LIMA — Carrying signs that read “Save the unborn babies” and “Choose life, respect life,” some 50 anti-abortion advocates marched through downtown Lima on Sunday to protest the U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion 43 years ago.
Amid bitterly cold weather and snow flurries, participants marched from the Heartbeat of Lima satellite office on South Elizabeth Street to the Meeting Place on Market, where they heard a speech from Lima youth minister Angie Soules.
Sunday marked the sixth year for the march.
“It’s a way for Lima to pull together and have a peaceful, prayerful march to remember those families and those women who may be dealing with the after-effects of abortion,” said Heartbeat of Lima Executive Director Patti Kennedy.
Kennedy said the march also serves as a reminder that services are available for women who are contemplating abortion.
“We know there are a lot of girls who maybe don’t know where to turn to for help,” she said. “Sadly enough, if they don’t have anyone to talk to, it might affect their decision to not have that child. We want those women to know there are services available to them.”
At Heartbeat of Lima, women can receive free ultrasounds, parenting classes, adoption services and more.
“We’re there to provide hope, education and resources to women who find themselves in a pregnancy situation and need help during that time,” Kennedy said.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, there were 78 abortions in Allen County in 2014, which is down significantly from the 146 abortions in the county when the march began in 2011. Abortions have gone down every year since 2010.
“We are seeing a decrease, which is very, very important, but it’s still sad that those 78 babies in Allen County were aborted,” Kennedy said. “There are still people out there who need help and need prayers to show them that hope is out there.”
Lorene Klima, president of Right to Life in Delphos, said these statistics serve as a reminder that more needs to be done to end abortion in the U.S.
“We’ve gotta keep on fighting,” she said.
Toward the end of the event, Soules spoke about not only fighting for the lives of unborn babies, but also serving as advocates for mothers who are in a situation of unwanted pregnancy.
“At the same time some of us say we’re pro-life, we make a comment to a single mom in Wal-Mart about what she’s buying, or we put her down,” Soules said. “Let’s not become the hatred that would make someone go to that choice [abortion], let’s be the people that say every single child was created for greatness. Let’s be the kind of people who love every single person and every single life.”
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