When Pamela Delgado, a 31-year-old college professor, was riding the public transportation in Bogota, Colombia, she received a flyer openly promoting abortion, she was outraged and upset.
It was especially upsetting that the flyer was designed to target young college girls like her own students.
She felt the need to do something; but what? She prayed, asking God what she could do to promote life. Shortly after, she shared her feelings during a meeting with friends. One of them told her about 40 Days for Life and invited her to be the leader of the campaign in Bogota.
Pamela didn?t think twice. This was the answer to her prayers. She decided the campaign was to take place in Teusaquillo, a traditional neighborhood in downtown Bogota known for its colonial style houses and beautiful parks ? and also for being the heart of the abortion business in the city.
?We estimate that there are 70 abortion centers in Teusaquillo. My whole life I had been indifferent to this reality,? Pamela said. Surrounded by all these places is an old Catholic church dedicated to Saint Anne. This majestic church became the spiritual center of the campaign.
The campaign started with a solemn midnight mass in St. Anne Church on September 23, attended by approximately 300 people. During the 40 days of the campaign, more than 2,500 volunteers joined the peaceful vigil, some of them coming from neighboring cities such as Ch?a, Zipaquir? and La Calera.
More than 30 priests participated, celebrating mass every day of the campaign. Seven solemn processions were held around the neighborhood and there was coverage of national and local media on television, radio and magazines. There were 12 documented cases of women who decided to save their babies? lives!
The message of peaceful vigil, prayer and fasting for the end of abortion was a powerful one in the city, where many people felt helpless to stop this tragedy.
During the 40 days, volunteers of all ages and backgrounds joined in prayer, despite the rain, the cold nights and the mockery and provocations of some feminists groups. Many volunteers began to show up every day, inspired with the idea that they were making a difference.
According to Pamela, the best results of the campaign were the conversions. ?Through intense prayer and the sacrifices we made, we purified our hearts and souls. The vigil gave the opportunity to many women and men to do reparation for the sin of abortion. Many other women sought and heard the message of the sanctity of life.?
There is also a renewed interest in the pro-life movement in Colombia, as more cities throughout the country have asked to lead 40 Days for Life Campaigns in the future.
?We think,? said Pamela, ?that this big cluster of death, which is one of the biggest in the world with more than 70 abortion centers, needs our efforts to continue praying and doing more activities to promote life and to protect babies. Thank you for praying with us as a big community.?
Blog
January 7, 2016
Prayer's impact on "a big cluster of death"
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