Over 100 prayer warriors made the pilgrimage to celebrate the Christian-based, family-run ministry of Small Victories that for the past 20 years has been embedded daily outside the Midwest ’s largest, late-term abortion mill, Hope Clinic.  Hope Clinic is located in Granite City , Illinois , once known for its steel mill industry which brought families from across all 50 states.  Now, Granite City is known for the late term abortion mill. It still brings families from all 50 states, unfortunately to dump their unborn babies.

This was a special day as we brought our rescued and adopted children also to bless the crowds of supporters.  It was an overwhelming sight as we made our way through the redshirted prayer warriors with our youngest children to the front sidewalk where our Ultrasound Van is located.  All of the new faces were stopping us, smiling, and asking if these were our babies. “Yes,” we replied as we greeted and thanked them for being here.  Our youngest daughter donning cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat appeared to be a little overwhelmed at all the attention she was receiving. Our youngest son Isaac just seemed to go with the flow as his daddy held him.  The crowds just couldn't take their eyes off or keep from offering sweet comments to them.

We found Pastor Todd, founder of Church Without Walls, and greeted and thanked him for leading the charge.  Everyone kept coming up to us and thanking us for our ministry as they began doing a Jericho March around the abortion mill.  At one point, the pastors present instructed the prayer warriors to stand silently and hold hands to form a prayer chain.  There were so many proclaimers this day, including young children, that we were able to completely surround the slaughterhouse walls.  We could feel the Holy Spirit as we silently stood in prayer in the hopes that abortion would come to an end here in Granite City .

Many years ago, I remember standing in that desolate, lonely alley with four old men that would come on Saturdays and prayed the rosary.  I remember being outside there when groups from all over the area would stand outside Hope(less) with giant skeletons and Grim Reapers when it was just the old wooden slaughterhouse.  It has since reinvented itself and is now a $2 million state-of-the-art abortion facility.  I remember how I stood and watched groups of women who had to park at the end of the alley by the lounge and endure the three minute walk up to the slaughterhouse doors.  There was no one…no agency…no pregnancy centers there to intervene.  It was awful.  These abortion-bound women looked like herds of cattle being led to the slaughterhouse.

I remember getting up off my knees, and I began the legacy of Small Victories.  Once we started talking women out of abortion, we needed somewhere for them to receive help.  However, there was no one available.  We called the pregnancy centers; they refused to help us or to even perform ultrasounds.  It appeared that we were beating our heads against a brick wall in Granite City , where the resources were few and far in between.  Abortion-bound women who were changing their minds and choosing life were falling through the cracks.  One was simply too many. So instead of being consumed by what other cash cow centers were not doing, we equipped ourselves to do what was necessary to save lives.  We started operating out of our family van, and eventually over the years we worked up to obtaining a used recreational vehicle.  Basically we turned it into a pregnancy support mobile unit equipped with ultrasound and dedicated our family and our lives to be embedded outside this abortion mill as an alternative to women seeking abortion.

We realized many years ago in our Christian walk that it is easy to say that you are pro-life; however, it is another thing to “do” pro-life.  That is what saves babies. When we stand outside an extermination center witnessing families being destroyed once child at a time and telling mothers not to kill, we had better have answers to an abortion-minded woman’s reasoning.  We did not know it 20 years ago, but God had a plan and His hand was on this idea we were pregnant with.  We birthed the ultrasound movement you are currently hearing about across the nation where abortion centers are located.  We pioneered the first ultrasound to be embedded in front of a slaughterhouse to be an actual “Window to the Womb” so mothers can see and hear the truth of the humanity nestled in their wombs before their scheduled appointments inside the slaughterhouse.  And God blessed us, and we blossomed, and others took notice…even bad people.  All kinds of trials and tribulation came against us, but we overcame them all.  We made national history and news as we exposed and lifted the sewer lid on the abortion industry.  We have continued with God’s vital work in Granite City .  And all this work has been accomplished without a 40 Days for Life campaign.

Today, we could embrace all of the sweet victories and years of blood, sweat, and tears as our ministry paved the way for others to do the same.  But especially, we celebrated the over 4200 babies that have been rescued from abortion through our efforts and prayers and the 42 babies that have been adopted through our ministry by Christian couples.  Pastor Todd gathered everyone around us as we held our babies and he gave us special recognition for our faithfulness.  He introduced us to the new faces and shared how much he, other churches, and pastors appreciated our work and how much they support us and respect our ministry.  The compliment of respect stood out. 

Pastor Gavin asked us to speak to the crowds where we were handed a dozen roses and a large plant to show a little of their appreciation.  We began by thanking them all for coming and sharing how much they bless us on the firing lines.  Many years ago, there was no one to intervene, and the pro-life movement from the 80’s seemed to disappear from the sidewalks surrounding this mill until we began in that lonely alley years ago. Someone had to make a difference.  Someone had to step up.  People had to be willing to lay their lives down for their little brothers and sisters being led to their slaughter. Proverbs 24:11-12.

We then announced to the crowds that we wanted to bless them this day by showing them a couple of the fruits of our labors that were destined to die had someone not intervened.  We held up our youngest children to the crowds where applause went up and filled the skies.

“These precious children would not be here had someone not cared. I thank you all for being those first responders today with your prayers and your bodies. You are saving lives and making a difference every time you make the sacrifice and show up on the frontlines of this battle.  We are the last lines of defense for these precious children, and just like our youngest children, who knows what they will grow up to be, but at least they were given a chance.  And that is what is most pleasing to God: at least we tried.  And if there is one more thing I would like to leave on your hearts this day, it is what many years ago the Lord spoke to me when I questioned if we were doing any good:  ‘At least Angela, you were there, as these innocent babies were being led to their slaughter.  At least you brought them some dignity by being their voice. And above all, you let them know they did not die in vain, and they didn’t die alone. You were there.’”   

I thank God that He has used this ministry for His glory.  I did not know it before God rescued me from my sinful ways that I was worthy of His forgiveness and love.  I never knew how to love, let alone give it.  I was never afraid to die, but that is exactly what I had to do in order for God to live in me.  We had to lose everything in order for God to work through this ministry to rescue babies, change hearts, and save lives.     

“Innocent blood has a voice, and that voice cries out for justice” Genesis 4:10

Be encouraged,

~Angela