The Simpson County Center for Pregnancy Choices held its annual fundraiser on August 3 at Williams Buffet in Mendenhall with guest speaker J.J. Jasper, on air morning personality for American Family Radio.
Jasper is also an author and comedian. The network has 200 stations in 36 states.
More than 100 attended and enjoyed good Southern cooking like fried chicken, greens, fried okra and delicious desserts such as red velvet cake and banana pudding. Owner James Williams allowed the CPC to use the restaurant on a night it is usually closed.
CPC Executive Director of the CPC Melissa Sullivan opened the event with comments about the organization’s beginning and gave an update of where it is now. CPC is funded by donations only and offers counseling, sonograms and an abortion recovery program. Sullivan also introduced board members Judy Lee, Candace Mullins, Carol Williamson, Vinessa Rockingham and Zach Kyzar.
Statistics show that 1 in 3 women has had an abortion. The CPC has served 12 new clients this year and continues relationships with previous clients as well. Four abortion-minded people have come to the center this year with three of them leaving to choose life.
Sullivan also shared the story of Trisha, who had planned to have an abortion using pills by mail. After having an ultrasound and seeing the baby, Trisha changed her mind. “God changed a lot of things in my life since that day.” Initially Trisha had planned on adoption but decided to keep her baby. She and Dixie, born with Down’s syndrome, were special guests at the fundraiser.
Jasper shared many heartwarming stories and several Dad jokes too. He opened up with a connection he shares with Mendenhall. “When I was a new Christian a pastor took me under his wing and mentored me. When I traveled some with him he always introduced himself ‘I was born and raised in Mendenhall, Mississippi.’ So if there’s anybody that remembers George Phillips, I would love to shake your hand. What a joy to be here!”
He expressed his gratitude for the Simpson County CPC and their efforts and endeavors with the same quip leading from point to point – “I’ll tell you a quick story…”
Jasper is from Kentucky but moved to Tupelo, Miss., in 1985. He and his wife Melanie have seven children and three grandchildren who were born in batches, as he calls it. The first batch included three girls and a boy. The second batch included a daughter and twins, a girl and boy.
“I’m amazed at how God puts so much love and so much joy and they’re so sweet and so pure; how He can put all of that in such a tiny, tiny package. I appreciate what God says about babies. He says that children are our heritage, a gift and a reward. All life is precious in the sight of God from conception to natural death.” He then referenced Psalm 127:3-5.
“Our family has always been very passionately pro-life. I didn’t think we could be more pro-life.” He continued that they bought a farm when they had the first four children and that “couldn’t be more perfect.”
Jasper told about returning from a trip to Colorado and wanting to spend some time with his best bud, son Cooper. The two went riding in the family dune buggy that had been purchased because of its safety features. Five-year- old Cooper was buckled in; Dad was not. They rode up and down the driveway then went to the pasture to spin a donut. The buggy overturned.
Jasper’s first thought was, if he gets a scratch or has to have stitches or broke his arm, he would never forgive himself. “He was still buckled in. In a freak accident, he broke his neck. On July 17, he died in my arms, my only son in 2009.”
“We didn’t think we could be anymore pro-life. You know that old saying you don’t know what you have until it’s gone? That just caused the life issue to go through the roof. Every little baby deserves to live. Every life matters. God is pro-life.”
Jasper went on to spell out the importance of the SCCPC and all it provides, asking attendees to pray, volunteer and donate, even sacrificially.
Attendants listened. According to Sullivan, their goal of $8,000 was met.
Sponsors for the event were People’s Bank, PriorityOne Bank, Crossgates Veterinary Clinic, and Simpson General Hospital
