Marcus Constantino/The Herald-Dispatch Paricipants hold signs with pro-life messages during the 10th annual Huntington Life Chain on Fifth Avenue, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013, in Huntington, W.Va.
Oct. 06, 2013 @ 10:20 PM
By JEAN TARBETT HARDIMAN
The Herald-Dispatch
jeant@herald-dispatch.com
HUNTINGTON – They’re instructed not to raise a ruckus, not to impede anyone’s progress or daily affairs and not to enter any arguments with passersby who may disagree.
They simply hold pro-life signs and pray.
That’s the peaceful witness that motorists could see along 5th Avenue by Marshall University, down U.S. 60 in Kenova, and down Winchester Avenue in Ashland on Sunday afternoon as part of the national Life Chain, a pro-life event that takes place across the country on the first Sunday of each October.
Participants held signs that read “Pray to end abortion,” “Abortion hurts women” and “Life is the first inalienable right,” among others. The signs had prayers and hymn lyrics on the back of them, from which participants could deem inspiration while praying.
“It’s nonviolent. We pray the whole time. It’s a prayerful, reverent time,” said Linda Carver, chapter leader of Wayne County’s Right to Life organization. “We pray for the mothers who have had abortions, and we pray for the mothers who are pregnant and don’t know what to do. … We hope that hearts are changed and lives are saved through this event.”
It’s not an event organized through a religious organization, but many of the participants are members of various denominations of churches, she said.
“Many of us are Christians who stand on the Life Chain, and we believe God provides and God can change hearts,” Carver said. “That’s where my heart is. My mission is to reach women with the message that this is not your life. This is a little baby’s life.”
Horns could be heard honking as motorists passed through blocks of signs along Marshall University’s campus on Sunday. The location was chosen because of the number of young people on campus, said Cabell County organizer Cathy Weiss.
“Some of the kids go by and act like they’re not looking, but we hope that we’re planting a seed,” Weiss said.
A number of churches gathered to participate in the 10th annual Life Chain in Huntington, she said. “It’s heartening to see Christians join together for this one cause,” Weiss said.
Along with saving lives, she said she’d like to prevent women from suffering the sometimes lifelong emotional pain from having an abortion.
“Abortion hurts women, it really does,” she said. “They don’t always speak of it, but it can hurt for years and lead to drug problems, alcohol and suicide.”
You can’t go back and undo it, and there are adoptive families that would be thrilled to take in a new baby, she said. What many pregnant women don’t realize is that there are many people and resources available locally to help them through a difficult time, whether they plan to raise their child or give it to an adoptive family, she and Carver said.
Websites with further information include wvforlife.org/abortion/alternatives and nrlc.org.
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