An Extraordinary Person

by Barbara Buzzard

Anthony and I were blessed this past week to attend a talk by Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor. Gianna has testified before Congress twice on behalf of the unborn, has spoken abroad and accepts speaking engagements all over the country. She survived a saline abortion attempt and was burned over 95 % of her body as well as having internal damage. She has cerebral palsy but refuses to give in to its devastating effects. Rarely have we ever experienced such raw emotion; she is a passionate Christian.

Gianna has actually run two - 26 mi. marathons – running on her toes – taking over 8 ours to complete. She is motivated by Scripture as she determines: I WILL run the race marked out for me. I will never surrender.

At 17 months she entered her second foster home. Her foster mother was told that she would not even hold up her head, let alone walk or function. She challenges us with this: how many of you can walk from here to there without even thinking about it? Then stop whining!

More of her thoughts:
• We are mostly passive as Christians.
• We don’t care enough!
• There is no national outrage against the killing of the unborn!!
• That popular cocktail party Jesus who doesn’t demand much is not the real one.
• If you are going through hell – make sure that you take everything you can out of it!
• Use whatever is in your hand. Example: Gianna may have to revert to a walker, which she dreads, because she has been more mobile than that. But the idea came to her that if she has to use a walker, she can put a large white board on the front of it with Scripture and Bible-based Truths. She has dedicated her life to being a fisher of men and knows that God can use the weakness in her legs to be of benefit to others.
• We are made for epic love, not average love.

It is her mission to return to God all the passion He has given her.

She speaks directly to both men and women who have in any way had anything to do with the abortion industry and urges them to repent in order to overcome the accompanying guilt and shame.

Gianna is a firebrand; what a force for good! Why do we as a society have to be screamed at to make us see reason – i.e. the killing of a 3 yr. old is murder, the killing of a preborn 3-mo. old is murder. She is 39, childless, having spent her entire life defending other people’s children. Her passion against this hideous practice we have in our so-called Christian country is a mighty witness against it. Abortion is a raging fire in our society, and there is lifelong damage that can come of having a part in the aborting of a child.

Dave Hazard and Guy Condon have written an enlightening book, entitled Fatherhood Aborted. The book speaks of the emotional devastation of many men once they realize what they have done. The book is no longer in print but free digital copies are available at Care-net.org. There is always a price to pay even if it seems not. Many who have had abortions speak of having a ghost with them for the rest of their lives.

The Pope recently corrected Tim Kaine by saying that you cannot be Catholic and approve of abortion. But can you be a Christian and approve of abortion?! Can you be a Christian and be silent about the murder of the pre-born.? The true measure of a society is how we treat our children. Any vote for choice is a vote for abortion - is a vote for the murdering of innocents.

It was Erma Bombeck who said that she hoped that on judgment day she could say to her Maker: I have nothing left – I used up everything you gave me. May we all be moved to compassionate action by the knowledge of murder in our land. You will be blessed by helping to defend the most vulnerable of all lives.