Things are really moving at the State Capitol! CWA of Missouri sponsored several events last week – some to inform and some to inform and encourage. On Tuesday, Heidi Olson, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner who works for a large children’s hospital, joined me at the capitol to make personal visits with members of the Missouri General Assembly (MOGA). She shared about the growing epidemic on child on child sexual assault. Her information is grim, but it requires action. We are gaining much support for the resolution declaring pornography as a public health crisis and the legislation that we are drafting regarding new internet protections for minors. We hosted a sandwich supper that evening where Ms. Olson made her formal presentation to a group of about fifteen office holders and staff.
On Wednesday morning, CWA of Missouri provided hot breakfast for the Wednesday morning Bible Study led by State Rep. Dan Stacy (R-District 031). It was encouraging for CWA of Missouri to see 23 individuals, mostly lawmakers, attending Bible Study at 7:00 a.m.
We continue to meet the new members of the MOGA as we can during the day. Jill Noble, CWA of Missouri’s Greater Kansas City Area Director and Education Coordinator, came to the capitol on Wednesday afternoon. We met with three senators who are on the Senate Education Committee to discuss choice in education.
Wednesday was Human Trafficking Awareness Day at the capitol with many ministries and organizations that work on the trafficking issue having displays in the third-floor rotunda and a rally in the afternoon in which we participated.
That evening was our Liberty in Law Dinner with Bill Federer as the featured speaker. We had three state representatives who are fighting religious freedom issues in their districts speak on their experiences before Mr. Federer took the mic. It was a very well attended event – over 75 in attendance and one third of them being members of the MOGA!
On Thursday morning, Bill Federer spoke to the office holders and members of staff at the capitol, and we provided breakfast for the attendees. CWA of Missouri was encouraged as there were between 10-14 (some had to leave for committee meetings) in attendance.
CWA of Missouri Legislative Liaisons Alissa Johnson and Heather Sparks, Jill Noble, and myself attended the Legislative Collaboration Day training that the Attorney General’s Task Force on Human Trafficking sponsored from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. There is much to be done to rein in the scourge of human trafficking. Much has already been done, and we are excited about being involved with this diverse group of individuals and organizations who have been on the front lines with the victims of sex trafficking and are putting together meaningful legislation.
CWA of Missouri leaders – Alissa Johnson, Legislative Liaison Vicki Leuther, Jill Noble, Records Correspondent and Prayer/Action Chapter Leader Diana Kaufman and I attended the Educational Policy Conference (EPC) held in St. Louis, Thursday night through Saturday afternoon. This was the 30th year that the Constitutional Coalition has provided this opportunity for activists across the country to gather in St. Louis and hear from the very best speakers/authors/presenters. The big names on the program this year were Eric Metaxas, Bill Federer, Coach Joe Kennedy, Michele Bachman and Tucker Carlson. Our CWA of Missouri team is really excited about implementing the ideas and actions we heard about at the EPC.
Please pray for us. We are a small number of volunteers who find many opportunities for CWA of Missouri to make a difference in at our state capitol and across Missouri. Pray that God will grant us favor, defeat the enemies before we show up and that Missouri can set an example of providing public policy that protects the morals of the young people, makes marriage and therefore the family stronger and will be Christlike as we are doing so.
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Bev Ehlen
State Director
CWA of Missouri
director@missouri.cwfa.org