In the early 1960s, I was a pastor in New Castle. Jameson Hospital there had its own blood program. When they needed my blood, they would contact me.

One of the persons that I gave for was a young black woman who already had three children and who, in despair and desperation, performed a knitting needle abortion on herself. This was before Roe v Wade and the legalization of abortions. It was also before HIPPA. I was able to know who I gave blood for and visited her in the hospital.

I have mixed emotions about abortions as a result of this experience. If abortions are outlawed, people will find a back alley abortion person or maybe use a knitting needle on themselves. They will be that desperate.

To approve or not approve, that is the question. With the anti-abortion demonstrations that were held on Feb. 11, I have questions for the anti-abortion protesters: 1. When you encourage a woman to carry her fetus to full term, have you offered to adopt the baby? 2. Have you personally offered to pay for the cost of her medical expenses to carry the fetus to full term? 3. If this baby is physically deformed, will you take care of she/he? 4. If the fetus is carried to full term and the mother is financially unable to care for the child, will you personally provide financial assistance to her and the child to live a modest life? And how long would you do that? 5. Outside of abortions that some Planned Parenthood clinics offer, would you eliminate all other programs that clinics offer? 6. If you are pro-life, how do you stand in relation to criminals being sentenced to the death penalty? Does all life matter?

I am not sure what God desires about abortions. I do know the God I serve and preach about is loving and in His grace gives forgiveness, salvation and eternal life. Wouldn’t it be great if the pros and cons had that same love toward each other?

Rev. V. Theodore Benson

Kane