Local ministry cares for needy babies and their mothers
Published: June 26, 2009
Local ministry cares for needy babies and their mothers
Last Thursday’s edition of the Opelika-Auburn News included a letter from one Bill Pearson of Auburn that was full of inaccuracies. I fell obliged to respond.
Pearson accused pro-life people of not caring for needy babies once born. He couldn’t be more wrong. As the founder of a local ministry that does in fact, care for needy babies and their mothers, I can tell you that 100 percent of our budget comes from people who are pro-life. We’ve had 19 at-risk babies born at our facility (Hope’s Inn) since our beginning three and a half years ago.
We’ve cared for another 100 to 200 children during that time. All our services are provided in the name of Jesus Christ (the ultimate pro-lifer) at no charge to the client and no cost to the taxpayer. Our $40,000-plus budget is all given by pro-life people who care.
Add in other wonderful agencies like the Baptist and Methodist Children’s homes, John Croyle’s Big Oak Ranch, Women’s Hope and others, and it’s easy to see pro-life people do put their money where their heart is, in saving babies born and unborn.
Our ministries care for hundreds of needy people ranging in age from the precious child yet to be born, to the elderly waiting to die. We are blessed in that all the services we provide are freely given because those same people Pearson refers to as not caring enough to give, do in fact give. They give a lot. They give regularly.
I checked even our records and no one by the name of Bill Pearson has ever given a penny. Instead of judging others falsely, perhaps Pearson should take a look at his own heart, and his own checkbook.
Rick Hagans
Founder/President
His Place, Hosanna Home, Hope’s Inn
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Reader Reactions
Is a suggestion that you use the Google really too much to ask hbd1932? “Captain Plaid” nails me on the first hit and then other links follow. The first post would send you to Facebook and Twitter and ... pages of mine.
Being ashamed and lacking courage is hardly applicable as merely being discreet and simply following generally accepted practices for these types of forums is what I’ve tried to do.
I actually Googled your handle. I found one reference, among only three, where you never enlightened us on how a contextually limited Soviet Consitutional provision related to our current situation.
I actually do submit LTEs regularly under my Christian name back “home” in The Randolph Leader. They’ve a search engine as well if you wish to review the times I’ve shared. Would that they had a comment package as I love the give and take of the process.
I regularly offer comments in The Montgomery Advertiser as well as “Captain Plaid” yet I reference my past blogging in my public profile. Again, nearly all comment protocols suggest the use of “handles”. Truly, it is hardly a question of courage but rather conformity.
I seldom tried to drive traffic to my blog(s) as I simply enjoyed the process of reading, researching, and then writing. I posted thousands of screeds plus I also dropped posts on Daily Kos and other flaming Lefty sites as well.
The process is mostly therapeutic yet admittedly it is a guilty pleasure to just lock horns with a worthy adversary, this being especially so perhaps for a Scots.
Still, I like to think I’m providing a rare Progressive voice to the O-A News and the MA. Readers hear from many Evangelical Conservatives and the like in both papers so another perspective might be welcomed by at least some.
I’m out of the Left Coast now yet will soon spend a year in Iraq. If all goes well, I’ll soon live where I can again hear the noise from Jordan-Hare stadium on many Saturdays in the fall and most importantly participate in the true hard work that a community requires to thrive. Part of that involves communicating and engaging with even those with which we might not always agree. For the time being, about all I get of that honor and responsibility is via these pages.
Lastly, I don’t speak for Uncle Sam and especially my lovely bride.
“Captain Plaid” you comment on many letters to the editor and articles. Those are written by people who had the courage to affix their names to their own thoughts. Now you did not answer my question. If you are well secure and convinced of your beliefs, then you would not cloak them into the midst of a shroud of “Captain Plaids.“ Pen your thoughts, if you are not ashamed of them, to the “Your View”, section of the OA News with your real name. I respect your beliefs, I really do. I am for freedom of speech, regardless of what those beliefs are. Nevertheless, do not be ashamed of those views and stop hiding under a burqa. I am not criticizing you at all, just be honest to yourself, your heart, and your beliefs…if you really believe them. At least Pastor Hagans had the courage to give his name.
Captain
we only rarely agree, but i do enjoy your post, as they make me thank.
i would not dare debate you (i would lose)
keep the faith my friend
Hey Doc! I used the Google (which I suggest hbd1932 try if h/she wants to look under my burqa) to scratch around on Preacher Hagans. He and his bride do seem like they’d be good ‘uns. And I tried to convey what I found among the positives in my post.
It may be that Preacher Hagans didn’t mean to write it exactly like he did but to tell Mr. Pearson to “take a look at his own heart, and his own checkbook” still seems rather bold. (As I admitted, if I could read what Mr. Pearson, then I might understand this better.) While I’m somewhat engaged in “judging others” I certainly doesn’t represent any faith beyond that of seeking and struggling.
I come from a family of Conservative Evangelicals with one now deceased maternal aunt spending decades in the trenches doing similar work as the Hagans. While I don’t keep and actually reject the faith in their religion, after reviewing the Hagans’ website I’ve been remembering this Aunt all afternoon. While I didn’t attend her funeral, I did get a recording of the same. I think somebody said just those children born due in large part to her work was well into the thousands.
Perhaps both (all?) sides need to do less fund raising and posturing with way more discourse?
Captain Plaid (friend from the other side)
Hagans is a real, real fine feller. He started His house, does fund raising for homelesss, etc
i do note that many dems (and my friend…i am refering to thier ideas and party) also use the abortion issue in fund raising… just from the other side as the Republicans
keep the faith
“Captain Plaid” you seem to be very well articulated and seem to be confident in your beliefs. Therefore, why not take your beliefs to the “Your View” section of the OA News and not seclude yourself behind a burqa labeled “Captain Plaid.“
I’ve been unable to locate the LTE from Mr. Pearson referenced above so I’m unable to try to figure out what he might have been trying to convey. A link or reference to his exact language might be helpful.
Perhaps the Pearson LTE was a reference to the political party that often tries to claim “family values” as theirs alone? As of late, Senator Ensign and Governor Sanford have tarnished that branding effort of course.
I think many readers could accept that the GOP undeniably uses the abortion issue to get votes. One book on my shelves is Thomas Frank’s “What’s the matter with Kansas” where he writes of many Evangelicals voting to stop abortions yet pretty much just getting tax cuts for the wealthy.
Other “Culture War” issues like same sex marriages, abstinence only sex education, church-state distractions, Creationism in science classrooms, ... serve similarly for the party that seems to most reliably serve the interests of the trans-national corporations and Wall Street/London financiers.
Admittedly, many Centrist Democratic “leaders” seem to be doing a rather fine job for those funding their campaigns!
Again, I’m not certain but possibly Preacher Hagans’ claim that Mr. Pearson accused “pro-life people of not caring for needy babies once born” could relate to Conservative policies impacting welfare, health care, consumer rights, child care, educational opportunities, environmental protections, worker safety, economic prosperity, etc. There’s also the issue of militarism I suppose.
Finally, I am somewhat bothered by Preacher Hagans’ suggestion that Mr. Pearson’s failure to donate money to his evangelism based efforts is a measure of his charity. Because Preacher Hagan hasn’t harvested a donation, even a tax deductible one, from someone, is it then within Hagans’ faith to suggest this person “look at his own heart?“
Surely anyone, including Mr. Pearson I’d hope, understands that many pro-life people avoid protests (or murders!) of abortion providers. Many “pro-lifers” serve those women and children most in need. While I might prefer a little less Evangelism in the mix, I suppose that is what makes it a ministry.
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