Before I got married, I can honestly say that I gave little thought to the issues of the Sanctity of Life. To my knowledge, I did not know anyone affected by abortion or any of the other “hot button” issues. But when I got married in 1989, I started feeling a desire to learn about God, so I joined a Bible study with some friends of my wife and me. During this time, we had our first child, Ben.
I was the typical ‘90’s dad, in that I was as involved as I could be with the pregnancy and birth, and I was in the delivery room when Ben was born. It was an amazing experience, and I remember thinking: “There must be a God!” So, I got baptized shortly after, and I would say that I was “officially” pro-life, but I did not get involved in any pro-life groups for several more years.
But after our fourth child came, I felt a very strong pull to defend the rights of the preborn.
In 2005 I started attending the Athens Area Right to Life meetings and met my good friend Rosemary Risse. Rosemary is a devout Catholic who is fiercely pro-life, and she set a wonderful example for me.
Eventually I became the President of the Athens chapter, and we have participated in many of the traditional Right to Life type events such as Life Chains, March for Life, etc. However, my favorite activities have always been those that took us into direct contact with people in the public forum.
I have participated in many tabling events, many Pillars of Personhood type events at UGA, and speaking engagements when possible. Also, for many years, there was a Human Rights Festival in Athens which allowed us to exhibit our Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) materials for a weekend each May. This brought us into contact with many pro-choice people, and we had quite a number of good conversations about the Sanctity of Life.
Overall, the interactions I have had were positive, and hopefully I helped some people see the value of human life and why we should protect it.
Delegate to Personhood Alliance
I also was the GRTL delegate to Personhood Alliance for several years which was a wonderful experience. It was very uplifting to be around so many like-minded warriors for the cause, and the Bringing America Back to Life conventions in Cleveland, Ohio were always full of great teaching and encouragement.
I have learned a lot while working with GRTL, but I would say the most important thing is to be true to your calling. I believe God puts things on our hearts, and that is the clue as to where we should devote our time and energy.
I believe God has given me a heart for the weak and vulnerable, and it is critical for us to work to promote the protection of the preborn, the sick and disabled, and the elderly. As our society seems to sink lower and lower, it becomes even more crucial for the “good” folks to get involved and stay in the battle.
It has been a pleasure to serve with the fine people of GRTL. Everyone has exhibited the highest integrity and dedication, and it has been an honor to know them. I hope to be able to serve for many years to come.
Mike Morris, Chapter Leader
Athens Area Right to Life
Chapter of Georgia Right to Life