The Jacksonville and Florida State University photos are on a separate page. Don't miss that wild ride at the college!

Pensacola was our first stop in Florida as we traveled down the gulf coast. This was an exciting stop for a couple of reasons. The biggest was A BABY WAS SAVED AT THIS STOP!! A young couple approached some of our folks on the sidewalk. They said that they had just discovered that she was pregnant a few days ago, and had already scheduled an abortion. But after seeing the photos, she said, "I could never do that to my baby"!  Praise be to God! The whole tour was worth this one life. And it makes us cognizant that there are many other stories like that out there that we will never know about.

Another preacher friend of the Murch family joined us in Pensacola. Dr. Patrick Johnston of Ohio, a medical doctor joined us with his own banners. He is stayed with the tour for several days. As Bruce and Patrick talked on the street corner, a woman approached them and asked if the pictures were real, and how they were obtained. Bruce explained that they were pictures of aborted children found in a dumpster in Houston in 1986. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "I was involved in doing that to my baby". She then revealed that she had never told a soul about her abortion for 15 years until this moment!  Bruce told her there was forgiveness in Christ. She said that she repented many years ago, but had remained silent. Patrick told her that perhaps God was using this to encourage her to begin to speak up for the babies in a way that only she could. After about 20 minutes, she left feeling she had a new mission, and that perhaps she could keep someone else from doing the terrible thing she had done!

  

In Panama City, the traffic was backed up for a half mile. Again, a huge number of flyers were passed out. Preachers were set up in six locations along the busy route, and even in the rain (which we had a lot of on this tour) the crowd was receptive. Lauren (15) and Evan (9) man the Christian flag and 8th week of life sign, Samuel (14) asks why God should bless America in the face of this slaughter.

     

In Gainesville, It turned almost dark while we were there.  At left is Amy Balint, pregnant with her third child. Amy is the widow of Bill Balint who died tragically in a huge multi-car pile-up on the interstate outside of Milwaukee last October, along with his father, Dan Balint. Both men were great warriors for King Jesus and faithful missionaries and had been with Missionaries to the Preborn for ten years. To Amy's right is Clare Trewhella, also pregnant with the eighth child of Pastor Matt Trewhella. The children are an important part of the witness at these events. Children are what these events are about! At right, Beverly stands with Evan, Elijah and Josiah as darkness approaches.

     

Christian Green (10) holds a sign with the $64,000 question.  Hannah Murch faithfully keeps her post. These children stood up with signs in rain, cold and heat for a total of 30 hours during the tour!

  

By the time the sun set on Gainesville, the roads were a veritable parking lot. There were cars as far as the eye could see in both directions. Folks were also receptive in this town and much literature went out.

  

The next morning in Ocala, we set up in the home territory of Rev. Ed Martin of Rescue America, who is also an old friend of Bruce's from Rescue days. Ed brought along about 25 local folks. One lady bought 20 dozen donuts for the group! Yikes!

  

Orlando was a big stop. The intersection was huge and busy with beach traffic. At one corner, one of the men holds a banner that reads "Shew the bloody city her abominations", a quote from Ezekiel 22:2. Two young ladies stop to argue with Bruce from their car, claiming we are "judgmental" and think we are "better than they are". "You don't know my heart" one yelled. "I'm a Christian". Bruce pointed out that from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (as the Bible says), and she was revealing her heart by her words of opposition to the godly work we do.

     

Bruce takes turns preaching and holding a banner while a pro-abort looks on. Samuel Murch does some aggressive literature distribution, reaching as many cars as he can during the light cycle. At this stop there were two pro-aborts taking pictures and notes. Later on that evening, they had followed us to the church where we were staying. When one of the men asked them what they were doing and put his hand on the car fender, the pro-aborts called police and claimed "assault". The policemen, not being the sharpest knives in the drawer, couldn't seem to grasp the concept that the pro-aborts had come after us, not vice-versa. Who was looking for trouble here? We were just retiring for the evening. No amount of common sense could penetrate, though, and police suggested that they file reports against each other! This dragged on for an hour before they left. They will be "letting our man know" whether criminal charges will be filed!! These pro-aborts, it turned out, were carrying file folders with papers and lots of pictures of several of us. They told the police they were for "potential law suits".  Bruce could not contain himself and laughed right out loud. He told them to "get in line!"

In Tampa locals came out to join us again. The police were hostile here, one female officer grabbing the young man in the orange vest and shoving him to the sidewalk as he attempted to give literature to a car stuck in traffic. Lauren Murch wilts in the 95 degree heat. The temperature spread from the beginning of the tour to the end was 26-95 degrees! Overhead a police helicopter hovered for the duration of the event.

  

Aaron Murch seriously injured his knee during some recreational time we had at the church we were staying in. We had to find him a pair of crutches at the Goodwill Store. After sitting out one event, we finally got him ace-bandaged and ice-packed, bought him a folding chair and he was back in action! Please pray for him, as it is still quite swollen after almost two weeks and walking is difficult. At right, Beverly holds high the banner of Washington's Cruisers. This flag flew on the six armed ships of Washington's Navy. It depicts a green pine tree on a white field with the inscription: An Appeal To Heaven. We appeal to heaven each time we go out and advocate for the babies.

Don't forget to check out the raucous Florida State University pictures!

Click Here to return to the Deep South index page