December 2006 USA News Report

"I must have made 400 phone calls yesterday,” said Dianne Davis, Aglow’s U.S. Director for the Southwest Region, as she described the phone bank fervor among other volunteers at the “Vote ‘Yes’ for Life” office in Rapid City, South Dakota. She volunteered the day before Aglow’s First Nations Conference, and less than a week before national elections in Nov. 2006.

“It’s a passion for me,” added Dianne about her stand on the sacredness of unborn life.

It was fitting that South Dakota be the ballot battleground because sanctity of life is also part of the spiritual/cultural fabric of many First Nations peoples who inhabit large Indian reservations in that state. Poll watchers speculated that the beliefs of First Nations voters might sway the vote, and the challenge was to get  them to the polls.

Sande Lofberg, U.S. Director for the region motivated a dozen Aglow volunteers who spent Election Day driving 15-passenger vans through the vast Pine Ridge reservation, home of the Lakota, offering to pick up anyone who wanted to vote. For the 90-family community of Wounded Knee, for instance, the polling place was 20 miles down the highway with no bus service.  Few can afford cars, so two Aglow volunteers spent the afternoon knocking on every door they could find to personally offer inhabitants a ride to the polls.

Though the vote to end abortion was defeated,  Once again, Aglow women stood in the gap by manning phone lines and vans, and proclaimed that in God’s kingdom, unborn life is precious.

Karen Berrier, former President of Sevierville, TN Community Lighthouse gives testimony of the far reaching arm of an Aglow prayer chain.  A simple prayer chain that started with the women of the Sevierville Lighthouse has grown to include sixty-seven partners, thirteen prayer ministries and eleven churches.  Karen reports that there have been many answers to prayer and she has had the privilege of reading of miracles that God continues to pour out because of the united prayer that goes forth. 

Ruth Bergman, president of Bellingham, WA Community Lighthouse reports on the Christmas meeting.  Each table was decorated with white table cloths.  The center table had a special green plaid cloth.  Red and silver garland, poinsettias and candles finished out the center table.  With the candles lit, the lights low and music playing in the background, the meeting was opened with prayer and was followed with the reading from scripture of the birth of Christ.  Each person than took a moment to share something special about Christmas.  After singing a few carols the lights came on and the work began.

The meeting had a two-fold purpose.  One was to bless those in the meeting and the other was to prepare food and gift baskets for 4 people at Project Hope.  (Project Hope is a Christian based foundation that provides shelter, food or clothing for those who have no where else to turn.)  

Each wicker basket looked like an old fashioned laundry basket and was lined with a green table cloth and contained a bright green and red plaid place mat.  The Aglow ladies filled each basket to the top with all kinds of canned fruits and vegetables, boxed dinners, potatoes, noodles, jello, coffee and a 4 pound ham.  Then lap robes, hats and scarves, lotion, shampoo, shaving cream and a stuffed animal were place in large gift bags.  Christmas cards and flyers from Aglow were placed in each bag along with a number where we could be reached. Ruth said, “I truly believe that our ladies were just as blessed as the people who were to receive the baskets.”

Once the work was done, out came the special desserts.  The evening was finished with an ornament and a small gift exchange.  As the women worked together to clean up after the meeting, many spoke of how wonderful the evening was and how they were already looking forward to Christmas, 2007.  John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  The love of God makes people happy.

Cynthia Patton, president of Curry, AL Neighborhood Lighthouse and Love Your Neighbor coordinator for South Region had a special outreach program to widows.  There were 30 women and 2 men who attended with 18 attending an Aglow meeting for the first time!  The special speaker was a young woman who is a recent widow.  She shared how God has been faithful to her and her children in this new season of her life.

There was a blending of the generations with women ranging from 30 to 80 and many were widows.  Cynthia said, “I’ve never seen women with these age differences sharing their lives so easily in conversation, prayer and worship.  I saw a real appreciation for each other coming through as I observed their interactions.”

Testimonies at the end of the meeting sounded like this:

“I didn’t know what to expect at this meeting, but I have been blessed so much.”

A young widow, not the speaker, said, “I got so much more out of this gathering than I expected and I want to be invited to Aglow again.”

An older widow said, “I really appreciate being invited to this gathering, I really needed it.”

Another lady said, “I’m not a widow, but I came here with burdens and hurts in my life.  Everything that’s been done and said here has healed me and given me renewed hope that the Lord is on my side and will help me.”

A retired Fire Fighter came with his wife.  He said, “I never expected this to be such a spiritual blessing.  The Holy Spirit has been here.  I’ve been touched by the Lord.  We men need an Aglow Lighthouse!”

Each woman was given a pair of cozy gloves.  James 1:26-27 in the Message Bible reads, “Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived.  This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air.  Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this:  Reach out to the homeless and the loveless in their plight….”  Well done, women of Curry!