RALLY SENDS MESSAGE SUPPORTING LIFE

Instead of speaking words, they used silence and signs to express their views about abortion. With their heads bowed, others offered prayers asking for an end to abortion.

"Lord, Forgive Us and Our Nation for Abortions," one sign read.

"Abortion Hurts Women," another sign said.

About 70 people gathered from throughout Southeast Missouri stood in the Cemetery of the Innocents along Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau for a Life Chain and pro-life prayer rally.

As people passed by on the interstate, some drivers slowed to look at the long line of people or to read the signs. Others honked in support or waved.

Behind the silent protesters were rows and rows of white crosses lined up like markers in a cemetery, visible from the interstate and meant to represent aborted fetuses.

The crowd had gathered like many others in the United States and Canada to form the Life Chain. Each year since 1973, Lifesavers, a pro-life organization in Southeast Missouri, has participated in either the Life Chain or a demonstration walk down Broadway.

Usually, about 100 people show up to stand in the line in support of the Life Chain cause. For many the time in the line was also a time to pray.

"Prayer is the only answer to ending abortion, divine intervention," said James Sifferman of Cape Girardeau, who held a rosary in his hand along with his placard.

"Only through prayer and trusting in God will God forgive us and bring our nation back to our former greatness," he said.

Sifferman, a member of St. Mary's Cathedral Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau, said that although he heard about the event through his church, the event itself was not just a Catholic event. He described it as a grass-roots effort to end abortion.

"People wonder why there is so much violence in our community and in our country," Sifferman said. "They don't think about the million and a half abortions that take place each year. There's no respect for life."

Clare Scheidt, a high school math teacher at Meadow Heights, returned to the Life Chain for her third year. She came as an alumnus of the Collegiates for Life at Southeast Missouri State University.

Scheidt said that there were two purposes for the Life Chain.

"One is to pray to end abortion, to pray for the life of the unborn children and to pray for women in crisis pregnancy," Scheidt said.

"But the second reason is to hold signs and get our message across," she said.

Five members of the Collegiates for Life stood holding their signs on Sunday afternoon.

"The interesting thing about the pro-life stance is that we never know when we are making an impact," Scheidt said.

She added that a woman in a crisis pregnancy could be driving by, see the signs being held by the group and decide not to have an abortion.

"The tricky thing is not to get discouraged," she said. "We are having an impact, we are saving lives."