The loving witness of your presence on the sidewalk has the power to transcend language barriers.
"No English, sorry," replied a Planned Parenthood client when Maureen in Marietta, Georgia, offered information on free health care.
But Maureen was not deterred. "We were determined to show compassion," she said.
With some help from Google Translate and her husband's rudimentary Spanish, Maureen learned that the woman needed a pregnancy test.
While Maureen and her husband struggled through the conversation, other vigil participants got to work, scheduling an immediate appointment at the local pregnancy center, coordinating drivers to provide transportation there, and even getting a bilingual team member, Catalina, on the phone to talk with the woman.
"Catalina's voice was so warm and soothing," Maureen recalled. "It was an immediate comfort to us too!"
Prayer is a truly universal language--and it made all the difference in Marietta, getting the woman over to a real clinic that provided her with real health care and real choice.
"My family is so grateful for the opportunity to serve the community in a way that glorifies God and points directly to Jesus," Maureen reflected. "I can't begin to explain how blessed we feel to experience such Spirit-filled moments like these."
California
While the fall of Roe v. Wade has ended abortion in communities across the country, it creates new challenges for pro-lifers in so-called abortion sanctuary states.
California 40 Days for Life leaders don't just have to contend with their own state government pouring tens of millions of dollars into the abortion industry; the state is also actively working to become an "abortion destination" to lure women from pro-life states.
Before this fall's campaign began, 40 Days for Life campaign director Steve Karlen, general counsel Matt Britton, and outreach director Ramona Trevino visited the Golden State to host a free training workshop to support California leaders.
"We expected 10-15 campaigns and up to 50 attendees to participate," Steve said. "We were blown away when 103 local leadership team members from 30 different campaigns registered."
These campaign teams have already put the training to use, reporting that they used Sidewalk Outreach training to initiate conversations with abortion clients and safety training to deescalate a potential sidewalk confrontation.
Erie, Pennsylvania
A rainstorm forced Nichole's kickoff event indoors...but it couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of her volunteers.
"We had three testimonials," Nichole reported. "One young lady whose parents chose life when doctors told them they had to abort, one lady who chose the gift of adoption, and then my [abortion] testimony."
Combined with praise and worship music and a message from a pro-life pastor, it was a perfect way to launch the campaign.
The King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”
--Matthew 25:31-46
Gracious and merciful Father, we renew our dedication to defending the unborn and all whose right to life is compromised by our godless society’s selfish lack of concern. Free us from our own failures and sins so that we will be truly pro-life in every area of our lives.
