?Taking part in this mission has and continues to be a real blessing in so very many ways,? said one of the prayer volunteers in Twickenham.

?I am now used to the occasional verbal abuse ? and I always ask the Holy Spirit to let me know when I should respond and when I should prayerfully ignore.?

This participant was in ?ignore? mode when a young woman came by to berate the very idea of a prayer vigil in front of an abortion center ? that what they were doing was ?wrong.? As the volunteer continued to pray quietly, the woman?s level of anger only got higher.

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So the volunteer switched from ?ignore? to ?engage.?

?It turned out that she was angry because a friend of hers had an abortion here and ended up in a mental institution. She herself had a stillbirth. I promised to pray for them both and I assured her God will help.?

Her anger subsided. She shook the volunteer?s hand and said she regretted ?having a go at me.?

The vigil participant explained what they do ? why they do it ? and the many positive outcomes of their powerful on-the-spot witness.

This same volunteer also had a conversation with a young man on the pavement whose girlfriend was inside having an abortion. They talked ? and the young man was told that it is always possible to turn to God in repentance.

?I could write a book about the vigil blessings to others ? and to me.?

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David Brandao, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

With 40 Days for Life, David wears many hats. Prior to joining the 40 Days for Life team, he was an award-winning radio and TV journalist. He has also served as a board member for a pregnancy help center and as publications director for a major national pro-life organization.