December 1997

It's that wonderful time of the year when we bring closure to many things. I for one am happy to see this year end, I have traveled around the country side and I do not think I could put any more miles on this old body. (I turned 50 this year, next year it is Flips turn.) I have met lots of wonderful Pro-Lifers everywhere the Lord has sent me.

In June of this year God called me out of Operation Rescue National to start my own ministry. Operation Rescue National is still under the authority of the Rev. Flip Benham. There will always be a part of my heart at Rescue (and the church said, Amen).

Roe No More Ministry is brand new, even though we have been many places and met lots of wonderful people. I have a vision that the Lord has given me of what Roe No More will become, but right now it is set up to handle my speaking engagements and to promote the sanctity of human life and the message of love and forgiveness.

As many of you know, the book I was commissioned to do by the Lord is now finished and headed for the book stores and may be ordered from this web site. Just click here: WON BY LOVE. I will be touring around the country promoting my book, "Won by Love," so check with your local Christian bookstore for more info. If we are touring in your neighborhood, please pop in with a word of encouragement.

The first official trip of Roe No More Ministry was to Birmingham, AL, the home of thoroughly radical rescuers Terry Gensemer, AJ Johnson and David (I did not do it) Lackey. Lackey gets a bad rap everywhere he goes, so why should this newsletter be any different. Gensehammer picked up Ms. Ronda and I at the airport and between trying to get caught up on the latest news, and picking up messages from my cell phone, it was a riot in old Gensehammer's truck. Terry was talking to Ronda, then Ronda was talking to me, and I was on the cell phone (picking up messages). Terry was telling us both about EWTN (our destination) and well, it was just crazy. I felt like breaking out in song to the tune of Alice's Restaurant having fun on the group W bench. But then I realized we were not avoiding the draft, we were on a mission for God.

Father Frank Pavone heads up Priest for Life and wanted to interview me. I was just delighted to be his guest and so was Ronda. But, when we got to the (quote) scene of the crime I said, "Yes officer OB, I put that piece of paper at the bottom," no no no I mean when we got to EWTN we found out we could not wear shorts. (Who wears short, shorts_ Not me and not Ronda.) We had fun never-the-less and we had a good interview there with Father the next day. We had lunch with Terry and our Christian sisters from an inner-city school. We then met the children from the school and they gave us lots of hugs and letters. They are really swell children. Later on that afternoon we had about five minutes with the Lackey Man then we had to leave. That evening we were taken up this long winding road (like going on safari) and met a really sweet dog who lives at the radio station. Then we went on an official tour by one of the engineer's (Huba, ladies, he would be a nice catch) who explained the eternal workings of the station.

Of course October was our "first month" of speaking engagements. And, what a great way of starting out with Judy Brown's American Life League Conference in Tampa, FL. We had escorts, a beautiful hotel room, food and lots of friends waiting to see us. That is the wonderful thing about Pro-Lifers, we are always wanting to fellowship. (It's Great!) We walked in and the first person I saw was Bryan Kemmper from CALL, up Oregon way. Then there was my good friend Troy Newman from OR West, who later took us out to dinner and Brother Bob Block from Naples, FL. (I was to speak at the grand opening of his CPC the next day in Naples.) Then there was George Johnson from Chicagoland (Life Checks) and his lovely wife. Flip and I were speaking together so I started hunting him down. I found him sitting on the back row listening to the other speakers. Then "the man," Warren Duffy from KKLA news radio, tune him in when you're down in Orange County, California. Warren was the emcee for the American Life League Conference and he introduced Pastor Flip and myself. He asked everyone there to come to the stage and lay hands on me and pray. This would begin the journey the Lord has for this ministry and for my life. Isn't God Good_ Amen. Now at this point I was in tears, I mean here I was (the former Roe) kneeling on stage receiving a blessing for a new ministry. AWSOME! It was great!

Well, let's see now. Then we meet up with Brother Bob and drove to Naples and met with his wonderful wife who cooked us a meal I'll never forget (or my waist line, tee-hee-hee). There were about 15 or 20 of us there in this women's house and she had everything so together. (Don't women like that make you sick_ NOT!) Then, on to the CPC for the Grand Opening. The local Pastor was there for the blessing and lots of other folks came. It was wonderful to be part of this CPC opening its doors to mothers in crisis pregnancies.

La Grange, GA was the next stop. Ms Ronda, Emily and I were picked up in a very long white limo. We went shopping for this one since it was a formal affair at a fancy County Club. And since we were in Georgia, we gave my friend Bob Jewitt a call and asked Brother Bob to "come on down." Now many of you Lifers may know Brother Bob. He worked in D. C for a long time and loves the children. Brother Bob (huba, huba) came to be with us and I promised not to shoot pool. (I told him I could beat him in pool the first time I met him in D. C.)

Gary Thomas my co-author was also there to speak with me. It was a stand-up interview. Gary interviewed me, but the best part of the whole ordeal was when Little Emily Mackey got up to speak. The place came down. When we asked Em if she would like to go with us she said, "Yes, Miss Norma," and wrote her own speech with a picture on the back of her paper so the folks would have something to look at when she spoke. Now folks, that's God. She got two standing ovations. We went to eat afterwards and she fell asleep in the restaurant and I looked at her there in her mama's lap and I had to get up so they wouldn't see me cry. I love her so much. Oh, and Brother Bob was there too, and I got to visit with him for a while. No, don't go there. He's got a girlfriend and her name is Rebecca.

From there I went to New York to finish up a documentary I have been working on for 4 years. It's called Roe v Roe. We'll get to all that later. It will air in January around the 26th, if that does not change. I love these little women very much. So, please pray for us all. I must warn you that there are some words that children shouldn't hear. (I started this two years before coming to the Lord.) From there I went up to Suffin, New York, where I spoke at a CPC fund raiser for Ruth and the girls. They needed a building, money, and volunteers, and to date, the Lord has provided.

From there I teamed up with the one and only Randall Terry and his band of merry men. He is running (no, not from the cops or Pro-Aborts) for a confessional, I mean congress, with 5 other Pro-Lifers in up state New York. I spent two wonderful days with these guys and woke up on Saturday, my last day there, and had some of the best French toast I do believe I've ever had.

From there Ms Ronda and I went to Idabel, Oklahoma, for the 6th Annual Memorial Service for the children lost to abortion and the turn out was wonderful. Trenton, New Jersey was the next stop for the NJ Right to Lifer Banquet and the food was really a gift from the Lord. It was Italian and worth going back for seconds. Then our last stop was here in the Dallas area at the Colony where I spoke to many of my peers, the folks I use to cuss and call the cops on, and I was very touched by the turn out. There was a reception afterwards and lots of great fellowship. Ms Ronda and I were grateful to be home.

The Lord has opened many doors for this ministry and we have been blessed for following Him through out this short six months. Now the time is near to serve Him even greater as the New Year is approaching. I pray Blessings to each and every one of you.

Keep your eyes upon Him and He shall lead you to the Promise Land. (And I am not talking about Willie Nelson, either.) A land where children can play without parents worrying. A; land where children want to be born and no one has any regrets.

Peace,

Miss Norma

P.S. - And remember, I was WON BY LOVE.