40 Days for Life: Vision and Mission, February 13

Vision and mission

40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion.

The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion.

The 40 Days for Life campaign

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:

40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion.

The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities ... and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ's resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.

Babies saved … babies adopted … pastors participating … abortion center owners miffed.

Yes, those are things we hear about at 40 Days for Life vigils on a regular basis. But the blessings are REALLY flowing in one particular location that has experienced ALL of those things!

LANSING, MICHIGAN

Volunteers in Lansing have shared the joyful news of lives spared from abortion – but there are many other ways their prayers have been answered during this campaign.

For one thing, there is active clergy involvement at the vigil. Pastor John Hayden of Columbia Road Baptist Church is one of the church leaders who take regular turns at the vigil, stopping by for an hour of prayer each week before heading off to his day’s work.

“He stops to pray and be a witness to hope,” said Cecelia in Lansing. He stands near a very busy corner, holding a “pray to end abortion sign.” He hasn’t counted cars yet, but just watching all the traffic, he estimates "we're reaching a thousand people an hour."

Pastor Hayden occasionally gets an earful from a passing motorist, but he greets that negativity with a positive response. "When drivers get angry and make comments from vehicles – mostly it's the men – I give them a thumbs-up."

About 50 people who gathered for a noontime prayer hour met Kathleen, a young mother, and her two young adopted sons – twin boys.

Kathleen and her family had been praying at a previous 40 Days for Life campaign (an abortion center that is now closed!) after she had lost a child through miscarriage.

Not long after that, a foster care agency asked her if she wanted twin brothers whose abortion-minded mother had changed her mind. She prayed about it and sensed that God was telling her to adopt the boys. So she did!

Rita, a member of the 40 Days for Life leadership team in Lansing (second from left in this photo), shared another adoption story – her own! Rita was adopted when she was three months old.

"I will be eternally grateful to my birth mom for letting me be a gift to a family who wanted me so much,” she said. “One of the pro-life signs that I've seen over the years reads: ‘Adoption – the loving option.’ It can be such a beautiful gift.”

Rita said if abortion had been legal at the time, she might not be here today.

As is often the case, the peaceful vigil is having an effect on the abortion center staff. A man who identified himself as the owner left the building and approached the people praying in the public right-of-way.

“I own the sidewalk,” he told the volunteers. “If you stand on the sidewalk, you have to keep moving. You may not put signs up in the grassy area. I own it.” He added – in rather crude terms – that if the vigil participants harassed his employees, he would throw them all off his property.

A quick call to the city attorney’s office confirmed that the sidewalk and the grassy area are public property, and there was no requirement to keep moving.

It sounds like just another abortion business that can’t wait for Day 40 to get here – and just another reason to keep a regular, continuing prayer presence on the public sidewalk for Day 41 and beyond!

Rev. Clenard Childress, LEARN (Life Education and Resource Network)

Intention:

Let us pray that pastors may not be distracted from the priority of caring for human lives.

Scripture:

In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

— Acts 6:1

Reflection:

More folks learning left some yearning. It is the dawning of a new day. There is much excitement in Jerusalem. Many who dedicated themselves to the faith became disciples (the word disciple means “learner”).

The unprecedented church growth was miraculous and undoubtedly brought much satisfaction to the new leadership. The apostles, however, were about to experience growing pains in their master plan of evangelism. Projects that engage the community, especially those that are evangelistic in nature, are high on the list of priorities for every duty-bound pastor.

Church attendance is a constant concern for every pastor and often his or her worth is measured by it. Unfortunately, just as the original twelve pastors in Acts, they can be so focused on getting people in that they inadvertently end up pushing somepeople out. Murmuring is a deplorable deterrent to a harmonious fellowship,yet God used it to get the disciples attention. Those that needed daily attention due to their age and social status were being neglected. This neglect of the Hellenist widows during the daily distribution of food was causing undue grief and needed to be corrected by the leadership. By God’s grace the problem was dealt with, but the lesson remains. And during these 40 days, let us pray that today’s church not make the same mistake of forgetting the contributions of our seniors, or the needs of the weakest among us, the unborn.

Prayer:

Father, in the Church’s desire to engage our communities with the gospel let her not disengage from those who need their care and company the most. Let us gain wisdom from those who have gone before us and cherish their experiences and perspectives. Help us to appreciate every soul in the body of Christ and minister properly to everybody. Amen.

As I have just returned from the mountain-top experience of visiting all six 40 Days for Life campaigns in Colorado over two and a half days, Shawn Carney asked me to share this quick report with you.

COLORADO SPRINGS

Upon landing at the airport, I went directly to the Focus on the Family campus where I met with members of their staff and recorded a radio interview. I then met with the local 40 Days for Life leadership team for a two-hour, no-holds-barred Q&A session where we discussed every aspect of growing and improving the effectiveness of local pro-life efforts.

We then headed out to a midpoint rally in front of a Planned Parenthood abortion center (which was just sued for allegedly forcing an abortion on a woman and then botching the abortion). Freezing temperatures combined with strong blowing wind and snow made for challenging conditions, but didn't daunt the dozens of faithful volunteers.

See for yourself in this very snowy video! Click the image below or go to http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4323

The next morning, local Catholic Bishop Michael Sheridan invited me in studio for a radio interview. It was a very moving discussion and Bishop Sheridan shared his enthusiasm about 40 Days for Life. The audio recording of the show was just posted online at:

http://tinyurl.com/bishopsheridan

ALAMOSA

Next up was a three-hour drive to Alamosa, population 8,682. After my GPS got me lost on dirt roads trying to get to their location, I finally joined a handful of prayer volunteers at the vigil in front of Planned Parenthood. After praying together, we visited the local pregnancy resource center to meet with and encourage their staff and volunteers.

DENVER

From Alamosa, it was a five-hour drive to Denver. I arrived just in time for a candlelight prayer vigil and midpoint rally outside the mega Planned Parenthood abortion center -- shortly after an ambulance had to rush a woman from the facility to a nearby hospital.

FORT COLLINS

Early the next morning, I headed north to Fort Collins, where we had a midpoint rally at a campus ministry before going to pray at their vigil outside Planned Parenthood.

GREELEY

Then I drove to Greeley, where I joined more than a dozen volunteers peacefully praying in the middle of the day outside another Planned Parenthood office. While we prayed, a car pulled up and the driver said she felt called to stop and give them a donation to support their important work.

BOULDER

The final stop of my whirlwind tour was Boulder. We gathered for an hour of prayer outside of the Boulder Abortion Clinic (late-term abortionist Warren Hern proudly advertises that name on the building) before moving to a nearby church for a midpoint rally.

While praying with the faithful people of Colorado, I was deeply moved by their "mile-high" commitment to speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves -- even in the midst of challenging weather, persecution, and opposition. May we follow their inspiring example!

Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life board of directors

Intention:

Pray for opportunities to share with an abortion-minded woman that the newness of life she is seeking is found only in Christ.

Scripture:

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

Reflection:

An unexpected pregnancy is perceived by many young women as the end of their life as they know it. News of an unexpected pregnancy pulls the rug from under her well laid plans. Sadly, these women may choose abortion as a matter of self- reservation, believing that an abortion will help return life to normal and give them opportunity to start anew.

They don’t see abortion as killing a child, but rather as saving their own life. Of course, abortion will not bring the newness of life they are seeking, but instead will bring death to their child, lifelong regret, and unexpected —possibly devastating—consequences to their own life.

Abortion will be the choice made if we don’t meet them at the crossroad betweenlife and death with a better way. Almost without exception, these young women are looking for love, acceptance, and to be valued. In their efforts to have those needs met, they have become promiscuous. Most, if honest, will admit the needs were onlymet momentarily, if at all, during their brief encounter, and afterward the needs returned unmet.

The truth is, only Christ loves them unconditionally with an everlasting love. Only Christ will accept them as they are, and only Christ sees them for their true value in Him. He has a perfect plan for each woman and her child if only she will allow Christ to transform her life as she surrenders to Him. No, an unexpected pregnancy is not the end of life, but rather can be the beginning of two beautiful lives if God’s plan forthem is given opportunity to unfold.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you give us a new song, a new purpose, a new direction, a new perspective. You remind us that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

Give us boldness to share this Good News with those at the crossroads. May they choose life for their children and enjoy newness of life in You. Because of Christ we pray, amen.

In the first days of a 40 Days for Life campaign, when abortion workers watch your peaceful presence outside their building, they do NOT like what they are seeing. They view us as enemies and a nuisance. Over time, however, they witness your prayers, love and compassion ... in the rain, snow or heat. Eventually, some begin to question the work they are doing.

Of the 76 workers who have had a change of heart and left their jobs, many have done so in the last two weeks of the campaign. This time, it's a first for an international 40 Days for Life campaign.

We’ve just learned that an abortion center worker in Sydney, Australia has quit her job and left for good!

This now makes 77 abortion employees who have decided that they cannot continue with their work and walked out during 40 Days for Life campaigns.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

PHOTO: ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY

The Sydney team tells the story of a young woman who had moved to Australia from Nigeria two years ago. She was trained as a nurse assistant, and quickly became certified to work in her new home – and this was a good thing, as her family needed money.

She enrolled with an agency and was placed at various healthcare facilities. Recently, however, she was assigned to Preterm Foundation in the Sydney area. This woman did not know that Preterm Foundation was an abortion facility.

At first, she was asked to sterilize instruments. But then she was told to help with “procedures,” guiding an ultrasound wand as abortions were carried out.

That’s when she approached the 40 Days for Life prayer group. “She was desperate to leave. But she had been placed there by the agency and was convinced if she left that would be the last job they would ever find for her,” said Paul Hanrahan, one of the 40 Days for Life leaders.

She said that with only her husband’s factory job, there would not be enough money to pay the rent. However, with the promise of financial help from various pro-life sources, she went to church and prayed … and found the courage to quit her job.

This young woman says that once she finds a new position, she will tell the whole story of what it was like to work at an abortion center.

ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

40 Days for Life volunteers in Orange County are becoming even more concerned about what’s going on inside the Planned Parenthood facility where their vigil is taking place.

The people praying on the sidewalk say it’s common to see women leaving in tears. They were watching when one woman was picked up after an abortion, with a sweatshirt over her head to hide her face.

Recently, though, they’ve seen something else – ambulances and emergency medical teams. It’s now happened four times.

The people praying on the sidewalk say an ambulance pulled up, and a woman was wheeled out of the abortion center. One of the volunteers say the woman looked in their direction, so they hope she realizes that they were praying for her – and her baby.

“Let us pray for these women and all women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy, and bring out to the light the malpractices that take place in our neighborhood under so-called safe, legal abortion,” said Alejandra in Orange County. “Please bring your cameras … and document these incidents if you witness them.”

Rev. Paul Stallsworth, President, Lifewatch (United Methodist Church)

Intention:

May we come to know that divine life, in relationship, creates human life.

Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

—John 1:1-3

Reflection:

“In the beginning" was God. Always, before all times, there was God. This particular God -- the God of the Bible, the God of St. John’s Gospel -- is different from all other gods. This God is alive and full of life. This God is not the picture of deadness and death, aloneness and isolation. This God is the picture of life, relationship, and unity. For within this God, within this one God, there are three divine persons who live, who love, and who work -- together. This is the glorious mystery of the Trinity. The Trinity means divine life. The Trinity means three, living Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- who relate to each other. The Trinity means mutual love and service among three Persons.

The Word was always with God the Father. This Word was, is, and will be the Trinity’s second person. The Word is also the Son of God or, as revealed in time, Jesus Christ. God the Father and God the Son live, love, and work for each other. As one, they create "all things" together: the Father creates all things, including all human life, through the Son.

So the Father, through the Son, creates all human lives. The little one swimming in his mother’s womb, the infant smiling in his father’s arms, the child crying in pain in a hospital bed, the energetic teen running another mile, the old man gasping for his last breath -- all were created, at their beginning, by the Father through the Son. No exceptions. Divine life creates human life.

Prayer:

O God, may we always be quick to call you Father. And when we call you father, let your Spirit remind us that we, and all people, from their beginning to their last day, are your children. We praise you, Father, that you sent your Son to reveal to the world that all people are His brothers and sisters, that all people are your children. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

I just returned from Connecticut, where I visited a 40 Days for Life campaign and spoke at a banquet for the pregnancy center just around the corner from the abortion facility.

There are many victories on the sidewalk. But there are also disappointments. The common thread, though, is that nothing can happen if we are not there for the women as they enter — and leave — the abortion center.

Between 40 Days for Life campaigns and the thousands of pregnancy centers from coast to coast, you are giving women hope at the most important level — the local level.

Here are some examples of the right people being in the right place at the right time.

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA

Major in Huntsville notes that it’s often difficult to reach women on their way into the abortion center because of the facility’s escorts, who do their best to prevent vigil participants from speaking to their clients.

One day recently, the escorts weren’t there – so the volunteers had a chance to talk to a woman outside. She thought she was pregnant, but was told she needed a blood test. The abortion facility only charged $25, while other medical providers wanted upwards of $100.

Major said the woman did not appear to be abortion minded, but going into the abortion center ”is simply taking a terrible risk with the baby's life as those folks would surely try to convince her that she was in a bad pregnancy.”

One of the vigil participants knows a pro-life doctor, so she called him for advice. The doctor quickly offered to write the order for a blood test – and to pay for it himself.

“Prayer works,” Major said. “It always works!”

GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Greenland's campaign has had a constant theme: snow! One storm alone dumped 30 inches. The volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil had to stay inside that day – but they didn’t stop praying – and they were back out with snow shovels soon afterward.

Jackie in Greenland tells of one volunteer. “She had an encounter with a young man who drives by the vigil site regularly. He told her he doesn't believe in her pro-life stance but he marveled at her perseverance,” she said.

“We are making a statement to the larger community, by our perseverance in praying outside the abortion center in all weather conditions,” said Jackie. “People are sacrificing their own comfort to save babies, and only God knows what effects this is having on other souls.”

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

“It was a bitterly cold day in the UK,” said Isabel in Birmingham. “The prayer volunteers stood shivering outside Calthorpe abortion clinic.”

They watched as a woman came out – perhaps the mother of a younger woman who had arrived for an abortion. She stopped next to the volunteers and simply said, “Well done! You've saved a life today!”

“No one noticed the cold anymore!” Isabel said.

That good news was tempered by what the volunteers saw next – a woman in a wheelchair being taken from the abortion center to her car.

“The fact that it was the clinic's wheelchair … led us to assume that she was suffering after having had an abortion,” Isabel said. “The battle continues.”

Rev. John Ensor, vice president, Heartbeat International

Intention:

As we pray for the end of abortion, let us pray for the expansion of the pregnancy help center movement worldwide.

Scripture:

The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

— Revelation 12:4-5

Reflection:

You don’t need to be a theological scholar to get the essential point of Revelation 12. Something BIG is afoot. It has something to do with the birth of Christ and the children of God.

It involves a war in heaven, with powers and principalities beyond our expertise. But the battles are fought here on earth. The crux of the matter centers around the babe of Bethlehem and the cross of Calvary.

It continues to unfold down through the ages, through us, the children of God, who put their faith in Christ and take up their cross and follow him. We are waging a war of love against all things that destroy body and soul. The intensity waxes and wanes, but like labor pains, they grow and culminate in new life. The unleashing of legal abortion nearly 40 years ago stirred up prayer (lamentation really). Many were then led to start pregnancy help centers and maternity homes.

Today there are over 3,000 such ministries that did not exist 40 years ago. They reflect a movement of God on our watch: Christians driven to give their time and charity to end abortion one woman at a time. Let’s pray this movement expands worldwide. Let’s pray for thousands more Christians to start, serve and support pregnancy help centers.

Prayer:

O God, from generation to generation, you have called your people to be the very aroma of life amidst a culture of death. Now it is our turn. Prepare me. Send me. Use me. I am eager to do my part. Stir your people every where to take up this great work.

First of all, happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Being from the Bible belt prepared me for the pro-life movement where Catholics, Protestants and Evangelicals are united in prayer and action to defend life.

This unity is something we should be proud of ... and it is certainly something the abortion industry notices as we strengthen each other in our common faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

As a Catholic who grew up in east Texas, I know a good Baptist when I see one. Recently the Southern Baptist Convention did a huge story on 40 Days for Life and a great article on one amazing Baptist woman -- our friend Katherine Hearne.

Katherine has everything you could love about the south ... including her faith, courage and beautiful Carolina accent. Katherine and her friend, Andrea Hines, a Catholic, led 40 Days for Life campaigns in Charlotte since the beginning of this effort and as a result have helped save hundreds of lives.

See what God can do when we stand together for His children ... and be encouraged as you read these two articles from the Baptist Press along with media coverage from around the world.

BAPTIST PRESS

One article is an interview with me and David Bereit, and it talks about how 40 Days for Life sprang from one hour of prayer around an old wooden table in College Station, Texas in 2004.

PHOTO: BAPTIST PRESS

The other report focuses on Katherine Hearn and 40 Days for Life in Charlotte, North Carolina – even before the project’s coast-to-coast debut in 2007.

You can read about the successes of the Charlotte campaign in chapter 8 of the 40 Days for Life book … and there’s also a story about Australia’s campaigns in chapter 38. Speaking of Australia … let's head even farther south.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

PHOTO: BRISBANE CATHOLIC LEADER

The Brisbane Catholic Leader profiled Brendan and Judy Wong, the couple who helped start Australia’s first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign … and are now directing their fifth campaign.

Brendan grew up in Australia, but Judy is from the United States. They met in Germany – at World Youth Day in 2005 when they both ended up in the same discussion group. The following year, they got married.

Fast forward to 2008, when Judy’s mom in Pennsylvania mentioned something called 40 Days for Life that was spreading across America. It didn’t take long after that for 40 Days for Life to start spreading across Australia as well.

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

PHOTO: NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION-LEADER

Although the New Hampshire Union-Leader characterized 40 Days for Life vigil participants as “demonstrators,” the campaign had a great opportunity to tell the community about their efforts.

Planned Parenthood’s spokesman gave the organization’s typical response: "These protest marathons are designed to intimidate the many patients who seek basic health care services from Planned Parenthood."

One of the volunteers held a poster with the message, “Look at the ultrasound.” That suggests Planned Parenthood’s main concern here – losing business.

BOISE, IDAHO

The Idaho Statesman newspaper featured an account of Boise’s 40 Days for Life vigil.

"Our goal is to save babies and the only way we can do it is through prayer," said one of the Boise volunteers. "Sometimes this is hard," another participant said on a cold, windy morning. "But we just have to trust that when we show up, God shows up, and He's doing the work."

Rev. Ben Sheldon, President Emeritus, Presbyterians Pro-life

Intention:

We pray for the conversion of abortionists and all abortion advocates.

Scripture:

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. — Isaiah 1:16-17

Reflection:

God is just. Inscribed around the inside of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC, are the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson:

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”

If the deist, Jefferson, knew in the depths of his being that God is just, how much more ought we Christians to reflect on this profound truth? The justice of God, like his holiness and his purity, encourages us to seek justice for all people. It is the evil deeds and wrong, selfish attitudes of our modern society that have led to the cavalier acceptance of abortion and euthanasia. But, as Jefferson also said, “his justice will not sleep forever.”

God is calling us today to seek justice, to encourage the oppressed, and to defend the orphans and widows of our society. It is a noble calling! It is one which every true believer, every God-fearing man and woman, should heed with no hesitation and no reluctance. To follow the God of justice and truth is to stand unequivocally for the right to life of everyone, especially the unborn, the physically disabled, and the terminally ill.

God’s word through the prophet Isaiah is as relevant in today’s 21st century world as it was in Isaiah’s 8th century BC world. May God’s grace help us to defend the unborn’s right to life as well as that of the already born.

Prayer:

O God, our heavenly Father, give us courage and wisdom as we seek to eradicate the evil in our society. Help us to realize that your divine Spirit alone can change hearts and minds so that all your human creatures may enjoy the fullness of life you intended for them. I pray this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

As we roll into the final week of this 40 Days for Life campaign, we now know of 423 babies and mothers spared from abortion these past 33 days!

Here are three stories where mothers rejected abortion … and not a word was spoken on the sidewalk to any of the young women who chose life. It was all the power of prayer and God’s grace.

SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA

A group of people – including a number of children – were praying on the sidewalk outside the abortion center in Santa Maria.

A car stopped in the street right in front of them, and a young woman got out. She took a close look at the children and what they were doing, but she then looked away and walked towards the building.

As she opened the door and was just about to walk in, she stopped. She looked back at the children, and watched them again.

This time, she looked down … closed the door …. retraced her steps … and left!

“The children all saw this,” said Jim in Santa Maria, “and were assured that this turn-back likely saved this young woman from a horrible choice.”

The children’s prayers became even more fervent and joyous. Said Jim, “Such a rich blessing to see!”

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA

There is no abortion clinic in Ketchikan. But that doesn’t mean abortion doesn’t touch this town of about 8,000 people in southeastern Alaska. There are women there who have abortions – they just travel someplace else to do it.

So, said Rob, one of the 40 Days for Life leaders, “we have been manning our vigil site since day one.”

“Supporters have brought us food and coffee as we battled inclement weather and our numbers, though small, are growing,” said Ken, one of the volunteers. “God will honor the prayers of His people!”

He’s not just saying that. There’s proof!

“Last week a local pastor reported that a young lady who had an appointment for an abortion had seen our signs at the vigil and had then canceled her appointment,” Rob said. “She chose life!”

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK

Jeanie in Syracuse got a phone call from a young woman asking how abortion affects women. “I shared with her the possible side-effects and impact an abortion can have,” she said, and gave her a number of resources that might help.

The young woman was considering abortion, and everyone was telling her that abortion was no big deal – she should go through with it and get on with her life.

Jeanie shared the story with the 40 Days for Life team, and they all prayed.

Later that day, the young woman called back. She had gone for an ultrasound and saw her baby’s picture – and has changed her mind about abortion.

It was at this point that Jeanie finally asked how she had gotten her phone number. The woman had seen it on a 40 Days for Life flyer on a bulletin board at college. The flyer said, “Save lives!”

“Let the people praying know they are doing good out there," she told Jeanie. “Tell them they saved a baby girl!”

“God is so amazing,” Jeanie said. “It is through His abundant love and grace that this woman had a change of heart!”

Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life board of directors

Intention:

Pray that all believers participating in 40 Days for Life will make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

Scripture:

And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

— John 17:22-23

Reflection:

Christ prayed that all those who would believe in Him would be united in single purpose and spirit, just as He and the Father were united. I find it convicting to consider that those who would run to Jesus with their sins, seeking forgiveness, and falling in love with the Savior, often run from Christians today. Is it because they see division and dissension instead of unity and peace?

No doubt Christ is pleased to see the body unified and praying together during these 40 days. This is exactly what we see when we read about the beginnings of the church. Both the unity and the prayer are conspicuous, along with the results of unified prayer.

Acts 2:46-47 tells us, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

No doubt the enemy is disheartened to see the unity in prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil, and he will continuously try to disrupt the bond of peace among brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us guard our hearts and minds, exhibiting the love of Christ that He so graciously gives us, so that those watching will see the love among us and know that He must love them too!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us grace in every situation to work toward unity. With humility, gentleness, and patience, may we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There are hurting men and women Lord at the crossroads of life and death who are looking for love and peace in their lives.

May they see Christ in us and be drawn to the abundant life that only He can give. It is in Christ’s precious name that we pray, amen.

I’m in Baltimore today, speaking to a group of young 40 Days for Life volunteers. I just got back from a visit to Connecticut.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT

When I spoke at the Bridgeport vigil, I noticed that some of the abortion facility workers came out to listen to what I was saying.

Since we are in the last week of the campaign, I talked about how the abortion workers who leave their jobs during 40 Days for Life usually do so during the last part of the campaign.

I also shared how we are there for these workers ... and how our message to them is one of hope and love – two things they will not find inside an abortion facility.

CUTBACKS IN IOWA

Earlier during this campaign, I told you about a number of Planned Parenthood locations that were closing – including two in Iowa. A 40 Days for Life coordinator in Iowa now says other Planned Parenthood facilities are seeing a downturn in business – and cutting their hours of operation.

“Across Iowa, we've seen great results this spring,” said Jim in Cedar Rapids. “The Planned Parenthood abortion facility here quietly reduced their hours by 25 percent, which included remaining closed on Thursdays, after being open at least five days a week for many years.”

Jim said the center also cut its hours on Mondays and Fridays. “When Thursday came,” he said, “many clients encountered locked doors. They eventually saw the sign.”

Statewide, he said, about half of their sites have scaled back their hours – in addition to the two that closed last week. “Those closures cut over 45 more hours from their statewide hours,” Jim said. “This makes standing in the colder-than-usual weather worth it.”

The Sioux City facility, where 40 Days for Life vigils have been held in the past, was cut by 10 hours per week. “They also discontinued surgical abortions, due to the lack of an abortionist,” he said. “Medical abortions, likely via webcam, are still listed.”

Planned Parenthood in Red Oak, Iowa has also cut its hours and is now open two days each week instead of three. "Currently," said Rod, the local 40 Days for Life coordinator in Red Oak, "they are only open 11 hours per week."

“When God gets involved, the one thing you can count on is that He will keep changing the reason for closures and scaling back of hours,” Jim said. “He doesn't tend to use the same method twice in a row. It will cause the collapse of the abortion industry.”

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

Recently, I told you about the four times in recent weeks that ambulances were called to the Planned Parenthood center in Orange County, California where a 40 Days for Life vigil is under way outside.

There are reports of five ambulance calls at the Marie Stopes abortion center in London's Ealing section, where 40 Days for Life volunteers are praying.

A similar story now comes from Wilmington, Delaware – where four times in five weeks, volunteers have seen ambulances drive up to the Planned Parenthood abortion center … and drive away with women who were taken out of the building by paramedics.

This story has a twist. In the latest emergency call, a 40 Days for Life prayer volunteer – a 63-year-old grandmother – was using her phone to make a video recording of the ambulance.

While she was doing that, a woman (apparently not an employee) came out of the building, heading straight toward the vigil participant. This woman then shoved the volunteer to the sidewalk and took her phone.

The attacker got away – but police are trying to find her.

The volunteer received medical attention, but she said she’s okay. We're not sure about the four women who left this Planned Parenthood center by ambulance.

Vera Faith Lord, Director, Alpha/Omega Life Ministry

Intention:

Pray that those who have forgotten their purpose may discover it in God and therefore have the courage to choose life.

Scripture:

These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season, what you give them they gather in; you open your hand they are filled with good. You hide your face, they are troubled; you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.

— Psalm 104:27-30

Reflection:

“I am a feather on the breath of God.”

As the quote above portrays, we are upheld by the power and purpose of God. Our very existence on earth, from our body’s first breath to its last, when we leave it to return home, is our Father’s choice and happens only by His willing to do so.

He who created the universe also created that which is “me.” I do not “have” a soul – I AM a soul, as well as a body. My entire purpose in this life is to find my way back to my Creator.

Prayer:

Beloved Father, remind us today that there is no truth but you. Do not let us fall prey to the evil one’s lie that we may choose death. Remind us right now that you, who created all life, are in control of all life, and let us know right now that youwho created all life, are in control of all life, and let us choose life always.

Father, please let us hear your voice more today than yesterday. Keep lighting the pathway home, for us and for all who participate in this 40 Days for Life campaign. Father, we’re on our way. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

As a special time of prayer and fasting, 40 Days for Life “is the answer to a great problem in our country.”

Those words could be said about each of the 19 countries where 40 Days for Life vigils have taken place. But it’s particularly humbling to know that these thoughts are coming from Russia.

The speaker is Arevik Aivazova, the local campaign coordinator in Moscow.

Today’s entire report is an update on Russia’s first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA

“Russia was the first country to legalize abortion, in 1920,” Arevik explained. “As a result, abortion still remains the primary method of family planning amongst most Russian women.” At 143 million, Russia’s population is less than half that of the United States. But the number of abortions is astounding.

“Officially, more than one million abortions take place in Russia annually,” Arevik said, “but this number excludes abortions in private clinics and medical abortions. Unofficially, the number of abortions in our country is more than six million a year. Now is the time to repent for the sins of past generations and stop abortion in Russia!”

Even though this is only Russia’s first 40 Days for Life effort, she said, “God's work is so clearly seen in people's lives.”

n addition to the vigil in Moscow, prayer is also taking place in two suburbs – Shchelkovo and Lyubertsy – as well as the St. Petersburg-area city of Vyborg.

"Our group prayed at abortion clinics,” said Elena Menchikova of Source of Life Church in Vyborg. “It was an unforgettable experience meeting with the women at the door step of abortion centers. God gave us words of prayer, which would not have happened if we had just prayed at the church and did not come in contact with these women."

The church was asked to pray for a young woman whose mother wanted to force her to have an abortion. Some church members visited the family and showed them a model of a 12-week baby. “Both mother and daughter broke into tears,” she said, “and the unborn baby was saved.”

The campaign's community outreach even opened the doors to prison ministry (shown above).

"We showed women in the prison a film, 'Life from the Beginning to Birth.' The film touched these women," Arevik said, "and the officers saw the need to serve the women with post-abortion syndrome."

Young and old alike are joining the effort. There’s a group of 350 bible school students who pray every morning for an end to abortion. There’s also a ministry called Elder Generation that is joining in prayer.

“Many of the elderly people cried,” said Tatiana Derr, one of the ministry’s leaders. “But God will not forsake those who have conceived … the babies will be safe. We’re praying for our grandchildren and for their future.”

We’ve talked about campaigns in cold-weather cities – and Moscow is certainly one of the coldest. “Given our climate, prayer on the street was the biggest challenge for us,” Arevik said. “The second half of February is traditionally the coldest time of the year.” It is not uncommon for the temperature to remain below freezing, day and night, for the entire month. Early March isn’t much warmer.

The vigil participants in Moscow are already looking forward to another opportunity to pray. This time, many were uncertain about attracting attention. “Considering the Russian mentality, people are just not used to seeing people pray on the streets.” But in the future, she said, “we will be bolder.”

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

Intention:

We are the defenders of true freedom. May our witness unveil the deception of the “pro-choice” slogan.

Scripture:

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

— 2 Corinthians 3:17

Reflection:

Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade) used to work at an abortion mill named “A Choice for Women.” She now realizes what a cruel irony that title was. She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center counselors see, that women don’t get abortions because of freedom of choice, but rather because they feel they have no freedom and no choice. They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid, and have been led to believe that abortion is their only option.

As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no want wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” That doesn’t mean that the Spirit allows us to do whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what’s right and wrong. Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom to do what is right, the power to choose what is good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is wrong.

We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when we take action on behalf of life, especially by being present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of true freedom, and imparting to those who are in bondage the power to do what is right.

Prayer:

Come, Holy Spirit. You are the Spirit of freedom, the source of all that is good, the power to do what is right. Fill us, and fill those who are in bondage today, feeling doomed to do what is wrong. Set them free, and help us to hasten them on the road to freedom, where your grace overcomes every temptation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We can see the finish line from here – so keep going! People are tired, weary … but aware that the need for prayer remains great. And if you haven’t been to a 40 Days for Life vigil yet, it isn’t too late. In fact, today would be a great day to start!

Find the location nearest you!

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

People have come to join the 40 Days for Life vigil from the nearby communities of Daly City, San Ramon and San Bruno – people who “responded YES to praying for the mommies and their babies,” as one team member put it – including mothers and their children … and a group of Catholic nuns.

Vigil participants are facing a new challenge, though, as one of the city supervisors wants to expand a bubble zone around abortion facilities from 8 feet to 25 feet – a move that could push the peaceful vigil farther away from the abortion center. The supervisor cited alleged harassment of Planned Parenthood clients in his call for changing the requirements.

"There's no harassment whatsoever," Ron Konopaski, the 40 Days for Life coordinator, told the San Francisco Chronicle“We're here to help the woman in any way we can and save the baby from being killed."

“We are working with Life Legal Defense Foundation,” one of the team leaders said, “but need your prayers and willingness to be present with us to stop this infringement of our constitutional rights.”

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The number of faith communities taking part in 40 Days for Life continues to grow.

Caroline in St. Louis sent a link to this video of a prayer hour at the vigil organized by Lutherans for Life. Members of several area Lutheran churches gathered to pray and sing in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood.

To watch the short video (it's only around a minute long), click the image below or go to http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=4460

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

“I went for the first time to a 40 Days for Life Campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan,” said Mary, who wrote about her experiences on the 40 Days for Life blog. “There were only a handful of people there, but one man’s dedication was truly impressive.”

The sun was shining, but it was very cold with a strong west wind – “a day I’d rather be doing something else than stand and pray in front of an abortion clinic with my 14-year-old daughter,” she said.

The man she’s talking about took a day off from work to be there. He arrived at 6 that morning to fill a gap in the schedule. “He stayed til 6 pm – maybe longer,” Mary said. He did take a break from time to time – but only if he was sure other volunteers would man the vigil until he returned.

“You would have never guessed that this was his first time here,” Mary said, “and I’d bet it won’t be his last either. What an inspiration to us all – especially to my young daughter!”

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

Intention:

Pray that we become vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement.

Scripture:

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”

— Luke 24:1-5

Reflection:

This meditation, based on a sermon I once heard, is adapted for pro-life concerns. It’s Friday. Jesus is on the cross. He has been killed by his enemies; he is off the scene. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’!

It’s Friday. Abortionists continue their work 3,300 times a day, tearing off the arms and legs of little babies and crushing their heads. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’!

It’s Friday. Pro-abortion groups receive blood money from billionaires who are as deceived as they are. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’!

It’s Friday. Liars attempt to speak for all women and hide the pain of abortion, and ignore the evidence of how it harms women, and call abortion a blessing. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’!

It’s Friday. People of hardened hearts guard the clinics and usher desperate women in to have their abortions, while keeping them from the pro-life people who want to give them hope. But that’s because it’s Friday. Sunday’s comin’!

Hope does not mean that we ignore or minimize the evils around us. It means, rather, that we see the whole picture, which is that evil is conquered because of what happened one Sunday morning. We are called to proclaim, celebrate, and serve that victory, waiting in joyful hope for Christ’s return and the full flowering of the Culture of Life!

Indeed, Sunday’s comin’!

Prayer:

Lord, fill your people with new hope. Make us vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement, that as we engage in the difficult work ahead, we may experience the peace and joy that come only from you and that nobody can take away from us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen.

Lots of people love the peaceful approach of 40 Days for Life and see how God has used this effort.

BUT ... it comes as no surprise to find out that not everybody is a fan.

There are people in the abortion industry who call this campaign “40 Days of Harassment.” No one is being harassed, of course (except maybe the prayer volunteers).

The truth is that peaceful prayer on the sidewalk is bad for business. So the pro-abortion side is doing whatever it can to minimize the impact … by twisting the truth.

40 DAYS OF MOCKERY

There are a number of pro-abortion backlash efforts that have adopted the “40 days” theme. The worst of the lot is jointly sponsored by “Clergy for Choice” and the Planned Parenthood affiliate in Eureka, California.

This effort, “40 Days of Prayer to Keep Abortion Safe and Legal,” is really a mockery of 40 Days for Life – and frankly, of God. They use a collection of 40 daily prayer intentions – sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

But listen to some of the "Clergy for Choice" intentions:

Day 5: Today we pray for medical students who want to include abortion care in their practice.
Day 18: Today we pray for all the staff at abortion clinics around the nation. May they be daily confirmed in the sacred care that they offer women.
Day 27: Today we give thanks for abortion providers around the nation whose concern for women is the driving force in their lives.
Day 40: Today we give thanks and celebrate that abortion is still safe and legal.

To respond to each of those “prayer” intentions:

Day 5: Fewer and fewer medical students are interested in abortion. Aging abortionists are retiring and not being replaced.
Day 18: Abortion -- the destruction of innocent children -- is considered "sacred care"? Unbelievable!
Day 27: The “driving force” for Planned Parenthood is money. There is no prestige in the abortion trade.
Day 40: Safe and legal? Based on numerous ambulance calls at abortion facilities, “safe” couldn’t be any farther from the truth. And of course, abortion is never “safe” for the baby.

Let’s all pray for all of those who’ve convinced themselves that abortion is a moral “choice” – and for all who are deluded into believing that lie.

GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE

In spite of all the shrill rhetoric … the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit can reach the minds, hearts and souls of even the people on the inside of the abortion centers.

“A woman stopped to tell vigil prayer volunteers (several Knights of Columbus men) that she used to work at the abortion center they were standing in front of,” said Jackie in Greenland, “and how after three months of working there, she just had to quit.”

The woman said the abortion facility was “a terrible place. Fourteen-year-old girls go there … and they are not helping them. Their parents aren't informed.”

She thanked the men several times for what they were doing … and then drove off.

She didn’t say when she had worked there, Jackie said, “but it brought to mind a clinic worker, who a few years ago during a 40 Days for Life campaign, had asked me and my prayer partner to pray for her as she was leaving the abortion center. Only God knows if this was the same worker.”

Carmen Pate, 40 Days for Life board of directors

Intention:

Pray that volunteers will replace exhaustion or discouragement with rejoicing over the miracles we have seen thus far, and enthusiastic service as God takes us on to victory!

Scripture:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

— 1 Peter 1:6-7

Reflection:

We have reason to rejoice when we consider the many babies whose lives have been saved during the 40 Days for Life campaign. Add to those lives, the women and men who have been spared from a devastating decision and now have opportunity to make a plan for their baby that is both life affirming and God honoring. Whether directly, or indirectly, you have contributed to these testimonies of praise with your sacrificial service.

Perhaps you have been grieved by various trials during your commitment to 40 days. The attacks of the enemy come in many forms -- difficulties in relationships, finances, health. Or maybe you are physically and mentally exhausted and haveeen marking off the days on your calendar, eagerly waiting for Day 40.

Consider these trials in light of God’s plan for you. The Apostle Paul understood the big picture when he said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

This is our Hope and our victory. Let us rejoice in the opportunity to give that Hope to others in our path.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we sing to You a new song, for You have done marvelous things. Forgive us when we allow circumstances to defeat us. You give power to the faint and You increase strength in those who have no might. We rest in You dear Lord, and ask You to empower us again for Your service as You work out Your plan for us and through us.

May You receive glory through our victory in Christ, in whose name we pray,amen.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.