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| The tree "Have a Heart for unborn babies". The model of an unborn child can be seen in the middle of the red floral heart. |
I often receive emails from supporters doing fantastic work in defence of life. I am always greatly encouraged when visiting SPUC branches in various parts of the country. I thought I would share an a message I received from Frances Levett, of SPUC Melton Mowbray.
Dear John,
I'm forwarding the photo of our Christmas tree which we entered in this year's Christmas Tree Festival at St. Mary's C of E church, Melton Mowbray. We always enter a decorated tree in this large festival which is attended by several thousand people. This year we chose the theme "Have a Heart for Unborn Babies" and decorated it by hanging hearts on it: some bauble hearts and some red card ones with facts about an unborn baby's heart written on them. We put a poinsettia floral heart at the base, with a model of an unborn baby lying among the flowers. We also invited people who had lost a baby to abortion to write a message to their child on a blank card heart and hang it on the tree.
We found 24 messages on the tree at the end of the festival, most of them addressed to the baby by name, showing the pain and suffering caused by abortion. "4th Christmas without you. Still miss you", and the heartbreaking "I'm sorry. Lots of love, Mummy." We have received several comments to the effect that this was the best tree we have ever submitted. A social worker from Leicester who works with adoption let us know she thought it was very moving and helpful to people. I must give thanks to Rachel and John Cousen, Isobel Steele, Alastair Street and Frances Levett for their ideas and work.It strikes me that this is a simple and thought provoking initiative which could easily be replicated in other parts of the country.
It also strikes me that this extraordinary response in one English town to the simple Christmas tree initiative of our local branch gives the lie to the recent study purporting to show that abortion doesn't harm mental health.
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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