by: Rich Newhouse
The following speech and witness was given by Rich Newhouse, president of American Life League of Arizona—an ALL Associate group—on Good Friday, 2012, in front of the Phoenix Planned Parenthood. Rich’s speech was part of a rally which also included 40 Days for Life, a Rosary with Bishop Olmsted, and other pro-life speakers.
I have always found that I can see the hand of God and the grace He gives us when I look back in time over my life. Only God can see what lies ahead for us—and that is as it should be, for our lives are in His hands and our trust and devotion to Him are the only guideposts we need as we go forward.
My wife, Pat, and I were both from cradle Catholic families, hers of six and mine of nine. We truly knew the beauty and meaning of the word family and all that is required to sustain the bonds necessary for a successful and loving environment. When we married, our intention was to follow in our parents’ footsteps with a good-sized Catholic family. After a few years of trying we found we couldn’t have children—naturally, of course. It was the same year Roe v. Wade was decided and, by the time we decided to adopt, the availability of newborns for adoption was very slim. We set about our careers, hers as an accountant and mine in marketing management. We built a beautiful country house and enjoyed friends, parties, and promotions, eventually ending up at my company’s headquarters in New York. Another big new home, lots of friends and parties, but no kids. No real family!
It was interesting work, but somewhat hollow. As the company downsized, we moved west to follow my dad and manage stores in the Phoenix area. It was after a few years here that God decided we were ready for a totally new and much more rewarding lifestyle.
During the normal Christmas season rush I always interviewed applicants for temporary sales positions. In 1992, I had just interviewed several very qualified people and could have hired any one of them, but for an unknown reason I decided to hire Mary, the young woman with the beautiful golden crucifix on her necklace. It was that crucifix that spoke to me in a way I can’t explain.
During our annual Christmas dinner party for employees, Pat and I mentioned how we really wished we could have had children and would love to adopt a newborn, but had not been successful. The very next day, and I really mean the very next day, Mary called me from her volunteer job as a counselor at a Christian shelter for runaway teens and asked, “Did you really mean what you said last night at dinner about still wanting a baby?” I replied, “Yes, we really did!” She explained that there was a 14-year-old girl there who had run away from home because she was pregnant and her mother was going to force her to have an abortion. Mary had talked to the girl’s mother who told her if she could find someone to take her daughter into their home, pay for all legal and medical expenses, and adopt the baby, she would consider letting her daughter have the baby.
The next six months flew by and were filled with lawyers, courts, doctors, forms, state adoption criteria, and a visit to a prison for the birth father’s release consent and signature. There were emotional adjustments between us and the birthmother—a self-professed Goth who was a very determined and intelligent girl who believed that life was so important, even at her young age. Both her mother and grandmother had had abortions and she was determined to stop the cycle. Truly God had a hand in this, as there is no other explanation as to why this child from a broken home came to respect the life growing within her.
Danny was born a few weeks early, but he was healthy and the most beautiful baby we had ever seen. Pat assisted in the delivery and cut the umbilical cord. An instant maternal connection between mother and son began that beautiful May morning as Pat first held our child. Everything changed in our lives from that moment on.
Needless to say, we became avid proponents of the pro-life movement, starting a pro-life group at our church, serving as vice president of a large statewide pro-life organization, and then starting an Arizona Associate of American Life League.
Every day I look back to where God has led Pat, Danny, and me as we go about His work and trust in His will as we look to the future of life in Arizona.
Now let’s talk about adoption in general. I see many faces out here who, for years, have prayed, counseled, and consoled at these businesses of death. Many times I have received the middle digit salute coupled with a statement such as, “Who’s going to take care of these babies, you?” My answer was always to holler back “YES,” but it made me think about how hard it was for us to adopt prior to the advent of the Internet. So many girls come to these places of death because they feel they have nowhere else to go and no alternative. With no money, no medical support, and no moral support, they can see no way out. But there is a way out—and that is adoption and adoption services.
Take a moment to look at the number of results found under the Googled term “adoptive parents.” Over 5 million. Many of these are individual couples and families who are desperate to give their home and love to a baby for life. Look at the top three; those are people who have paid Google to be listed first in its search engine. These parents are serious. In the past, I have called some of these parents and asked them if they would mind if I copied their web page and hand it out at Planned Parenthood. Not once has anyone ever said no. There is no lack of available families to care for all these children who are aborted; it is a fallacy and a lie. And this is a lie that will always be spread and supported by the father of all lies.
Not only are there millions of loving, available families out there, but they are almost all willing to pay for all the legal and medical expenses involved. So if you are a sidewalk pro-life apostle, please get on your computer and find one of these millions of parents and call them and tell them you will distribute their flyer at an abortion center. The grace of God will be with you and you will put some hope in their day.
And maybe by showing a pre-abortive girl that flyer, you can give her the hope and love she needs to save the life she is carrying. This is the type of “hope and change” our country really needs.
By the way, Danny is now finishing his freshman year at Arizona State University where he is majoring in psychology with a minor in marketing—on full scholarship! His goal is to counsel troubled teens. I told you God had a plan for ALL of us.