CloseUp - Elli Schweisow
By Elli Schweisow
Winter 2002 Family Voice

Elli Schwiesow has been a pro-life activist and a prayer/action chapter leader (PAL) for more than 15 years in Black Hills, South Dakota.

How did you become involved with CWA?
God raised up a mighty army 20 years ago in South Dakota to do battle in the abortion arena, but we were desperate for information. I needed credible sources with statistics for writing articles and for speaking. I read CWA’s material and I realized, this is what I think, this is what I’m all about.

How would you describe your prayer chapter?
When there is something in the state or community that’s very pertinent, God raises up prayer warriors to come together. And I always like to take it one step further, to put political shoes on their feet, too. I’m always teaching CWA women to get involved politically.

What were your early days like in the pro-life movement?
We had one of the most established abortionists in our community. He was known as a crusader for abortion. We felt we needed to heighten community awareness and put him out of business. I became a cheerleader with a bullhorn. We had pickets at his clinic almost every day, and other times we’d have pastors speak there. The abortionist grew older, and because of all of our activity, no one was willing to move into our community and take over that lucrative practice, so the clinic was shut down.

How did that affect the community?
God works in miracles. The abortionist’s son was one of our great enemies. But now he is the mayor of our community, and he is very pro-life. We’re good friends. And we set up a Black Hills Crisis Pregnancy Center. It’s an established community resource and it doesn’t stick out as “the other side.” I’ve been a counselor there since the first training, and I keep in touch with clients I had in the beginning. Those babies they didn’t abort are now 14 years old.

CWA of South Dakota and other states have many opportunities for you to make a difference.

How are you involved in politics today?
Conservative women in politics are kind of a novelty, so I got involved in my county Republican organization, and I’ve been elected to many state offices in the party. Good Christian people are so necessary to good government. I can’t stress that enough. In politics you learn how to bend elbows; but as a Christian, you have to change hearts. The Bible says we are to claim the land that we walk on, first our homes, then our communities (Genesis 13:17).

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