Selfie at Christmas party

"Dear Leader" & myself

I just happened to be in London for the SPUC annual staff Christmas dinner last Thursday. Then I thought if Obama & Cameron can do a selfie , then my not me and the Chief Executive of SPUC , Mr . John Smeaton M. A Ox.

On a more serious not I would like to thank everyone who prayed for me in the last year and also those who have prayed for me  for many years. I need all the help I can get.

I do not have to travel away until mid- January. So I am searching for a wee break in the Scottish gales so that I can venture out to catch a crab or a lobster.

Culture of Life Africa

Uju Ekeocha

Lat night I was blessed by having dinner  with a most

 remarkable lady from Nigeria , see opposite.

Last summer she " happened " to be watching CNN ( a thing she rarely does ) and saw Melinda Gates, wife of one of the richest men in the world, claiming Africans needed contraceptives and abortion. She stayed up all night writing an open letter to Mrs Gates challenging her to uphold the dignity of African women.  This letter went viral on the internet  and she started  Culture of Life Africa ,

You may read this beautiful letter at :
http://www.cultureoflifeafrica.org/Open_Letter_English.html

The people here at SPUC Head Office  saw this letter but did not know how to contact her. Then some time later she was at a silent retreat and was introduced to Antonia Tully who edits our Pro- Life Times newspaper. Uju features in the front page of our September 2013 edition.

Uju has a Masters Degree in bio-chemistry .  She also has first hand knowledge about health needs in Africa as she  has lost a close relative in childbirth. This cousin died with a breach birth , there was no hospital where she lived for her to get even basis health care, this was her first birth . The truck loads of condoms etc , from Mrs Gates failed to save this life and many others.

I hope to have Uju come with me to the UN to encourage the African nations to stand up to the bullying tactics of the US and EU. She can speak very eloquently to the real health needs of African women and their babies.

Off to London

This morning I will be getting the train down to London. Then I am off to Canterbury to meet a Nigerian lady called Uju.( her full name is Obianuju Ekeocha ). She has organised a big pro-life conference in Abujah , Nigeria for June next year. She might also be coming to the UN with me at some time.

Tomorrow I will be in the office in Kennington , then its the Christmas dinner that evening.

Friday I will be getting the train home , and will not be away again until mid January.

Merry Christmas and a blessed year ahead to you all.

Getting close to Christmas

Last Saturday morning

Last Sunday afternoon

Got back from London last Friday , one day late, as the gales in Scotland on Wednesday evening closed down all the trains on Thursday.

On Saturday morning I got roped into setting up for a fellowship lunch , see how neatly I set all the tables.

Then on Sunday everyone pounced on their free meal and did not notice the nicely laid out tables.

Such is life !

A good result at the UN

The Archbishop earlier in the meeting with Fr. Wylie behind him

Under the inspired leadership of the Holy See's Nuncio, Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, the culture of death took a significant stumble at the Third Committee of the UN in New York last week.

There are around forty resolutions crafted by this UN committee in October and November each year. The worst resolution this year was on “Protecting Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD)” . Now to the uninitiated this resolution sounds like a fine thing. However it is just a smoke screen used by those promoting both a right to abortion and the radical homosexual agenda.

To see what the opposition said about this resolution please see a quote from the “The international Coalition of Women Human Rights Defenders” own website  :

“Also contentious were important references in the initial draft acknowledging the risks faced by those working on issues of sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights and matters related to sexuality. [Such words are always used as a euphemism for abortion and birth control.] These references were excluded in later drafts of the resolution as a result of the opposition voiced by a number of States from Africa, Asia and the Holy See. It is regrettable and disappointing that the main sponsors and others were not able to secure specific language related to women human rights defenders working on these critical issues in the final text of the resolution.”

Ref: http://www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org/un_landmark_resolution_WHRD.php

The African group stood very strongly together , and  introduced L-docs , which are amendments that are tabled just before the resolution is accepted. These were then accepted by the sponsor Norway as they did not want a vote , but a resolution accepted by consensus. This unusual step was taken because Norway and the EU  were not willing to accept changes of any significance during the long and protracted negotiations. So the resolution was accepted but all the bad anti-life / anti-family wording was removed.

This very good result, was obtained for many reasons. Myself and my colleague Patrick Buckley, were there at the negotiations helping out as we usually do. Sharon Slater ( Family Watch International ) and Marie Smith ( Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues ) both did a fine job even though not in New York. The African Group held together as I heard the South African president had upset some African leaders and as a penance agreed not the split this group at the UN. Another very clever tactic of Archbishop Chullikatt was to have several Africans on the Holy See delegation. They also helped keep the African Group on side. There was  help given by Muslim countries and Russia as well.

So the pro-aborts and LGBT advocates got no advancement of their agenda at this session of the Third committee. As I have said many times before, the Holy See at the United Nations is the conscience of the world on issues of life and the family as well as many other things.

Thank you

Well I am just about to head out to the airport at Newark to fly back to Scotland , landing at 7.30am not a very enjoyable red eye special.

Things have gone quite well at the UN, will post some details when they come to hand.
Many thanks for the prayer support on this.

On Thirsday 28 Nov. I will be preaching in a Church in Costock , near Loughborough ,England.
Friday afternoon shall be attending a medical ethis conference in London.
Have a SPUC Evangelicals committee meeting to Chair on 4 Dec,
Will travel back home to Scotland on 5 Dec.

Hanging about at the UN - President of Indonesia ?

This morning I was lurking in the basement of the UN and this chap , shown opposite appeared with a large entourage of assitants. I asked one of the followers who it was and they said the President. So I got the photo taken as I thought it was the President of Indonesia.

I was wrong , but he was still a fairly big shot , being Dr Hadi Poernomo , the Chairman of the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia. They were my neighbors when I was in Australia. It never hurts to say hello.

Good news

This morning in Scotland , a baby girl was born to Louise. Baby Ava weighed 6lbs 11oz , or 3.04kg.

Mother and baby doing fine. Thank you for your prayers.

Immediate prayer request - protecting women human rights defenders.

At 1pm New York time negotiations restarted on the resolution , " Protecting Women Human Rights Defenders".

This is a nasty little resolution which is trying to give special rights to those promoting a " right to abortion " and special treatment for LBGTQI people.

Please pray for Fr Wylie , shown opposite sitting behind his boss.

Pray that this resolution would be scrapped or neutralized.

I am sitting at the door where delegates go in and out . I am banned from being in the meeting.

A further prayer request

Please pray for Loise , she should be delivered of a baby tonight. She has very high blood pressure , per-eclamsia etc. She was a matron of honour at my Daught Vistoria's wedding 3 months ago.

Please pray for a safe outcome for mother and child.

Prayer request

My view at the UN - bashing Syria at the moment.

There will be a meeting here at the UN from 6 to 8pm tonight, in New York.
It is on the resolution : " Protecting Women Human Rights Defenders".( WHRD)

A legal opinion I was given on this is :

"this formulation of WHRD is not approved or defined, and the thrust of this resolution is to create an absolute legal immunity for those who identify as human rights defenders, even though they primarily are involved in actions, or promotion of activity, that is in violation of national laws and is NOT included under universally recognized human rights. "

Your prayers will be appreciated , so that this resolution will NOT be adopted.

A memorial service

This afternoon I attended the memorial service for Vaughn McLamb. He attended Easy 7th St. Baptist Church all the 18 years I have worshiped there .

Vaugn headed up Free Lunch in the Park ( FLIP ) :
http://www.bpnews.net/printerfriendly.asp?ID=31771

He served the Lord with all his strength.
I miss you my dear brother in Christ.

UN security

On Friday afternoon I got to spend around half an hour with Daniel who is a secrity officer at the UN. I have known Daniel several years and we meet up when we can for Christian fellowship.

Please pray for Daniel so that he will knows God's will for him in the years to come.

Prayer request

I would like you to pray for a meeting that shall start at 1.15pm today at the UN in New York.

There is a resolution called " Defending women human rights defenders ". Now this may seen quite harmless , but the so called rights these people want to defend are the so called  right to abortion and the so called  right to LGBTQI acts. Please do not ask me to esplain all these " Gay " things.

There are many countries fighting against this resolution chaired by Norway. Please pray that they would turn up as there are 16 resolutions being negotiated today. Pray that they would have the bravery to continue to speak up for life and the family.

I will let you know how it goes.

Met up with an old friend.

Yesterday I was working in the new refurbished delegates lounge.

Here I am with an old friend Ayo Fasoro , from Lagos , NIGERIA.

I preached in his church when on a trip to Lagos a few years ago.

New York - East Village

On Sunday , after Church , I went to 12th St and Ave A. This is where I first stayed in New York , in 1995.The building has been torn down for a new development.

Owen Field  , the son of the pastor of East 7th St Baptist , took the photo. Owen is an attorney who will be helping me out in the UN in January.

I am here at the UN just now meeting people and doing the Ministry of the presence.

Off to the UN again

I am due up at 5.30 am tomorrow , out to Glasgow airport , then into Newark.

Should be in the UN by 3 or 4 pm local time.

Will be there for two and a bit weeks.

Please pray for me.

Broken Chains

An informal photo just before the Bible study !

Arrived home safe on Saturday morning , tired. Still have jet lag as usual.

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours at Broken Chains in Ayr. I preached here on 3 Feb. this year.

 Got to share the Gospel with a young man called Neil this afternoon. Please pray that he would accept Christ as his Lord and Savior.

About to leave the UN

Well I am about to leave the UN and head back to Scotland. Things have worked out quite well this last week. Not able to give details publicly as much is still under negotiation.

I just phoned Mark Mostert and his wife got through the surgery yesterday  very well , but will need time to recuperate. Mark is very appreciative of everyone's prayers.

I would also like to thank everyone who prays for me.

A prayer request.

Dr Mark Mostert

Quite a few years ago I met Mark at a National Right to Life convention . After this Mark took many group of students from Regent University up to the UN to work with me.

Mark has just contacted me to ask for prayer,   as his wife Deborah , is to have heart surgery early on Thursday 24 Oct.

Please pray that this surgery will be successful and Deborah will get back on her feet quickly.

The Archbishop's speech from yesterday

Intervention of Archbishop Francis Chullikatt

Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of The Holy See to The UN

Third Committee of the 68^th General Assembly

Item 65: Promotion and Protection of The Rights of Children

 

Mr Chairman:                                                       

This year’s Secretary General’s Report on the Status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (A/68/257) helpfully draws attention to child mortality, which goes to the heart of what the Convention in article 6 enshrines as the child’s “right to life, survival and development”. Indeed, without life, all other rights are meaningless. It is a cause for encouragement that his Report concludes that the goal of ending all preventable child deaths is now within our reach.[1]

Among the key factors for achieving this goal the Report identifies maternal health.[2] This is confirmed by the logic of the Convention itself, which affords the child the right to both pre-natal and post-natal healthcare (article 24(d)). This provision has meaning only if the unborn baby is first afforded the right to life and survival. This accords with my Delegation’s understanding of the Convention’s definition of the term “child”, which article 1 addresses with an explicit terminus ad quem of 18 years and a terminus a quo implicit in the preamble’s clear reference to the child’s rights “before and after birth”.

It follows that each child must be accorded in the first place the right to be born. This is a right, moreover, which must be protected equally – without discrimination on any grounds, including those of sex or disability or policies dictated by eugenics. Thus, pre-natal diagnosis undertaken for the purpose of deciding whether or not the baby will be permitted to be born is inconsistent with the Convention, which my Delegation regards as the fundamental normative instrument on the rights of the child. The unborn baby is a member of our human family and does not belong to a “sub-category of human beings”.

Mr Chairman:

My Delegation takes a holistic view of both health and education, identified by this year’s Secretary General’s Report as fundamental to the State’s obligations. As the Secretary General acknowledged in his previous year’s Report (A/67/225, paragraph 41): health “extends beyond the physical and mental well-being of an individual to the spiritual balance and well-being of the community as a whole”. This includes the duty to take concrete steps to support parents in their proper role of raising their children, so that, as the Declaration of the Rights of the Child asserts, each child may be given “opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him [or her] to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity.”

Mr Chairman:

My Delegation concurs with the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (A/68/275), that prevention is a key aspect for the protection of children from sale and sexual exploitation.  In this regard, the Report devotes significant attention to the indispensable role of the family for the protection of children.  Indeed, “The family represents the first layer of a protective environment”.[3]  Parents, in the first instance, have the responsibility to secure the conditions of living, necessary for the child’s life, survival and development.[4]

States have the duty to protect, support and strengthen the family for the best interests of the child.  This is all the more important – as the Report observes — given that poverty, unemployment, disease, disability and difficulty in accessing social services as a result of discrimination and exclusion may affect the ability of parents to care for their children; and that mental or behavioural disorders, conflicts, substance addiction and domestic violence may weaken the ability of families to provide a harmonious and safe environment and make children more likely to engage in risky behaviours.[5]

Mr Chairman:

While protection of the rights of children begins with full respect for children themselves at all stages in their development, from conception onwards, parents, for their part, possess an indispensable role in their formation and education, and the family is the proper place for their development, as the Secretary General’s Report acknowledges.[6] Defense of the rights of the child requires, as its necessary corollary, defense of the family, for which the societal benefits are obvious: it is the family, not the State, that houses our children, feeds them, instructs them, and raises the next generation of society.

When it comes to the upbringing and education of children, therefore, the provisions of the Convention cannot disregard the specific rights and responsibilities of parents. The Convention perfectly reflects the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which in its preamble privileges parents’ “prior right”   (article 26.3) in the education of their children – which is to say, a right prior to that of the State or other actors –  especially in the important arena of religious liberty which includes human sexuality, marriage and the statute of the family.

With specific regard to “physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development” (article 27, CRC), the Convention (article 18.1) similarly privileges parents with the “primary responsibility” for their children’s upbringing. These rights and responsibilities of parents in international law are the bulwark of their fundamental right to freedom of religion (art. 14, CRC) in regard to which parents are entirely entitled to choose schools “other than those established by the public authorities, [inclusive of home schooling], which conform to such minimum educational standards as may be laid down or approved by the State and to ensure the religious and moral education of their child [] in conformity with their own convictions” (art.13.3, ICESCR).

Mr Chairman:

In light of the recent output of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, my Delegation would like to address some elements of General Comments 14 and 15. These Comments, my Delegation must point out respectfully, represent only the opinions of the Committee; they do not constitute agreed language and lack all force of judicial precedence. Whatever is contained within them that is not consistent with the normative text of the Convention and other international instruments constitutes a disservice to the best interests of children. Expressions such as “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” (General Comment No. 14 [2013], par. 55, and No. 15 [2013], par. 8)), on which no international juridical consensus exists, are used spuriously and very unfortunately in these Comments. The recommendations, for example, States submit children to education and direction on sexual health, contraception and so-called “safe” abortion (par. 31) without the consent of their parents, caregiver or guardian; abortion be promoted by States as a family planning method (par. 54, 56, 70), and so-called “sexual and reproductive health information or services” be provided by States, irrespective of providers’ conscientious objections (par. 69). Such recommendations are particularly reprehensible. No abortion is ever “safe” because it kills the life of the child and harms the mother. 

The Holy See strongly urges the Committee to revise its General Comments in conformity with its guiding international instruments: beginning with the Convention itself, which affirms the right to life of the child, “before as well as after birth” (Preamble, par. 9), the right of conscience[7], and full respect for the rights, responsibilities and duties of parents regarding their children[8]; and including also the explicit affirmation by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that abortion should never be promoted as a family planning method (par. 7.24).

Mr Chairman:

My delegation calls upon the international community to uphold the clear principles of one of the most ratified Convention’s in international law, so that they will do their part in promoting openness to the gift and richness of life which the child represents, and thus foster the common good of all persons, the attainment of which remains “the sole reason for the existence of civil authorities”[9].  

Thank you, Mr Chairman.

                                             

---

[1] ad para. 68 a.

[2] ad para. 57.

[3] ad para. 36

[4] cf. articles 6 and 27 of CRC

[5] ad para. 37

[6] ad para. 61.

[7] CRC, Article 14; cf. also UDHR, Article 18 and ICCPR, Article 18

[8] CRC, Articles, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14, 18, 27, and 29, c; cf. also UDHR, Article 26,3 and ICCPR Article 18,3

[9] John XXIIII, Encyclical Pacem in terris, 54

Holy See makes a great speech at the UN

A few moments ago the Holy See ,  gave a marvelous speech on children at the UN. Opposite is Archbishop Francis Chullikatt , the Nuncio , behind him is the Holy See's excellent negotiator Fr. Justn Wylie.

This speech was very pro-life and pro-family and took a swipe at the crooked compliance committee that oversees the Convention on the rights of the child.


Please pray that these two brave men will continue to speak up and remain the conscience of the UN.





I will upload a copy of this great speech when I can get the electronic copy.

Crazy UNFPA paper

 Sample information given to delegates

Please delete all reference in the resolution

” Programmes and Policies for Youth”

to the Bali Global Youth Forum

Summary of problematic paragraphs

Bali Global Youth Forum Declaration - 6 December 2012

Final Recommendations from Thematic Session 1: Staying Healthy

1.1 Ensuring accountability, transparency and the need for

implementation as a cross cutting theme across all recommendations,

with special focus particularly on LGBTQI, MSM, drug users ,refugees, rural populations, out -of-school, sex workers, indigenous, afro-descendant populations, migrants, young people in conflict and emergency situations, empowering young women and adolescent girls, persons with disabilities, young people living with HIV and AIDS.

Note : LGBTQI means Lesbian , Gay , Bi-sexual , Transgender , Queer , Intersex.

MSM means Men having Sex with Men

1.8 To provide non-discriminatory, non-judgmental, rights-based ,age appropriate, gender-sensitive health education including youth-friendly, evidence based comprehensive sexuality education that is context specific.

Access to health services

1.9

Governments must provide, monitor and evaluate universal access to a basic package of youth-friendly health services (including mental healthcare and sexual and reproductive health services) that are high quality, integrated, equitable, comprehensive, affordable, needs and rights based, accessible, acceptable, confidential and free of stigma and discrimination for all young people.

1.10

As part of this basic package governments must provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services that include safe and legal abortion, maternity care, contraception, HIV and STI prevention, care, treatment and counselling to all young people.

1.13

Governments and UN agencies should support the sexual and reproductive rights of young people including ensuring access to legal and safe abortion that is affordable, accessible and free from coercion, discrimination and stigma, providing support and protection mechanisms that promote the right to choose.

1.14

Governments should implement financially sustainable policies and legal frameworks that protect, promote and fulfil the reproductive and sexual rights of all young people, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identities

Comprehensive sexuality education

2.12 To provide non-discriminatory, non-judgmental, rights –based ,age appropriate, gender-sensitive health education including youth -friendly, evidence based comprehensive sexuality education that is context specific.

Sexual rights

3.3Governments must fund and develop, in equal partnership with young people and health care providers, policies, laws, and programs that recognize, promote, and protect young peoples’ sexual rights as human rights. This must be developed in accordance with the principles of human rights, non-discrimination, respect, equality and inclusivity, with a gendered, multicultural and secular approach.

3.5

Cultural and religious barriers such as parental and spousal consent, and early and forced marriages, should never prevent access to family planning, safe and legal abortion, and other reproductive health services –recognizing that young people have autonomy over their own bodies, pleasures, and desires

Legal protection

3.6 Governments must ensure that international and national laws, regulations, and policies remove obstacles and barriers–including requirements for parental & spousal notification and consent; and age of consent for sexual and reproductive services—that infringe on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and youth

3.9

Governments should decriminalize abortion, and create and implement policies and programs that ensure young women have access to safe and legal abortion, pre-and post-abortion services, without mandatory waiting periods, requirements for parental and spousal notification and/or consent or age of consent.

Sexual and reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education

3.10 Governments should ensure that every young person, including LGBTQI young people, have equal access to the full range of evidence-and rights-based, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education, that is respectful of young people’s right to informed consent.

  

3.11 Services should be confidential, accessible, and include a full range of safe, effective, affordable methods of modern contraception and family planning services and commodities, including pre-and post-natal care, amongst others. Comprehensive sexuality education should be developed in partnership with young people and include information on sexual orientation and gender identities that is free of religious intolerance.

Families

3.12

The concept of the family is constantly evolving and governments must recognize this by adapting legal, policy and programmatic frameworks that embrace every form of family and ensure the right of everyone to form a family, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.