            
                    Austin Operation RESCUE:  
                      A Personal Experience 
       
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      December 27, 1988 
      
          I first heard of Operation Rescue during the rescue missions at 
      the Atlanta abortion chambers, around August 1988.  Prior to that, I 
      had known abortion was murder, that it was from hell, and that it 
      needed to stop.  I had marched in the March for Life in Austin at 
      the beginning of 1988, but I came away with the (realistic) 
      impression that the pro-abortion forces in society and our 
      government just looked on and thought, "Isn't that nice."  I knew 
      that the only way the victory would be had was by the grace of God - 
      through the prayers of the saints (all of us), our faith, and our 
      righteous stand in the middle of wickedness.  So when Austin Rescue 
      began this September, I knew here was our opportunity to hold up the 
      banner of Godliness.  
      
          At the first workshop (workshops are held regularly prior to any 
      rescue mission), I was pleasantly surprised at the attitude of the 
      people there.  There was not the bitterness that I had too easily 
      felt for the system that lied to expectant mothers and convinced 
      them to kill their children.  Really, I saw that the Holy Spirit 
      reigned in the hearts of the people, and that no one had the goal of 
      creating a public nuisance or personal glory.  
      
          Well, trying to keep this short and simple:  there are many ways 
      to participate in helping Austin rescue, including being a rescuer 
      (which exposes you to arrest), a prayer supporter (being at the 
      rescue site and lifting up the rescuers in prayer, but not blocking 
      the entrance of the abortion chamber), to volunteer office work and 
      financial support.  
      
          The people who give their time and effort to this cause come 
      from all types of backgrounds.  One of the great blessings of being 
      involved with Austin Rescue is standing side-by-side with Christians 
      of all faiths (97 different churches represented here in Austin) and 
      being in one accord with them.  But by far, the greatest blessing is 
      knowing that babies lives were spared on each occasion.  
      
          You can get more information from: 
      
                AUSTIN RESCUE
                8101 Cameron Rd., Ste. 207
                Austin, Texas  78753
                (512) 835-SAVE  (that's 835-7283)
        
      
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      Here are four brief subjects that have risen now that Operation 
      Rescue has become more popular (notorious?): 
      
      COST TO THE TAXPAYERS:  the last media coverage given to Austin 
      Rescue (by the way, media coverage is NOT the goal) made a big point 
      of letting the public know that the rescue that day had cost Austin 
      about four or five thousand dollars.  Now, no one complained about 
      spending several multiples of that amount (I estimate) so that the 
      public could wallow around drunk on Sixth Street this Halloween.  I 
      really don't have a bad conscience about the cost to the taxpayers, 
      the real cost is human life.  
      
      PROPER RESPONSE?:  Some leaders of various religious groups around 
      the country have been extremely hesistant, and even outspoken 
      against Operation Rescue.  Of course, there are churches right here 
      in Austin that support abortion.  Anyway, the quote I remember is 
      from a leader of a large, "mainstream" denominational church that is 
      about three blocks away from Atlanta's largest abortion mill (the 
      mill is so large it has it's own incinerator and smokestack).  The 
      pastor said that the current situation does not warrant "civil 
      disobedience".  In a country where the laws approve of killing as an 
      acceptable means of dealing with unwanted children, and where 
      thousands of "doctors" and several large "family planning" 
      organizations present abortion as an "alternative" to live birth - 
      good grief!  what does this pastor think would warrant civil 
      disobedience!?  Please read "A Christian Manifesto", by Francis A.  
      Schaeffer, regarding the matter of withdrawing one's consent from 
      the state.  The book mainly draws on the history of "civil 
      disobedience" in the Scriptures and in the Reformation Period of the 
      church, and applies those things to today.  
      
      THE RESCUE MISSIONS HAVE NO EFFECT:  This has been the continual 
      message of the abortion industry since the rescue "movement" began.  
      Can you imagine the flood of Christian rescue workers if the 
      abortion industry said:  "Yes, these rescues are saving babies lives 
      by the thousands."  The point is:  don't rely on the abortion 
      industry for info regarding Operation Rescue.  In Atlanta, since the 
      rescues have begun, the number of appointments at the Crisis 
      Pregnancy Center there increased by 50% (this percentage is to the 
      best of my memory, the number may have been higher).  This Center 
      supports expectant mothers to have their babies adopted, or to keep 
      them and raise them (but not to kill them).  Also, according to a 
      study performed by a group which is pro-abortion (I don't remember 
      the group's name, but is probably available at Austin Rescue), 
      around 25% of all the women who fail to keep their first abortion 
      appointment never reschedule to actually carry-out the abortion.  
                    
      I'D RATHER PREACH THE GOSPEL:  I can understand that some people are 
      just so involved in daily ministry that they can't afford the time 
      to do anything else.  But by far, that is not the rule.  And through 
      the rescue missions, the difference that the Lordship of Jesus makes 
      in our hearts shines in the darkness of the world.  The rescue 
      mission IS a call to repentance.                        

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      Please prayerfully consider this and what YOU can do.  As for 
      myself, I didn't need a "word from the Lord" to get involved, it 
      would have taken a word from Him to NOT join the battle.  
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