FINAL DIARY ENTRY Saturday 11th October, 2008
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Well this is the end of my stay on the steps of Parliament, but certainly not the end of the fight.
I sat in Parliament last night with Kirsten Jack (my sister) and watched as all the amendments to the Bill were voted against. The one that broke my heart the most was with regards to the unborn child feeling pain. Peter Kavanagh presented evidence that said the infant did feel pain and asked that at least an anaesthetic be provided so the infant would feel no pain. The best the opposition could do was to say that they didn't feel pain up to a certain point during the pregnancy. After that point though there was no denying the unborn child can feel pain. But they all voted against the amendment. A number of MPs like Justin Madden didn't even listen to the arguments that Peter and others were putting forward - they just came in when it was time to vote. This happened quite a lot.
As a friend of mine said, life cannot be about winning or losing, but simply about whether we stood our grounds and the grounds of those who can't do it for themselves. So, here's to the future!
While there were countless people to thank there are a few that stand out (sorry to everybody I don't thank!). People wrote me encouragement, called me with encouragement, prayed for me, blessed me, sat with me, turned up at the Prayer & Protest, brought me food and drink and much more. Frank sat with me almost every day and ran errands for me, Dad built and modified the banner stand, Mum drummed up a lot of prayer support and action, Adam inspired, encouraged and supported me, the politicians who came out to get to know me and encourage - Bernie Finn, Peter Kavanagh, Jan Kronberg and Murray Thompson and the Protective Services police who were professional and friendly.
Kirsten, who organised the Prayer & Protest event and did everything behind the scenes to maximise the impact of what I was doing and Rebecca who thought of, designed, built and maintained this website. Both of my sisters have been very professional and incredibly supportive.
I have to say thankyou to my wife Rachael. She told me that if I didn't do this I would regret it and she was right. She has run errands, looked after the kids, made me lunch and dinner and made home a place of peace and rest. She has supported me in so many different ways that I am sure I don't even know of most of the stuff she has done for me. Thankyou Rachael - I love you more and more every day.
The other 2 most important people in my life are my girls - Alana and Kayla. I know that you will have a much better understanding of what I have done when you are older, but you have both surprised and delighted me with your support and insight. Thankyou for giving up your dad for 19 days so I could try to keep babies safe that are in their mummys' tummies. I really have tried my hardest to connect with you both when I came home to tuck you in and at other times whenever I could and I thank you for making that easy. I hope you can look back on this with pride.
It is now legal in the state of Victoria to take the life of a child up to and during birth. We must fight this horror, which is the absolute height of selfishness. Forcing an innocent to give up their life to reduce the suffering of the mother - it is the complete opposite of giving up your life to save another. We MUST stand against this, now and forever. Make sure you join our mailing list - Click here.
God bless you all.
Matt
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Well this is the end of my stay on the steps of Parliament, but certainly not the end of the fight.
I sat in Parliament last night with Kirsten Jack (my sister) and watched as all the amendments to the Bill were voted against. The one that broke my heart the most was with regards to the unborn child feeling pain. Peter Kavanagh presented evidence that said the infant did feel pain and asked that at least an anaesthetic be provided so the infant would feel no pain. The best the opposition could do was to say that they didn't feel pain up to a certain point during the pregnancy. After that point though there was no denying the unborn child can feel pain. But they all voted against the amendment. A number of MPs like Justin Madden didn't even listen to the arguments that Peter and others were putting forward - they just came in when it was time to vote. This happened quite a lot.
As a friend of mine said, life cannot be about winning or losing, but simply about whether we stood our grounds and the grounds of those who can't do it for themselves. So, here's to the future!
While there were countless people to thank there are a few that stand out (sorry to everybody I don't thank!). People wrote me encouragement, called me with encouragement, prayed for me, blessed me, sat with me, turned up at the Prayer & Protest, brought me food and drink and much more. Frank sat with me almost every day and ran errands for me, Dad built and modified the banner stand, Mum drummed up a lot of prayer support and action, Adam inspired, encouraged and supported me, the politicians who came out to get to know me and encourage - Bernie Finn, Peter Kavanagh, Jan Kronberg and Murray Thompson and the Protective Services police who were professional and friendly.
Kirsten, who organised the Prayer & Protest event and did everything behind the scenes to maximise the impact of what I was doing and Rebecca who thought of, designed, built and maintained this website. Both of my sisters have been very professional and incredibly supportive.
I have to say thankyou to my wife Rachael. She told me that if I didn't do this I would regret it and she was right. She has run errands, looked after the kids, made me lunch and dinner and made home a place of peace and rest. She has supported me in so many different ways that I am sure I don't even know of most of the stuff she has done for me. Thankyou Rachael - I love you more and more every day.
The other 2 most important people in my life are my girls - Alana and Kayla. I know that you will have a much better understanding of what I have done when you are older, but you have both surprised and delighted me with your support and insight. Thankyou for giving up your dad for 19 days so I could try to keep babies safe that are in their mummys' tummies. I really have tried my hardest to connect with you both when I came home to tuck you in and at other times whenever I could and I thank you for making that easy. I hope you can look back on this with pride.
It is now legal in the state of Victoria to take the life of a child up to and during birth. We must fight this horror, which is the absolute height of selfishness. Forcing an innocent to give up their life to reduce the suffering of the mother - it is the complete opposite of giving up your life to save another. We MUST stand against this, now and forever. Make sure you join our mailing list - Click here.
God bless you all.
Matt
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Hi Matt
Many people tried very hard to defeat this Bill. I know how hard Bernie Finn (Liberal) and Peter Kavanagh (DLP) and Jan Kronberg tried. There were also other politicians who tried to help the unborn. People need to stop voting according to party lines and choose to vote pro life. If one candidate is not pro life vote the other candidate. There is no issue more important than life.
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Thank you Matt, Rachel,Kirsten and ALL involved. Thanks for making this stand on behalf of all of us who love Jesus and hold each life he creates as precious. May he richly bless you all for doing this for the 'least of these'. May more people now rise up because of your witness to be salt and light to this broken world.
Lyn
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Thanks Matt, Rachel and all involved ,many of us have writtten letters, prayed encouraged but were not able to be there God bless you for having stood all through this now many politicians know that they may have their opinions but the voters also have their beleifs and are not afraid to voice them God Bless
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