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Over 40 years of ministry to

pregnant women and their children

<div class="topslogan">saving babies...<div class="narrowonly"><BR/></div> one <img src="http://lifesavers.glorifyjesus.com/menu/htbeat.gif" align="absmiddle" width=40 height=40 alt="(heart)"> at a time</div>

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Labor of Love Banquet
Martin Garza, from KERI AM-1180

Martin Garza from KERI-AM 1180 served as Master of Ceremonies at the Labor of Love Banquet (in addition to providing some impromptu translation for the Spanish-speaking attendees).


"The work that you do should be shouted from the rooftops!"

Stephanie Hanson and LSM founders

Stephanie Hanson, co-founder of LSM and the Bakersfield Crisis Pregnancy Center, explained how in 1984 God showed her in prayer that this ministry would impact not only Bakersfield but the nation. (LSM co-founders Meridee Wilson and Carlotta Fondren are seen at right.)


Sharon Johns and LSM founders

Sharon Johns, LSM co-founder, also shared briefly at the banquet.


Orthella explains that her son 19-year-old son Daniel was saved from abortion.

Orthella's son Daniel was one of the first fruits God produced through this ministry. Daniel is now 19!


Candy, happy that she has her daughter Isamar.

Candy's voice broke as she thanked the Lord for LifeSavers Ministries: "these people have done very beautiful things for many people... my joy is my daughter."

"This event was absolutely wonderful -- so moving. Thank you."

Zhou and Mary, saved from forced abortion in China.

Zhou was incarcerated for over five years by the INS because she wanted to escape from forced abortion in China. Zhou's story (and the story of Zhou's daughter Mary) was shared by video at the banquet.


Gary Giumarra, LifeSavers Ministries supporter.

Gary Giumarra talked candidly about the struggle he experienced when he first began supporting LifeSavers Ministries. "This is such a worthwhile ministry. I think all you have to do is take a look in the face of one of these beautiful children who are here tonight."



The Labor of Love crowd listens as Betty Casillas sings 'Teach My Mother, Oh Lord.'

Thank you to our Labor of Love table sponsors!

  • The Pacheco Family
  • Knights of Columbus Council #11545 (Sacred Heart)
  • Gary and Janet Giumarra
  • San Clemente Mission
  • Hocking Denton Palmquist (Phil and Robyn Palmquist)
  • San Joaquin Wellness and Medical Group
  • Patty Reed
  • Riverland Ministries
  • Dave and Lorrie Moore
  • Gardener's Supply
  • James and Josephine McArthur
  • Brian and Marcie Rowland
  • Brook Hayes
  • Carlotta and Mildred Fondren
  • John and Ethel Miksits
  • Daniel and Laura Halbur
  • In Jesus' Name
  • Bill and Ramona Altmiller
  • Tony Aversano
  • Knights of Columbus Council #12719 (Christ the King)
  • Marti McCraw
  • Joyce Gouldie and Jacquie Davis
  • Robert and Cory Balsom
  • St. John the Evangelist Church (Wasco)
  • St. Augustine Church (Lamont)
  • Yvette lbarra
  • Perias and Company

Special Thanks to all our moms, and their children, who had the courage to share their stories with us. We really do love you.

"Thank God for this special night to honor God and bless the mothers, fathers and children!"

Children who were saved from abortion joined with their
Betty Casillas singing her song 'Teach My Mother, Oh Lord'

Betty Casillas sang a song she wrote entitled "Teach My Mother, Oh Lord." The song touched the hearts of the young women attending the banquet whose children were saved from abortion.


Jackie brags about her son Jordan

Jackie was shy at first, but she once she started bragging about her son Jordan she didn't want to stop.

mothers in saying "thank you" to those who helped to save their lives at the Labor of Love Banquet on June 17, 2004. Within minutes after the banquet was over, we began receiving requests for recordings of this event. This page shares some photos, video excerpts, and audio recordings of the highlights of the evening, along with comments from those who experienced it. Regrettably, a complete recording of the evening may not be possible, because some portions were apparently not recorded (if you have any recordings or photographs from the banquet, please share them with us).

The Labor of Love Banquet was planned to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of LifeSavers Ministries. About 250 people joined in the celebration, including all of the founders of LifeSavers Ministries along with those who lead the outreach today.

"...a young man named David armed only with a sling-shot stood and faced down a giant named Goliath and he said, 'Is there not a cause?' If ever there was a cause, this is a cause."

The founders of LSM spoke of the divine guidance and power which was evident in the formation of LSM. Parents whose children were saved from abortion spoke again and again of the fact that these children are now loved and cherished. The foolishness of the devil's abortion scheme became self-evident: the problems which motivate women and men to consider abortion have little or no long-term significance when compared to the life
Brian and Janel expressed appreciation for their son Jaiel

Brian and Janel thanked God for using LifeSavers Ministries to save the life of their son Jaiel--and Jaiel himself even had quite a bit to say.

of a child. If only women who enter the abortion chamber every week could have their eyes opened to this truth.

The devil threw many obstacles in the way of the women who wanted to share their testimonies at the Labor of Love Banquet, ranging from school and work schedule problems to the sudden death of a relative. Video excerpts were shared at the banquet which briefly told the stories of some of those who were unable to attend. (These video excerpts are a portion of a larger
Tracy, thankful for her baby R.J.

Tracy thanked LifeSavers supporters via video for the life of her son R.J., exclaiming "I love him so much!" Last October, Terri Palmquist had pleaded for over an hour with Tracy and her boyfriend not to abort R.J. (In our initial ministry report on Tracy, we gave her the pseudoname "Tisha" to hide her identity.)

project which will feature the testimonies of 20 women whose children were saved from abortion. The project is expected to be completed later this year. To stay informed on the progress of the video project, please subscribe to our e-mail updates.)

LSM co-chairman Tim Palmquist encouraged the parents whose children were saved, emphasizing God's plan for each one of these children. "I want you to feel the destiny that you're holding in your hands," he emphasized, reminding them of the fact that in biblical history the devil furiously schemed to try to destroy the children who had a special purpose in God's plan.

Tim then talked about how God has revealed His plan through his own family. "Even though neither of us has ever been a part of an abortion experience personally, we've felt it," he explained. "I think we've felt what you ladies feel." But through a series of unplanned pregnancies, God's plan became evident.

Tim and Terri Palmquist and their children.

Too many children? The Tim and Terri Palmquist family.

Tim then shared a brand new song, written by Terri and himself over the past couple of years, called "Too Many Children?" The song relates the feelings of despair which an unplanned pregnancy can trigger, but then considers how God's glory is magnified through each unplanned pregnancy just as it is magnified through every flower. Throughout the song, Tim and Terri's children presented Terri with flowers, until at the end of the song she was holding a full bouquet.

Looking into the eyes of so many children who were saved from abortion was a bittersweet experience for Tim. He compared his feelings to those of Oskar Schindler at the end of the movie Schindler's List. "I could have got more out," Schindler sobbed, "and I didn't." If only we could see how our actions today stand from the perspective of eternity.

Jordan Young sang 'Thank you' to all of the LifeSavers Ministries supporters.

Jordan Young, a child who was saved from abortion, touched everyone's hearts, moving many to tears, when he sang "Thank you for giving to the Lord, for I am a life that was saved. Thank you for giving to the Lord; I am so glad you gave."

"It was wonderful! Jordan's song was the highlight!"

But Itzhak Stern challenged Oskar Schindler to focus on the lives that were saved, and to understand that "there will be generations because of what you did." And so, we also thank and praise God for every child (and every young adult) who was saved from abortion over the past two decades of LifeSavers Ministries' efforts. We declare in faith that God has planned for these children to become a key part of the battle to dismantle the abortion industry in America, until we return to our founding fathers' principles of recognizing the gift of the unalienable rights our Creator so graciously endowed upon us.

To take a stand with us in this effort to rescue America's heritage, click here. To find out how to get involved financially in this ministry click here.

"This has... brought me closer to an issue I have always felt very strongly about... now I feel I should invest in the battle personally and not just with voting."

On March 16, 2005, Leon F. Brown, an attorney with Clear Channel Television (owners of KGET-TV 17), wrote a letter to LifeSavers Ministries. The letter expressed concern about "content on your LifeSavers website referencing one of our employees and one of our television stations."

"Please be advised that this is a formal demand for removal of all information relating to our television station from your website as we believe that information to be defamatory. In addition we request a retraction of that defamatory information currently posted on your website."

For the record, the information which previously appeared here was never intended to defame KGET-TV 17 or any of their employees, but to honor the courageous women who told their stories at this banquet, and to affirm the fact that the stories of these women and children who stood for life in the midst of our culture of death are newsworthy.

We thank God for Robin Mangarin, Jackie Parks and Don Clark, and recognize the fact that God gave these local Christian personalities positions of great influence in our communities. We encourage you to pray that God would open more doors for these and other Christian leaders in our community to proclaim the truth about the Gospel of Life in our culture of death. (More to come)

Watch and listen!


Fr. Chummar opened the banquet with a prayer about grace, glory and life.

Fr. Chummar from Our Lady of Guadalupe opened the banquet with a prayer about grace, love, glory and life.


"Thank you so much for this beautiful experience...."

Steve Hanson, co-founder of LifeSavers Ministries and the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, speaking at the Labor of Love Banquet.

Attorney Steve Hanson, co-founder of LifeSavers Ministries and the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, talked about the spiritual warfare experienced by the early LifeSavers, and encouraged banquet attendees to read Tim Palmquist's book. "If I could have written a book about the sidewalk ministry... this is the book I would have written. This is the best I've ever seen."

Lewis Ament receives an award (and new shoes) from the leaders and founders of LifeSavers Ministries.

Lewis Ament received a special award at the banquet. "Lewis Ament laid the foundation for this ministry through his prayers," Tim Palmquist explained. Before LifeSavers began, Lewis began walking and praying on the sidewalks outside the abortion chamber, and he has continued to do so throughout the past two decades. As a token of appreciation, the leaders and founders of LIfeSavers Ministries presented Lewis with a new pair of shoes. "He's worn off a lot of shoe leather over the years," Tim joked. Lewis was literally speechless.


Kim said that the day she gave birth to her daughter Jocelyn was 'the best day of my life.'

Kim traveled all the way from Bishop to Bakersfield to express appreciation to LifeSavers supporters for the life of her daughter Jocelyn.

"You guys saved my life thankx!"

Jessica talked about how God has saved and healed her children as Terri Palmquist held Matthew, Jessica's son saved from abortion.

Jessica talked about how God has saved and healed her children as Terri Palmquist held Matthew, Jessica's son who was saved from abortion. Andrew, Jessica's youngest child, was still in the hospital on the day of the banquet, but he is now home, a living testimony to the healing power of God.


LSM co-chairman Tim Palmquist challenges women to recognize God's plan for their children who were saved from abortion.

Tim Palmquist, LSM co-chairman, challenges parents to recognize God's plan for their children, saying "I want you to feel the destiny that you're holding in your hands."


"Thank you Tim and Terri for tonight and for all your love and sacrifice over the years."

Parents of children who were saved from abortion applaud Jordan Young.

The parents of children who were saved from abortion joined their children in standing with Jordan Young at the close of his song "Thank You," and they joined the banquet participants in giving Jordan a standing ovation.


Harold Bryan, pastor of In Jesus' Name, closed the banquet with a challenge and prayer.

Harold Bryan, pastor of In Jesus' Name, closed the banquet with scriptural insights and prayer. "This is a God thing, and God's love is here tonight."


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