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September 2000
Pro-life speaking tour was filled with God's graceBy Gaetanne Hetherington "His name is David," John proclaimed the day our son was conceived, but it took him three days to convince me we were pregnant. In my heart I knew it was true; we'd been practicing the Billings method of natural family planning and the day we conceived was a "peak day." I'd known there was a good chance the Lord would bless us with a child that day; but it didn't seem like the right timing, because we'd only been married for a month and a half, and we were three weeks into our Life Choice tour across Canada. But God's ways are higher than our ways. During the nine month tour, John and I did 259 presentations at schools and church youth groups about the sanctity of life, abstinence and the trauma of abortion. The presentations featured John's survivor song, which tells his personal story as an abortion survivor, and a video we produced, Stop the Violence. You may remember the Interim article I wrote in January 1999 when John and I were about to leave for the March for Life in Washington, with only a $250-dollar donation, our backpacks and John's guitar. We had been inspired to produce a video designed for youth about abortion trauma, but we had no money, no contacts and no camera equipment. God honored that initial step of faith by providing what we needed as we needed it through a month-long tour of the U.S., the production of a half-hour professional video, a CD and the nine-month Life Choice tour across Canada. When we started out more than 18 months ago, John and I were just friends with a similar vision. And we stayed that way until God united us in marriage on August 15 last year. As it turned out, being pregnant throughout the tour made it much more meaningful. When we talked with youth about embryonic development, we focused on David's growth inside of me, and the amazing changes he was experiencing week to week. Sometimes young people would ask us if we had any children and we would point to my stomach. "He's in there," we'd tell them. We would point to scriptures such as Psalm 139 where David talks of how God knows everything about us and how we are His marvelous masterpiece: "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb." We also pointed to Luke 1:39-45 where John the Baptist, who was six months old in Elizabeth's womb, jumps for joy at the recognition of Jesus who had been conceived in Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit only a few days earlier. He clearly wasn't just a blob of tissue, but a child with a destiny and purpose designed by Almighty God. Which is true for all of us. That was the primary message of the tour. Each of us is made in God's image with a unique destiny and purpose only we can fulfill, and there is a spiritual battle for each life. That was clearly evident in the fight for the life of Jonah. Some Youth for Christ friends told us about a gal from Montreal who was planning to have an abortion. We offered to adopt and give her the option to have her baby back when she was ready to be a mom, or give her a place to live once we were finished the tour in another month. God told John the baby's name was Jonah, and interestingly this pregnant teen, who was caught up in satanism, instinctively knew her baby was a boy. She also knew satan's plan for Jonah's life. Unfortunately she didn't know God's plan, and she was under a lot of pressure. Her boyfriend threatened to beat her up if she gave Jonah life, and acting out of fear and selfishness (both very common), her mother insisted on driving her to the clinic. Sadly Jonah was killed. His mother has a new boyfriend. And his grandmother must bury the guilt for her part in her grandson's death. Please pray for their healing. Then there was the young Christian nurse we met in Fredericton who told us she assists with abortions at the local hospital because "I had to put my professionalism before my faith." Her boss had even given her the choice, and she chose death. With fear and trembling for her soul, John told her "we cannot compartmentalize our faith." She then got emotional and said that a short time after accepting this job she and her husband had decided to try and have children but couldn't. Neither she nor her husband saw any possible link between her assisting in death and her inability to give life. God gives us the choice between blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 30:19). Until we the church take a stand for life, true revival and healing will not come to our land. There were also some real encouraging times. A youth pastor at a Pentecostal church in Ottawa changed his plans to let us do a presentation at their Friday night meeting. It was an exceptional meeting; the youth really prayed afterwards. We were blessed to tears as teens wept in repentance and cried out in prayer to break the power of the spirit of abortion over our land. They clearly recognized that no child is a mistake, but they also showed support and acceptance towards people who make the mistake of having sex outside of a loving, committed marriage. It was 11 p.m. and everyone had left when a 15-year-old girl came back to bless us even more. "You changed my mind," she said. She then told us she was two weeks pregnant and had planned to have an abortion because she couldn't bear to tell her parents; her Dad is the pastor and her mother is the choir director. Thank God this youth group showed acceptance and the willingness to support people in her situation. It's been so encouraging to learn of lives saved as a result of people taking what they learned from us and sharing it with pregnant friends who changed their minds and chose life by deciding to give their babies up for adoption! Like the gal from Peterborough with her friend in Toronto, and the many guys and gals who've been encouraged to begin their healing journey and get Holy Spirit-led counseling for abortion trauma. Only God can heal the deep wounds caused by abortion, but ultimately it is our choice as to whether we let the Great Physician have His way. As I gaze at David (born June 13) sleeping peacefully in his crib, the reality of life being taken in the womb cuts all the more! During the tour many people asked us, "Are you going to write a book?" Well, we have more than enough stories and life lessons learned to fill a few books, but more importantly we sense God's desire to inform and inspire people through this journey of faith He ordained. He wants us to know Him in a deeper way, and see unborn children with His eyes, as precious masterpiece creations! We plan to self-publish, and release the book next fall with a cross country tour. God has directed us to live in Montreal as full-time missionaries and has inspired us with other music/media projects to promote the sanctity of life and Christian values, especially among youth. There is very little happening for the unborn in Quebec so please ask God if you are being called to invest financially in what He is doing through us here. Please write to us at John, Gaetanne, and David Hetherington #5-861 rue Prieur, Longueuil QC, J4J 1C2 or phone us at (450) 646-9112 if you are able to support our work or wish to purchase the pro-life materials we have produced. God bless you! |
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