On October 14, 1987, 18 month-old Jessica was
playing in the backyard of her aunt’s home in Midland, Texas. Hearing the phone
ring inside, Jessica’s mother went to answer it leaving Jessica and the rest of
the children unattended for only a brief moment. As she returned to the
backyard, Jessica’s mother was greeted by the screams of the children and her
daughter missing. The horrible truth revealed that Jessica had fallen 22 feet
down an 8 inch wide well in the backyard. The block that covered the well had
been removed allowing Jessica access. The fall caused her leg to lodge against
the side of the pipe and push her foot up next to her head. The police arrived
in minutes, and the long ordeal began.
Most of America was riveted to the television
as news stations reported the latest events in the rescue attempt of baby
Jessica. Workers feverishly dug an adjacent hole 30 inches wide trying to get
to where Jessica was trapped in the pipe. Other workers and volunteers pumped
oxygen into the well and attempted to maintain constant communication with Baby
Jessica, who cried and moaned and for a while even sang nursery rhymes to pass
the time. She was soon dubbed "everybody's baby." And she tugged at the
heartstrings of millions of viewers who sent her family flowers, toys, cards
and money.
Finally, on Friday evening October 16th, after 58 hours, Baby
Jessica was lifted safely out of the well and delivered back to her family, her
head wrapped in bandages, her body covered in dirt and grime. She survived.
It’s hard to believe, but this past October,
they celebrated the 25th anniversary of this ordeal. Since then, Jessica has graduated from High
School, is married, and is raising two children. As well, in 2011 on her 25th
birthday, Jessica (McClure) Morales gained access to her trust fund that was
set up with all of the donations from the event. It was worth around $800,000.
Sadly, today (January 22, 2013) marks another anniversary. It’s the 40th
anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, the ruling that made
abortion for any reason legal in the United States. Since this decision, it’s
estimated that over 50,000,000 children have been aborted in the U.S. alone.
Looking at these two stories together begs the question: What’s the
difference? For one child trapped in a well, we’ll spend thousands of dollars
and numerous resources, but for the other children that die at the hands of
abortion (at the rate of 3,300 a day!) we’ll ignore.
As America watched the TV reports, no one
could see Baby Jessica. All we knew was that life was in the belly of that
Texas ground. Therefore, we were willing to do whatever it took to deliver her
to safety.
Human life is a precious gift from God even if you can’t see them. We knew
this with baby Jessica, but we’ve ignored it when it comes to these others. As
well, why is it safer for a baby to be in a dirty, smelly well than in their
own mother’s womb? Why are we not actively involved or providing resources to
rescue our babies from these circumstances? Why are we paying strangers to kill
our children while we comfort ourselves by calling it ‘freedom’ and ‘choice?’
I’m asking those who consider themselves followers of Christ to stand up
for those whose voice is being silenced. Defend
the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and
oppressed (Psalm 82:3). We have an obligation to stop this holocaust on our
children. All human life is precious regardless of size, mental capacity, or
financial status. Let’s stop categorizing human life and rescue ALL of our
children!
