of the money collected went towards helping moms and their babies, both directly and indirectly, as well as helping others in need.

       So, the next time you think of donating to Mosaic Pregnancy Center in Granite City or Thrive St. Louis, think of two wolves in sheep’s clothing, or just better yet, throw your money out in the street and watch it blow down the road. Elaborate closed buildings do not help desperate women in need or save babies scheduled to die. When a pregnancy center discriminates and makes it hard enough for pregnant women to receive the bare essentials, it is just pushing them into the abortion clinic that is open and willing to help mothers terminate their pregnancies. Both of these centers stand behind their faith and feel justified with their rules and regulations, but Jesus would never stay in a building and pay himself an exorbitant salary. He went out into the streets seeking the lost and needy. Babies are not dying at pregnancy centers; they are dying at abortion mills.

       Proverbs 14:31 “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

Another Baby Saved

Small Victories Knows No Boundaries
February 8, 2012

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

We received the following letter this week from a dear friend and ministry leader. It falls on the heels of the Super Bowl baby that was saved due to our Super Bowl ads.


Whenever we receive confirmation that babies are being saved as a result of our efforts, we know that our work is not in vain. On the contrary, it empowers us to go out and save more, to do more. Our crusade to end child killing reaches across state lines as we battle not only for the precious lives of babies, but for the very soul and survival of our nation. ~Angela

All names have been changed for confidentiality

“Hi Daniel and Angela,

I just received this facebook message from a student who attended a youth conference last year in Dallas. I am so happy to share it with y'all!

Connie,

I coincidently attended the last youth conference ya'll did in Dallas this past November. I say "coincidently" because I did not plan on attending, and although I have been at previous conventions, I was out of church for a portion of about 2 months, in which this conference happened to fall. I was driving by the church on what I think was a Friday night and saw the parking lot was full. I pulled in, wondering what was going on, and stumbled in a little late. When I heard it was you and your husband speaking, I paid the entrance fee and participated in the rest of the convention.

During a small segment, you spoke on abortion in effort to take up an offering for a woman in another city that camped outside an abortion clinic as a last effort to prevent pregnant mothers from killing their babies. Being raised in an Assemblies of God church, I have always been against abortion completely, but did not connect on a personal level, although I did enjoy the information that you presented.

I became aware in January that I was pregnant and, to say the least, I was terrified. When I notified the baby's father that I was pregnant he was silent for two days, and then confronted me with a "case" of "how much easier it would be" if this "hadn't happened." I continued to ask him what he meant, and he asked if I had thought about "getting rid of it." I contemplated on the pros and cons he had presented to me and..to my surprise.. I weighed it out in my mind. I am ashamed to say I even CONSIDERED abortion for ONE moment.

I believe God was giving me wisdom in the situation, although I'm not sure I would have chosen to abort my baby even if I thought it was what was "easiest". But I wanted you to know that one of the first things that came to mind in this time of thought was the slideshow that was shown at the youth conference portraying several babies that would have otherwise been aborted.

I just wanted to thank you, and the woman in the presentation for standing up for something that is so relevant in today's society, although people may think it is not such a big issue. I think some Christians assume that because of their beliefs they would automatically make the right decision in such a circumstance, although they would "probably never" be faced with that circumstance in the first place. However, I have learned from this situation that even "Christians" cannot be sure about what they "would or would not" choose until the situation itself is presented to them.

I took a stand to keep my baby and I am progressing in a healthy pregnancy, thus far. Of course, the decision I made effected the father's "point of view", and as of today he has chosen not to be in the baby's life. However, I am so grateful that I did not choose to do something I would regret for the rest of my life. I believe a baby is a blessing, even out of wedlock, and I know God would not give me anything I couldn't handle, so I look forward to the life I have ahead in raising a heaven sent child, (with the help of God.)

I am sending thanks to you and the woman that was spoken about on that day. (My apologies for not remembering her name.)

Thank you both for playing a part in saving my baby's life.

In Christ,
Kristen Richards”

SUPER BOWL AD SAVES BABY...the best comment came at 4 a.m.

Around 4:00 a.m., only hours after the Super Bowl, our phone rang. Thinking it was one of our older children, dread came into our thoughts…Daniel answered it. On the other line was a young girl, “Kelsey.” Her voice was a little startled as she explained she and her friend thought they would only get an answering machine in the wee hours of morning, but instead got a live person. She began tearfully explaining she is a college student who came home to watch the Super Bowl with her family. She saw our ad in St. Louis, Missouri. She said, “I am 12 weeks pregnant. I was planning on getting an abortion on Tuesday. But after seeing your commercial, I can't do it. I will have to tell my parents, but I can't kill my baby. I wanted to let you know how effective your commercial was.”




We asked how she got our phone number. She said that after viewing the commercial, she went to our ministry website; she was so touched she wanted to contact us and thank us for “letting people know the truth about abortion.”





Yes, images of little dismembered boys and girls are disturbing…it's horrible. These ads should disturb us all into action, so that we never allow this to happen to another child. If these ads save one baby from ending up like those babies in those tragic pictures – by touching hearts and changing lives – it is all worth it! Listen, anyone with half a brain knows it's important to rein in spending, control the borders, support Israel, and have a strong military. The important question…the essential question…is this: “Should God continue to bless this nation when we murder His children?” Our crusade to stop the slaughter of babies is also a crusade for the very soul and survival of America. 



~Angela