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What Does the Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision Really Mean?
by Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D., Heartbeat President
 The first day of the 2007 Heartbeat International Conference was especially memorable because approximately 600 of us were in one room to applaud, hug, and say a prayer of thanks when the announcement came that the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold the ban on partial-birth abortion.
For the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law that not only prohibited one form of abortion but also did not contain an exception that would allow the abortion if the woman's "health" (including "mental health") was in question. The pro-abortion groups challenged the ban on partial-birth abortion in court, in part because there was no "health exception." The woman’s health can no longer be the trump card that justifies any type of abortion at any time of the pregnancy.
In actuality, however, only late-term babies will be protected by law from this one type of abortion. But the vast majority of abortions are still legal. More than 3,500 abortions were performed daily in the U.S. in 2002, according to figures listed on the U.S. Census. Moreover, nothing in this decision reassures us that this group of Justices would overturn Roe v. Wade.
At least, however, the High Court stated that some restrictions on abortion can be allowed based on the government’s legitimate interest in protecting “the life of a fetus that may become a child.”
Although the decision will not significantly reduce the number of abortions, it does confirm the common sense conclusion that we know to be true from our work in our pregnancy resource centers, and from the heartrending testimonies of women (and men) who have experienced abortion: it is not a medical “treatment” that somehow protects a woman’s health. Just the opposite – it often results in devastating physical and emotional problems.
The argument that any and all abortions are necessary to protect a woman’s health is only a smokescreen used to promote a culture of sexual gratification separated from responsibility. It is a lie of the Enemy used to destroy children made in the Image of God and to destroy the God-ordained relationship between man and woman.
We still have a long way to go, but this Supreme Court ruling at least takes us one step closer to protecting women, children, and families and returning our culture to its roots of respecting our inalienable right to life.
New Development Director Prayed into Position 
For Lindsay Brown, the pro-life issue was the motivating force that took her to Washington D.C. to work for America’s leading conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation. She then spent two years campaigning for the re-election of a pro-life U.S. senator.
“Politics has its place but people change the heart of the community for life, and Heartbeat International is leading that change,” said Lindsay.
Lindsay is an answer to prayer. |
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Women Call Heartbeat for Help as
Word Spreads about Pro-Life Work in Miami
by Rev. John Ensor, Executive Director, Urban Initiative
 Just the process of organizing the opening of a pregnancy help clinic in Miami (a city with 37 abortion facilities) put us in touch with so many women struggling with pregnancies. Even before the center opening, Heartbeat of Miami (HOM) has spoken with 11 such women. The first calls came from people who heard about HOM and then providentially encountered a friend or family member in crisis.
Then, as part of our friend-raising efforts, we launched a radio advertising campaign for Miami. Not only did people call to make a donation – women called crying and weeping. One said, “I can’t believe it. I never listen to this station, but I just happened to turn on my radio to this channel and heard your ad. I was going to have an abortion. Then, when I heard your ad…well… I thought I would call.”
Martha Avila, our Executive Director, provides some details of a radio interview that was re-broadcast in California:
“After our radio interview, a lady from California called about her 17-year-old granddaughter who is five months pregnant. The girl had to run from her own mother who was forcing her to have an abortion. Her grandmother picked her up and took her home. She turned on the radio and heard me being interviewed.
I then spoke to the young girl. She was weeping, telling me, ‘I don’t want to kill my baby.’ We connected her to Option Line, our national call center, and she was able to get assistance from a nearby pregnancy help clinic.
Urban Initiative Executive Director Rev. John Ensor with Heartbeat of Miami Executive Director Martha Avila and key staff and volunteers.
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In Miami, a mother in her late thirties was told that her baby most likely would be born with Down Syndrome and was advised to abort. She was understandably scared. She turned her radio on at that moment and heard me sharing my testimony how, thirty years ago, I was told my daughter would be deformed because of the x-rays I had while I was pregnant. They proved to be wrong. The woman called and we got her some help through the Heartbeat affiliate in Ft. Lauderdale. She is now 14 weeks along and struggling. She calls me every day and knows that we will get through it together.”
We held our Dedication Service on June 2nd in Hialeah. Please continue to pray for us. And please consider investing in Heartbeat’s Urban Initiative.
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A National Strategy for Defending Pregnancy Centers
by Virginia A. Cline
Pro-abortion proponents at the federal and state level are attempting to eliminate pregnancy resource centers. The vicious stabs at smearing pro-life pregnancy centers are unsettling since it takes us away from our life-saving mission. Heartbeat International is defending our affiliates against aggressive legislative attacks by developing a national strategy.
President Bush Wants Policy to Protect Human Life
“I believe it is the most basic duty of Government to guard the innocent,” said President Bush in a recent letter to Speaker Pelosi.
“With that in mind, I will veto any legislation that weakens current Federal policies and laws on abortion or that encourages the destruction of human life at any stage.”
President Bush meets Heartbeat
International LifeSavers from Ohio.
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Together with Care Net and the National Institute of Family Life Advocates, Heartbeat coordinated the first-ever pregnancy center briefing on Capitol Hill earlier this spring.
Heartbeat alerted 23 congressional offices to the fact that pregnancy centers are making a difference in the lives of nearly one million Americans, especially our smallest citizens.
Unfortunately, with a scheming abortion lobby, these deceptive attacks are spreading through the media and into statehouses across the country.
In Oregon, Senate Bill 776 authorizing a government investigation of pregnancy centers was introduced at the request of Planned Parenthood and NARAL (formerly National Abortion Rights Action League). It included an editorial statement accusing pregnancy centers of misleading women and engaging in deceptive advertising.
The pro-life people who serve in Oregon’s pregnancy centers, with help from Heartbeat International and our sister organizations, were able to stop this bill with a vigorous statewide information campaign. This strategy called for about 150 pregnancy center representatives to educate legislators about the positive way our centers are impacting their communities.
Heartbeat’s ongoing trainings, fact sheets, talking points, news releases, email blasts, and phone consultations help pregnancy center staff defend against unconstitutional legislative attacks and hateful smear campaigns.
Heartbeat International is grateful to our many LifeSavers who provide the resources necessary to protect America’s pregnancy centers. Please alert us to activity in your state and pray that we can be increasingly proactive.
Visit www.heartbeatinternational.org for Public Policy information.
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Heartbeat Encourages Everyone to See Bella
 “I have not seen this type of audience support since The Passion of the Christ. While The Passion showed how Christ died for us,
Bella shows how we should live for others,”
— Steve McEveety, a producer of The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart.
Bella, scheduled for release this fall, is a love story that goes deeper than romance. It is not Hollywood’s standard insipid, oversexed saga of lust, but a tale about two people whose lives converge over a single day when both believe they have lost all. Through their time spent together, they come to realize that by losing “everything” the world says we should have, they discover everything that truly matters.
 Bella took the top prize at the Toronto’s International Film Festival by winning the highly-coveted “People’s Choice Award,” a distinction that puts it in the company of such Oscar-winning films as Chariots of Fire, Life is Beautiful, and Hotel Rowanda.
According to the lead actor Eduardo Verastegui, he loved the script because it “celebrates the hidden treasures in life that are too often taken for granted, like friendship, family, relationships, love and caring for others.”
There is no doubt that Bella, which compassionately and delicately deals with the topic of an untimely pregnancy, possesses the power to lift the human spirit and change hearts and minds of those contemplating abortion. At this point, we know of two children - one boy and one girl - that were scheduled for abortion whose lives were saved directly as a result of this film; fittingly, the little girl is named Bella. 
Many center directors who saw this film at our 2007 Heartbeat Conference are sponsoring
pre-screenings in August, so watch for it in your area. Encouraging everyone to see this
life-affirming film will help to make abortion unthinkable.
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 Russ & Jill Amerling
National Publicity Coordinators for Choose Life, Inc.;
Originator of the Choose Life license plate
"Our web site (www.choose-life.org) receives inquiries from all over the world seeking help for starting pregnancy centers. It is wonderful to have access to the resources of Heartbeat International to help these precious servants of God. Heartbeat is saving lives everyday and you can too by supporting a ministry that is working to make abortion unthinkable!”
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Heartbeat Provides Leadership in Latin America
Lourdes Delgado, Centro De Ayuda Para La Mujer Executive Director (Heartbeat’s affiliate) holds a red rose, a U.S. pro-life symbol, gift from Heartbeat International. Peggy Hartshorn holds “The LOVE Approach” training manual translated into Spanish and used in Latin America.
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As Mexico City lawmakers were considering a move to legalize abortion, Heartbeat International President Peggy Hartshorn addressed an international pro-life gathering in Mexico City. More than 150 Latin Americans came from as far as Uruguay and Paraguay to attend. The conference provided support for 26 “Centers of Help for Women” in Mexico and in 13 other Latin American countries in their efforts to protect the unborn child, encourage motherhood, and celebrate the importance of family.
This conference offered Latin American affiliates like El Centro De Ayuda Para La Mujer, counterparts like Human Life International, and Heartbeat the opportunity to exchange experience and knowledge. Those attending the program voiced grave concern regarding Mexico City lawmakers’ efforts to legalize abortion and its influence on policies and health practices in other Roman Catholic Latin American countries.
“The recent vote by Mexico City lawmakers to remove protection for the unborn is especially disturbing,” said President Hartshorn. “After 34 years of abortion on demand in the U.S., we have seen first hand the tragic impact of abortion on women and families. We are appalled that the culture of death is being exported in the name of reproductive rights. This ultimate human rights violation being perpetrated on Mexican society is an insult to a culture that treasures family and life. Please pray for Latin America.”
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Electronic Fund Transfer Provides Powerful Provisions
 If saving and changing lives is your reason for giving to Heartbeat then you should be an ePartner for Life. Electronic monthly partnership provides powerful provision! Investing monthly in Kingdom work is as effective as monthly retirement investing in this world but eternally more valuable. More effective and cost-saving.
Even if the Lord has been directing you in single gifts, we want you to consider both. Why? We need both in this war against life. Rock-solid monthly ePartners combined with occasional giving in addition as needs arise makes you extremely effective in this battle for life. Donate now or call Anita at 888-550-7577 for personal service. You are joined with us in this labor of love. Thank you.
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Address: Heartbeat Int., 665 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Suite 440, Columbus, OH 43229, USA
Phone: (888) 550-7577 | Fax: (614) 885-8746| Email: vcline@heartbeatinternational.org
©2007 Heartbeat International, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Coming to a Theater Near You: Bella 
Providing Leadership in Latin America