*Photo above shows students making Pro-life Prayer Pillow tags.
*Click on arrow to watch 2 minute video about school presentations.
Photo to left: Nikki Schaefer showing student bag of apple seeds, the size of a 6 week old baby in the womb. Testimonial: Nikki Schaefer came to Central Catholic School in Grand Island. She talked to a different classroom of sixth through eighth graders each hour relating the pro-life message. She did a tremendous job, and the kids loved her along with the message she brought to them.
Our students learned the goodness of the child in the womb when Nikki talked with them about the beauty of life. She involved these pre-teens in making pillows for pro-life, and they fundraised with them the next day donating $500 to their local pro-life organization. Nikki told them that she has five young children and she brought two of them with her. This showed the pre-teens the beauty of family life and how families work together. I am thrilled and touched by her sincerity, her dynamic work and her stamina. Nikki is young and vibrant. She relates well to youth and gives them secrets to the success of the pro-life movement, which goes with what Vatican II has stated, “Young persons exert very substantial influence on modern society….They themselves ought to become the prime and direct apostles of youth, exercising the apostolate among themselves and through themselves and reckoning with the social environment in which they live.” –Vatican II, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, n. 12. - Mary Lee Dey, author of Speak to Your Children and former Birthright director, Grand Island, Nebraska |
School presentations evolved from the Pro-life Prayer Pillow ministry, which started in prayer through the heart of a seven-year old child (click on light blue text for more information about the pillows).
There are three calls that have developed from the Pro-life Prayer Pillows which we incorporate into our pro-life presentations. These are: 1. Prayer, 2.Action, and 3. Truth. We believe that all three of these elements are essential in order to develop a pro-life person and a pro-life culture, starting with prayer. In order to share the truth about the gift and miracle of LIFE, we share the story about the Pro-life Prayer Pillows and the message behind the pillows. Students also have an opportunity to view live ultrasounds or an ultrasound video, fetal models, and hear about the development of the baby in the womb. We also provide an opportunity for prayer, and pro-life action - like diaper drives or a Pro-life Prayer Pillow sale. To find out more about ultrasound option, please click on blue text "live ultrasounds" above. No school presentation has ever been the same. Schools choose different options offered based on need and desire, time availability, space, and scheduling. We work with you to create a pro-life presentation that fits best with your school and your students. Below are photos and options. 
Volunteer, Sheila O'Connell, educates students on the miracle of life using fetal models in the Nebraskans United for Life Ultrasound RV.
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TruthNikki Schaefer shares the story about how the Pro-life Prayer Pillows came to be - during prayer at a Holy Hour for Life through her seven year old daughter, Grace. Nikki then uses song, interactive games, age appropriate facts, and Scripture to further share the important pro-life, pro-God, pro-family message behind the Prayer Pillows.
Please click HERE to return to Home page and view video about Pro-life Prayer Pillows and middle school presentation. Click on "Learn More" link below for testimonials and photos. |
ActionAfter presentation, students have opportunity for ACTION.
Examples of ACTION options are: 1. Students can help make Pro-life Prayer Pillows. Students help sort rosaries (shown in photo above), cut out appliques, ribbons and tags for pillows. 2. Students can fund-raise with the Pro-life Prayer Pillows. Students have helped to sell pillows after their Sunday masses. Confirmation students enjoy getting service hours for this activity and donating funds to their local pro-life organization. 3. Students can also hold diaper drives and baby clothes drives or do penny wars in their homerooms donating funds to local pro-life organization. |
PrayerFirst and foremost it is important to know that each presentation is rooted and grounded in prayer. The presenters as well as a prayer team pray for each school and for all of the students before each presentation.
Students also have an opportunity to pray during the presentation. We have simply led them in a brief prayer prior to the presentation. We have prayed a decade of the rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament along with time for intentions and spontaneous prayer. Students have also had the opportunity to receive a 10 week old model baby, name the baby and pray for that baby. |