Calvary Baptist Church Deacon Richard Robinson wanted to take a more proactive stance against abortion so he recently approached his pastor Dr. Don Satterwhite with an idea.
On Thursday from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Robinson, his wife Sandy, Satterwhite, Carol Cramer and Norm and Sharon Klein stood on busy Sedalia street corners holding signs advocating adoption.
Satterwhite said this was the first time for the members to hold signs advocating adoption versus abortion.
“One of the deacons in the church brought it to my attention,” he said of Robinson while standing at West 16th Street and South Limit Avenue. “He said, ‘I think we need to stand up for life and put a positive statement out to the community. Because women, young girls especially, will find themselves pregnant and they will have to make a decision.’
“One of the reasons I’m strongly in favor of this, of course I believe in life, but I had some folks at my last church who had adopted children through the Florida Baptist Children’s Home,” he added. “They were just the most wonderful families. I saw what adoption could do. I would have hated to see any baby aborted. But to look at these precious lives as these girls grew up … I could just see that was such a wonderful selfless act. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Satterwhite was standing with church member Carol Cramer Thursday morning, while the Robinsons stood on the southwest side of South Limit Avenue near the Trail’s End monument. The Kleins were stationed at the U.S. Highway 65 and 50 intersection in Walgreen’s parking lot.
“I just think we’re doing it because we wanted to take a stand and let ladies know that there’s an alternative,” Sharon Klein said. “We want them to know they have a choice.”
“We just want to let them know there’s millions of babies killed every year, and they do have another choice,” Norman Klein added. “There’s families out there that are wanting to adopt and can’t, and this would be an option for them.”
Sharon Klein said they made the decision to help with the project because of Richard Robinson’s desire to make a difference.
“Robby has just had this on his heart,” she said. “He had the signs made and has kind of been behind it all. The Lord just laid it on his heart and this was just a good day.”
Robinson said he continuously sees the abortion rates going up while watching television; he became concerned.
“You just can’t sit there and watch that without trying to do something,” he said Thursday. “This is the only Christian way that we know how to do it — to just tell people.”
As the Kleins talked to the Democrat, several southbound cars passed by and either honked, waved or gave a thumbs-up to the couple.
“You know, we love these women,” he added. ‘We’re not here to tell them how to live their lives, but we are here to tell them there is an option. That’s my whole goal in this deal, is just to tell them there is an option and there is a place they can come and talk to somebody if they need it.
“It’s really a hard subject,” he added. “I was ashamed of myself for not doing anything.”
Robinson said he only wants to make a difference
“I believe that Jesus Christ would have us talk and show … there is another option,” he added. “I believe that from the bottom of my heart.”