Pro-Lifers to Converge in Durban for National March for Life (4 October 2013)

PRO-LIFERS TO CONVERGE IN DURBAN FOR NATIONAL MARCH FOR LIFE

LIFE CHAINS IN BLOEMFONTEIN, EAST LONDON, PAARL AND CAPE TOWN – 5 and 6 October

Sunday, 6 October is International Life Chain Sunday. As many as a million Christians in approximately 1 800 locations worldwide have participated in Life Chains previously. A National March for Life organised by the National Alliance for Life (NAL) is planned in Durban and Life Chains are planned in 4 other cities in South Africa: Bloemfontein, East London, Paarl and Cape Town.

The NAL is a loose affiliation of churches and organisations, formed in 1995. Details of the March for Life and Life Chains are listed below.

“Never before has there been such great a need for pro-lifers to stand together regardless of their various affiliations,” says National Alliance for Life (NAL) Chairman and CEO of Doctors for Life - Dr Albu van Eeden. “Pro-lifers need to stand together against the growing ‘culture of death’ in South Africa, as is evidenced by the shockingly high abortion statistics.”

The Christian pro-life stance, that abortion is murder, is based on the view that the Bible and medical science make it clear that life begins at conception.

The statistics behind the pro-life leaders’ strong words are:

• Officially, according to the Department of Health, 1 010 019 legal abortions have been recorded since 1997. This number does not include the thousands of illegal abortions.

• 78 771 legal abortions were recorded in 2011 (statistics from 2012 are not yet available from the Department of Health).

• There are an estimated 6 legal abortions per 1 000 women, and 38 illegal abortions per 1 000 women. (National Health Department, according to report in Sowetan Live, 12 June 2012).

The Christian Action Network believes that the number of legal abortions is higher than the official amount - due to outstanding statistics from some provinces in previous years and a possible failure of some hospital officials to accurately record abortions in state hospitals. (The Christian Action Network estimates the number of legal abortions to be well over 1 100 000 by now.)

“Pro-life groups uphold the sanctity of life – that every life is valuable to God. They provide women with real choices (alternatives) and loving support, not just one choice – abortion – that pro-abortionists coerce women into choosing,” says Taryn Hodgson, International Co-ordinator of the Christian Action Network.

The Life Chains recognise the abortion holocaust as one of the greatest evils being committed in the world today.

“Life begins at conception. The pre-born baby is then genetically, physiologically and organically a distinct person. At about three weeks after conception the baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Six weeks after conception the baby has its own lifelong brainwave.”

“When a nation devalues it’s most helpless and innocent citizens and allows them to be slaughtered in their millions, it is no wonder that all other life is treated as cheap.It is an urgent priority for the Church to expose, oppose, and end this genocide of children made in the image of God.”

The Life Chain is an international prayer rally and peaceful placard protest against the abortion holocaust.

Gifts, such as baby items, in support of Kwasizabantu Mission will be collected at the Cape Town Life Chain.

Country-Wide Life Chains
Cape Town: Sunday 6 October, 2:00 - 4:00pm. Buitengracht Street, near entrance to Waterfront. Contact: Africa Christian Action: 021- 6894480, 072 215 4801.

Cape Town 40 Days for Life: 25 September – 3 November, 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil outside Marie Stopes abortuary, 91 Bree Street, Cape Town. Contact Colette Thomas: 083 412 4936.

Paarl: 25 September – 3 November, 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil outside Paarl Hospital. Contact Charlene Thomson: 082 898 0134.

Durban: Sunday, 6 October, National March for Life, 2:30 - 5:00pm, meet at Sharks Board Parking Lot, 1A Herrwood Drive, Umhlanga. Organised by the National Alliance for Life, Contact: Pastor Aaron Munsamy: 083 976 1847.

East London: Saturday, 5 October, 11:00am – 12:30. Meet on the corner of Oxford Street and St Matthew's Road, around the corner from Marie Stopes abortuary. Contact Frans 082 774 6649 or Judy 043 - 726 9900.

Bloemfontein: Saturday, 5 October, 8:00am - 12:00. Outside Marie Stopes abortuary, Huguenote Street, Wilgehof. Contact: Faan Oosthuizen, 083 265 9395.

Christian Action Network members have been campaigning for the right to life of pre-born babies since 1991.

For further details contact Christian Action Network International Co-ordinator, Taryn Hodgson: (021) 689 4480 or E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .