What is it? 40 Days for Life Honolulu is a groundbreaking event designed to draw attention to the devastation of abortion through prayer and fasting, peaceful public vigil, and community outreach. It unifies people during a focused, 40-day campaign, with the purpose of repentance, to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life.
The campaign references Biblical history, in which God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities, and the entire world. Examples of this are Noah’s flood, Moses on Mt. Sinai, and the time Christ spent with the disciples His resurrection. 40 Days for Life takes a peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families.
Locally, 40 Days for Life had its first campaign during fall 2008; we had a number of participants representing over 20 churches. As a result of their participation, volunteers responded in a survey that:
- 97% felt their participation in the campaign helped their own spiritual growth
- 93% indicated they wanted to participate again in a future campaign
- 74% believed their involvement helped them better understand sanctity of human life
- 74% said their participation helped them better understand the need to support pregnancy resource centers
- 68% reported their participation in the campaign helped them better understand the importance of time spent in regular prayer, meditation, and/or reading the Bible
The 40 Days for Life effort is ecumenical, peaceful, law-abiding, and prayer-centered. We educate others about life but do not engage in any kind of political speech or activity. We ask volunteers to agree to a statement of peace before participating in the public prayer vigil. Nationally, 40 Days for Life is endorsed by many prominent leaders in the pro-life community. Locally, it is endorsed by Hawaii Right to Life and HOPE INC Christian adoption agency.
Why prayer and fasting? Christ told us that some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. The two go hand in hand. Prayer keeps us rooted in the fact that it is our desire to carry out God's will. Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our own limitations with God's help. Fasting is not a Christian diet; it is a form of physical prayer. You can fast from food, TV, alcohol...anything that separates you from God.
Why public vigil? The most visible component of 40 Days for Life Honolulu is a peaceful, public prayer vigil outside a place where children are aborted. Our public prayer vigil takes place in front of Planned Parenthood of Hawaii at 1350 S King St, Honolulu. The public vigil is a prayerful witness to the clinic's patients and employees, and to the entire community, that evil is in our midst, that we're taking a public stand against it, and that with God's help, it will be defeated. It is our hope that the vigil can be maintained all day, every day, for 40 days straight. Those wishing to join us may contact us at FortyDaysHonolulu@Juno.com.
Why community outreach? During 40 Days for Life Honolulu, the message of life is proactively taken all over the island through a grassroots educational effort. A door-to-door petition and education drive reaches out. Informational flyers raise awareness about abortion. People are given the opportunity to visibly show their support for life. This outreach includes churches, the media, and campuses.
What do we expect as an outcome? We expect future campaigns to bring results even greater than those of past campaigns. As a result of the spring 2009 campaign, we were blessed with the following results:
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41,000 participants
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Over 1,800 church congregations involved
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Campaigns in 137 cities in 43 states, 4 Canadian provinces, Australia, and Northern Ireland
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100+ news stories
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433 lives documented saved from abortion
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Post-abortion healing for many
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4 abortion workers quit their jobs
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Dozens of abortion facilities cut back days & hours of operation during the campaign
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1 abortion facility put its building up for sale
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1 Planned Parenthood announced it was closing
The cumulative results of all four 40 Days for Life campaigns have been incredible:
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466 campaigns
News of the victory that God led in Texas spread to other communities, and in 2005 and 2006, a half dozen other cities conducted their own 40 Days for Life campaigns. Each program was geared to the specific region, and each reported positive results. For some, it was learning that clinics closed altogether or cut their operating hours. Other cities found an outpouring of women seeking post-abortion healing.
The first national 40 Days for Life campaign was conducted in the fall of 2007, with more than 80 cities in 33 states participating in a simultaneous outreach from September 26 through November 4. People who had never been involved in pro-life activities came forward to answer the call. Lives were saved, hearts were changed, and people started seeing that prayer indeed makes a difference in the quest to end abortion. Those who participated reported that both individuals and communities were changed as a result.
What else should we know about the campaign? We at 40 Days for Life Honolulu are not here passing judgment on those who are considering or who have received abortions, but rather, we want people to know that it’s not good. It brings long-term devastation, both physically and emotionally, to those who participate in it, and of course, it ends a human life in the womb.
We want people in Hawai'i to know that there are far better choices available to those facing an unplanned pregnancy, and we support both the woman and child in those circumstances. We also want people to know that if they are suffering as a result of having participated in abortion, healing is available through a number of local sources. Information about pregnancy help and post-abortion healing is available on our web site, www.40DaysForLife.com/Honolulu.
We have been endorsed by Hawaii Right to Life and have the support of several local churches. Everyone who believes that life is sacred and who is willing to take a peaceful, public, prayerful stand is welcome to participate in the 40 Days for Life Honolulu campaign. Contact us at FortyDaysHonolulu@Juno.com to learn how you can become involved. -