|
|
|
|
The "Hand Of Hope": Samuel Armas
a Decade Later
By Dave Andrusko
Many of you no doubt have read Liz Townsend's outstanding story about Michael Clancy and "The Hand of Hope" (www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/April10/nv042010part2.html). Mr. Clancy, who will be speaking at the NRLC convention in Pittsburgh June 24-26, took that historic photo of Samuel Armas during the time surgeons were performing in utero surgery on the boy. The 1999 photo shows Samuel, who was not delivered for almost four more months, grasping the finger of the surgeon at Vanderbilt University. I happened to run into a follow-up article about Samuel that appeared a year ago on Fox News (www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519181,00.html). What a picker upper and what a testimony! I did not know that Samuel had become an eloquent spokesman for the preciousness of life. Let me list just a few of his powerfully moving statements. He told Joshua Rhett Miller when he sees the photo (often described as "The Hand of Hope") "'the first thing I think of is how special and lucky I am to have God use me that way,' adding, 'I feel very thankful that I was in that picture.'"
Later in the interview, we read, "the photo likely gave countless 'babies their right to live' and forced many others to debate their beliefs on abortion, something he's proud of. 'It's very important to me,' Samuel said of the photograph. 'A lot of babies would've lost their lives if that didn't happen.'" His mother, Julie Armas, said of her eldest son that he "has a 'very strong sense of right and wrong' and understands the impact of his unconventional first baby photo. 'He identifies it more in terms of a pro-life message more than anything,' she told FOXNews.com. 'This photo happened and God used it to show people that this baby in mom's tummy is alive. He's pleased that his photo conveyed that message.'" A great story, which I hope you take the time to read in full. It's found at www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519181,00.html. Please be sure to read "National Right to Life News Today" (www.nationalrighttolifenews.org) and send your thoughts to daveandrusko@gmail.com. |
