DAY 19: Every woman was crying
Today, I’m speaking at events in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio — tomorrow marks the halfway point of this 40 Days for Life campaign!
And that raises a question — have you been out to pray yet? There’s still plenty of time! Here’s the link to the list of locations. Click the one nearest you and get involved!
Here are some fresh reports from just a few of the 316 campaign locations:
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
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While in Nashville to speak at the CareNet national pregnancy center conference, David Bereit, 40 Days for Life’s national director, visited the local 40 Days for Life campaign and brought along other conference speakers, including former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson and Rev. Walter Hoye of the National Black Pro-Life Coalition.
Upon arriving, they joined an enthusiastic crowd of more than 60 people, including the Survivors youth pro-life team that was passing through Nashville on their way back to California.
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HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY
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A prayer volunteer in Hackensack posted a note on the 40 Days for Life blog about her first time praying in front of the abortion center.
“I didn’t get there early enough to see the customers arriving, but I was there when they were exiting,” she said. “Every woman was crying. Every one. I was not prepared for that. And this is ‘women’s rights’?”
She had another profoundly sad realization as well. “Every woman was brought in by a man. The parking lot was full of men pacing, smoking or sitting in their cars. For every abortion, there is a man — a father — presiding over the death of his child.”
She recalled the TV shows of years ago, where nervous fathers paced in hospital waiting rooms, reacting with joy when the nurse came in to say, “It’s a girl!” or “It’s a boy!”
“What a contrast to this scene,” she said, “where all these men were waiting to hear one thing: ‘It’s over,’ which is followed by taking a weeping woman home. God have mercy.”
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CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
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Jim in Cedar Rapids passed along some quick items from people who prayed outside Planned Parenthood — “three examples of the Holy Spirit at work,” as he put it.
First, a man in a pickup truck stopped in the middle of the street, despite the fact that the traffic light had turned green. He rolled down the window to thank the group for praying. “Because of you,” he said, “I have a six-year-old son!”
Shortly after that, a man drove into the Planned Parenthood parking lot, grumbling that instead of praying, the volunteers should be working for the local adoption agency.
“He was silenced as one of our members explained to him that she had four adopted children,” Jim said. “He left peacefully. It’s wonderful that we have so many participants that have also adopted children — often several children.”
Finally, a woman who’d had two abortions walked up to the vigil participants — and led prayer. “The prayer was beautiful and very heartfelt,” Jim said. “She then received Father’s blessing and thanked us for being brave enough to undergo the nasty commentary from some passersby. In small ways, the love we show by our presence at Planned Parenthood is reaping a harvest!”
Here’s the link to today’s devotional.
For Life,
Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
PS: Share the news from your city’s 40 Days for Life campaign! Please leave a comment below.
October 14th, 2012 at 7:39 am
On one hand Planned Parenthood declares that the government should not interfere with a woman’s right to abort her child, while at the same time the other hand is collecting thousands of our tax dollars to pay for that decision.
Our lawmakers have castrated the male population by telling the men to sit down and shut up about abortion because it is not THEIR issue. They have effectively denied fathers their God given role as protector of the family by denying him the right to protect his own flesh and blood. Now they want to insist that these same men use their tax dollars to pay for what they demand is the woman’s exclusive right to murder her child.
Irresponsible men drive the mother of their child to abortion clinics to sit and wait while their child is being murdered. Real men stand up and take responsibility for the protection of both mother and child.
October 14th, 2012 at 9:14 am
Dear Shawn, I live in the “boon-doggles” of northern Canada. We are not close to an abortion center, added to that I am 84, living alone on 200 acres trying to finish a pro-life children’s book. I have looked forward to your e-mail letters, and offer my prayers and tears to Our Lady Queen of Heaven for distribution of graces, as she deems fitting. She has never failed me, if I forget, I am given gentle reminders. I have eleven adult children and many, many grands and great grands, mostly in the States, where I am from. When visiting in Tulsa, Ok. we go to the “Garden of Hope” during the 40 days for Life and any other times available to us. I thank God for you and all of your devoted workers for loving and praising His Goodness in this manner. All of the numerous, true positive results are confirmation and reward of His Loving Appreciation and Care. We are loving one another as He has loved us.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Thank you so much for your dedication, all comumsing time and engery in this endovourment for pro life. My prayers go up to you and this organization for God’s work. I am looking forward to my one hour time at the Dallas, Texas abortion center. These posts have enabled me to understand more what women are going through when they enter these places.
October 14th, 2012 at 11:22 am
This is our 11 campaign in Chester County, Pa. Most of our feed back is positive as twice a year many of the same people see us praying in front of PP. Because West Chester University is right up the street, we do get young people voicing their opposition. We are glad that they care enough to become emotionally involved. It is the cars that pass by with no response that bothers us as it is apathy that kills our children. So we wave and thank them for noticing that the babies are “number one” in our lives and thank them for sharing no matter what they say. Sometimes they look at us as if we are nuts as we don’t even know we are being insulted. Words only have meaning if we give meaning to them and we are just thankful that they noticed the unborn. God does the rest.
October 14th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
I know that our God is an awesome God, yet I continue to be amazed at the way the Holy Spirit works and walks among us!
The woman in Cedar Rapids, with four adopted children, in the right place at the right time, to respond to the man who grumbled that pray-ers should be working at the adoption agency … How magnificent is that! GO, SPIRIT, GO! Or should I say, COME, SPIRIT, COME!
October 14th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Will you please pray for Santa Cruz? We have a woman running for city council who started Planned Parenthood in our town, & the local paper is endorsing her!
October 14th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Let us pray for the victims of abortion.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
From LONG BEACH, CA 40 Days chapter
We accompany constant prayer with several activities and thus weekend we launched our “PENNIES FROM HEAVEN” fundraiser; folks take a baby bottle home, fill it with loose change, checks, etc., and return to church in a month.
When giving the announcement at Mass, I asked the congregation “How many of you have ever saved a life.” Only one hand came up.
I then reminded them that every one who supports this campaign or 40 Days, everyone who donates diapers, buys our CD, is literally saving a baby’s life. It’s a team effort and they’re generous hearts help us continue our work.
The Holy Spirit gave me the words because it resonated.
We almost ran out if bottles to hand out!
God bless everyone who gives what they can and stands up for life!
October 14th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Dear Shawn.
Thanks for coming to Cincinnati today and sharing your words of encouragement and wisdom with us all, despite the windy weather and the rain. God bless you and your team of dedicated workers.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
“Who Are They Trying to Keep Out? Day 16 of 40 Days For Life
http://churchforlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/who-are-they-trying-to-keep-out-day-16_12.html
Rev. James McGarvey is the Prayer Coordinator for 40 Days for Life Fort Lauderdale.
October 17th, 2012 at 9:12 am
Edith, what a joy to hear from a devoted mother, grandmother and GREAT grandmother! Children really are a gift from God and reading a small part of “your story” for Him thrills my heart.
Thank you 40 Days For Life for your service/dedication and I felt blessed to have you kick off the season last year in Omaha next to our crisis pregnancy center where I volunteer which is right beside the abortion mill where McCart kills many babies. Please pray for him and a change of heart.
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Praise God for the babies being saved. God is working in Lancaster PA too
Literature is being received and babies are being saved.God is good!
Thank you for all the good reports and encouragement.