Soul Of Louisville Speaks

 As her admissions representative at National College I was able to meet “Marvelous Marva” and was impressed with her spunk, contagious smile, and friendly personality. Marva reminds me of a light house, standing tall in turbulent times, shining bright, and lighting the way for others. Marva is 36 year old single mother of two, and a heart transplant patient.

When Marva was pregnant with her daughter Marnita in 1996 she started noticing symptoms that something was just not right with her heart. However, at first they contributed it to asthma and her pregnancy. In 2003 after spending a month in the hospital she received her new heart. Fortunately because of her rare blood type she was not on the waiting list very long.

She does not know anything about the donor but would like to meet the family some day and has written several letters to the donor’s family. When asked what she would like to say to anyone considering donating their organs she responded “You don’t realize how it would help or change a person, I didn’t think I would be here to see my son get his drivers license or to experience all that I have with my kids.”

Marva has worked as a volunteer for KODA (Kentucky Organ Donner Association) and has spoken at different events. She continues to be a light that lights the way and inspires others. I am sure her story has encouraged others to sign their donor cards and will change, improve, inspire, and save lives for years to come.

Marva became pregnant in High School with her son William who is now 18 and will be attending National College in the fall. She credits the TAPP (teenage pregnancy program) for pulling her through High School and helping her deal with the challenges of being a young single mother.

After High School she worked in child care and retail. Her time was busy with working, being a mom, and dealing with her health. Her time belonged to everyone else and in 2007 with her heart surgery behind her she decided to do something for Marva. She tried a larger college but it was not a good fit. She chose National College because of the small class sizes and the short term programs. She said, “ the teachers work with you more closely here.”

Her son William said that his mom is an inspiration to him. When she gets down he reminds her of this. I imagine for William his mom is that light on the horizon that is still visible in the gloom and haze.

Marva is receiving 3^rd party funds for school through Vocational Rehabilitation and National College Workforce Development Grant. She said she would not be able to afford school on her own, and with her mounting medical bills those funds are a tremendous help.

Marva is studying medical billing and coding, and is enjoying school and the friends she has met. Her goal is to graduate and get a job in her field. She is enjoying the journey and doesn’t’ sweat the small stuff. After what she has been through she quite simply just enjoys life.

I look forward to seeing her walk across the stage at graduation. You will be able to spot her, she will be the one with the contagious smile, big heart, and shinning bright.

Elaine Raque Jetton

Community Resource Coordinator for National College

 Little known and virtually obscure to many people is the local effort to save lives that would otherwise end, violently even before they had ever drawn their first breath. Sisters For Life, a local ministry dedicated to offering viable alternatives to people considering abortion has successfully helped parents to save the lives of 45 children who would have never seen the light of day since June 2007.

Angela Minter, the co-founder and Executive Director of Sisters For Life, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit organization is championing the cause of life by leading women and men in choosing life for their unborn children. Many people would consider Sisters For Life an anti-abortion or anti-choice organization. Angela Minter prefers to describe the ministry as a Pro-Life ministry that celebrates the value and sanctity of every human life. 

One vital aspect of Sisters For Life work is their information packed and inspiring weekly radio show, airing on WLLV 1240 AM or WLOU 1350 AM on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The live show is an open forum in which the history, impact and destructive toll of abortion in the lives of individuals and our community is discussed.

One key part of Sisters For Life strategy is to offer counsel and support for women and couples who are considering abortion. Angela meets the women on the street outside the abortion clinic and presents them with "Life-Affirming" options encouraging them to weigh their actions in human terms.

Sisters For Life serves as a liaison and a referral resource, connecting families with resources needed to help them effectively rear their children in a safe, loving and life affirming way. Sisters works to help each mother and family by empowering beyond the decision to choose life for their unborn child by advocating for them and their continuing needs.

Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortions in The United States. According to a Fox News story some 80% of all Planned Parenthood abortion clinics are located in minority neighborhoods. The story goes on to say that representatives of Planned Parenthood in seven (7) States were audio recorded encouraging donations from private citizens who wanted to donate funds targeted specifically at abortions for black women.

The rate of African American abortion is nearly twice that of the number of live births of African American children. In graphic numbers for every 50 African American children born, 100 others are aborted. The numbers are staggering. Many anti-abortion and pro-life organizations claim that the targeting of minority and especially African American communities is equal to genocide.

Complicating the matter is that nearly 300 million of our tax dollars were used last year to subsidize the abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. There are many arguments that people make for abortion. The reality is that the only clearly wise argument is to choose not to become pregnant.

What would you do if you were about to be aborted by your mother as a mistake, a nusance, a career ender, but medical technology had developed a way to get your opinion before the act. What would you say to your own mother? Consider this: If there were a disease killing nearly twice the number of African American children who are born alive in a year, the medical community would marshal its forces to bring an end to senseless loss of life. 

We speak with disgust about the violence in the streets that claims the lives of boys and girls who may have been innocent  or may not have been innocent.  We chant slogans like, "Stop the Violence" and "Stop the Madness".  Yet we are largely silent about the slaughter of innocents that profoundly and irreversibly impacts the lives of the people around the child.  The mother, the father, their parents, future siblings and the community at large are impacted by the loss of life. 

The Soul of Louisville is committed to helping Sisters For Life in their work to increase awareness of the abortions that have assume the proportions of GENOCIDE in the African American Community.  The impact of abortion in the African American community upon our population growth is devastating, so much so that at this rate we are taking two steps backward for every one we take forward.  We shall soon be known as the SHRINKING Minority. 

Sisters For Life is working to overcome the challenges of saving children and saving their families in the process. To help Sisters for Life, visit www.sisforlife.org.

The city revealed its Derby traffic plan for Broadway on April 20, 2008.  The planned has been greatly revised from years past which all but locked West Louisville down producing an almost, "Martial Law" atmosphere.   

Our goal is to prevent any violence or cruising on Broadway and protect those neighborhoods,”

said Lt. Col. Phil Turner, an assistant chief with Louisville Metro Police.

Parking will be restricted on Broadway from Barret to 34th Street from 6 p.m. Friday to midnight Sunday.  Parking will be allowed west of 34th street on Sunday to allow church-goers to attend worship services at their respective churches.