South Dakota & Wyoming

REPORT FROM JERRY CRAWFORD
States of Refuge: Jackson Hole, Wyoming 
(12 days – 9 states – 4,482 miles) 
Tuesday May 8, 2012 
	Rev. Mike Warren and I left Rochester about 1:00 pm for the 4 1/2 hour drive to 
Tom Raddell’s house in Cleveland, Ohio. We were treated to good food and warm 
hospitality. 
 
Wednesday May 9,  5:05 am (Cleveland) 
	Four of us; Mike, Tom, Pastor Dale Henkel and I all pile into Tom’s Toyota 
Tundra, hauling the trailer full of huge signs and the erector set used to build 
the display. Our goal for the day is the Motel 6 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 
15 hours of driving away, and Tom doesn’t stop much! 
 
Thursday May 10 (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 
	After an early breakfast we “scout” the town for about three hours, then pick 
up the permit issued for setting up the display in a park the next day. At 10:45 
am we each bring one of the 4’ x 8’ signs to the Planned Parenthood across from 
Roosevelt High School. This PP is the last known abortion clinic in the whole 
state. It was very windy and often a struggle to keep from being blown into the 
street with the big signs (32 square feet of wind resistance). More than two 
hours – no clients in PP – two kids from the school come to talk with Mike 
Warren and help hold his sign. We were all encouraged by Bob, the manager of the 
adjoining apartment complex. There was a day care facility and a Christian High 
School, all in this same area. The Word and Warfare team had prepared the way 
for us the week before. After lunch locally, we were back for school dismissal 
at 2:45. Dale and I had somewhat smaller (but still very big) signs by PP, while 
Mike and Tom were on the sidewalk in front of the school. We all passed out some 
literature, and “180” DVDs. Mike and Tom got to talk with the school principal, 
some kids and the police. I had an extensive conversation with a young post 
abortive woman who stopped. 
 
Friday May 11 (Sioux Falls) 
	Again we were at Roosevelt High School for arrival. We all had opportunity to 
talk with police again. After a break and more recon (local college?), we went 
back to Planned Parenthood. We decided that the park we had the permit for was 
not suitable for our purpose, so, after checking out of the hotel we went to 
Lincoln High School for dismissal time; then on the road again. We arrived in 
Wall, SD about 7:00 pm. We had seen ads for Wall Drug for hundreds of miles, but 
they closed at 7:00 pm. 
 
 
Saturday May 12 (Wall, South Dakota) 
	Tom “graciously” allowed us 30 minutes at Wall Drug Store before hitting the 
road. We added a three hour detour to Mt. Rushmore, since we were so close. It 
was very impressive. We arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming about 4:30 pm. After an 
early dinner we toured the town and our permit location for setting up the 
display on Monday. 
 
Sunday May 13 (Cheyenne, Wyoming) 
	Day of rest. Tom and Mike went to mass, I did laundry and packed. We had to 
change hotels (same city). Mike sent emails to the local media regarding the 
Monday events. We got word from our team in Jackson that the church hosting our 
nightly rallies had uninvited us!  We connected with John, driver of a Truth 
Truck (large delivery truck with huge pro-life pictures). 
 
Monday May 14 (Cheyenne) 
	From 8:00 to 10:00 am we set up the display. Mostly 4’ x 8’ picture signs 
linked and stacked. We had about 100 feet of street frontage, many with another 
sign attached above. Then another interior display with a length of about 20 
feet of vertical signs. This was all on the property of the Wyoming Supreme 
Court. We were greeted by the property manager who was very helpful. We were 
directly across the street from the State Capitol Building. While the only 
remaining abortion clinic is 450 miles away (Jackson), we passed thru Cheyenne, 
the seat of government for the state. We met a Christian Rabbi who interacts 
with the governor daily and promised to urge him to view the display. We also 
met the Superintendent of Schools for the whole state. She was quite impressed 
with the display and thanked us for coming. A man with her (staffer?) said that 
our display “pushed him over the edge.” He said the superintendent had been 
prodding him for years to run for office, and that he is going to do it this 
year. We gave out a lot of literature and “180” DVDs. One newspaper reporter 
showed up, and just as we were beginning to tear down, about 4:00 pm., a limo 
went by with the back window part way down. Maybe the governor? 
 
Tuesday May 15 (Cheyenne) 
	We had a beautiful scenic drive thru the Grand Teton Mountains on our way to 
Jackson Hole. At 9,000 feet it was 70 degrees with snow on the ground. Lots of 
antelope and a few buffalo. We got there about 3:30 pm. Just enough time to 
check in, get some dinner, and be at the Wort Hotel for the 6:00pm meeting. 
Rusty Thomas got an emergency call that night that his son Elijah (17) had some 
serious medical issues that Drs. couldn’t figure out. Rusty flew out the next 
morning. By this time the four of us had already been on the road for seven 
days, “worked” three full days and logged 2,200 miles on the truck. The event 
was to start in the morning. 
 
Wednesday May 16 (Jackson Hole, Wyoming) 
	Usual 6:00 am meeting in parking lot of our motel (marching orders for the 
day). Most were dispatched to the high school. We were assigned to the middle 
school. The grade school, located between the two, didn’t start until 1 1/2 
hours later, long after we were gone elsewhere. We talked with police, school 
administration, and received comments from parents (mostly negative). Time for a 
quick breakfast. The first day I ordered the legendry cinnamon bun, about 8” in 
diameter and covered with cream cheese frosting. I sent Terry a picture of it. 
At 9:00 am the four of us were at the Elk Park in downtown to set up the display 
for the day. We were met by a number of police, about two each, who told us what 
we could and couldn’t do. Wednesday, the first day, they gave us permission for 
everything we asked. Although we did have a permit, we actually set up on the 
sidewalk outside the park, on two sides of the main entrance. Each day after we 
were more restricted to the point that the last day they actually measured to 
see that we were in compliance with the permit. Even so, we had much good 
interaction with most of the officers we encountered at the park every day. 
While we were at the park the rest of the group was at the strip mall housing 
the medical office of Dr. Brent Blue, the last known abortionist in Wyoming. 
Last year he had two partners in his practice, this year there is only one. In 
addition there were five teams reading the entire Bible, out loud, over the city 
(Word and Warfare). This had already been done this year at the other four 
states with one remaining abortion clinic (North Dakota, South Dakota, 
Mississippi, and Arkansas). His Word will not return void! Tear down about 4:00 
pm., quick dinner and nightly rally, about 6:30 – 9:30 pm. This was the pattern 
for the week. 
 
Thursday May 17 (Jackson) 
	Our display was a front page picture in the local newspaper. There were three 
incidents the first day, all involving locals not being civil, compassionate, 
and loving (the theme of opposing locals). One was a student driving toward our 
people and swerving at the last moment, another was two girls who spray painted 
one of the Truth Trucks.  At the schools there was police tape everywhere and 
new parking restrictions, but the result was better positioning for us with less 
harassment from school officials. There were some positive responses from 
parents at the schools and many locals who were supportive at the park.  We had 
to set up inside the park and only one side, but they posted new short term No 
Parking signs so that we had more exposure than before. While we are mostly 
vilified for showing graphic pictures everywhere, there is always at least one 
incident where parents take advantage of a teaching moment. Mike gave me five 
minutes of his speaking time. Thankfully it was at the end of a very long day, 
so I don’t think anyone even remembers anything I said other than “I am not a 
preacher and I can tell time.” I was the only one to finish within my allotted 
time. Each succeeding day was colder with rain late Thursday afternoon and most 
of Friday. There was actually thick frost on the windshield at 4:30 Saturday 
morning. 
 
 
Friday May 18 (Jackson) 
	Had to get tire fixed after school outreach. Rained all day until about 20 
minutes before a 2:00 pm Memorial Ceremony at the park. Rev. Mike was the main 
speaker. All said it was one the best messages ever. Tom got a call that his son 
(18) was taken to the hospital with a concussion. He was home by the next 
morning. My Rescue and China friend Cal Zastrow gave a powerful message that 
night. 
 
Saturday May 19 (Jackson) 
	We were on our way home by 5:15 am.  The Book of Revelation, the completion of 
the Word and Warfare event, was read in the park on Saturday (during the local 
Elk Fest). Sunday there was a presence outside some churches that have no 
problem with killing unborn babies. 
We drove all morning, afternoon, and all night Saturday. We continued to drive 
into the morning Sunday. Tom was determined to be home for his daughter’s First 
Communion at 11:00 am Sunday. We arrived at his house about 10:50! Within half 
an hour Mike and I were on the road again.  I arrived home about 4:15 pm. Your 
prayers and God’s favor carried us all the way! 
 12 days, 9 states, and 4,482 miles. 
     
Respectfully submitted – Jerr