40 Days for Life: Day 29

Posted By on March 23, 2012

Dear Carolyn,

A few days ago I mentioned that this is the time during the 40 Days for Life campaign where we see abortion workers’ hearts begin to change …

… and now we know of employees who are leaving the abortion industry.

In fact, there have been FIVE of them!

I can’t disclose the campaigns — I’m told there are others who are also considering leaving, and any publicity could only add to the pressure these people are currently facing.

One abortion worker met prayer volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil outside and said with a smile: “This is my last day in this hell hole!”

It is not a cliche to say that ending abortion is about hearts and minds — it’s a reality. Praise God
for these victories … and keep praying for all abortion center workers.

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BABIES SAVED!
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Here’s another story where for privacy reasons, I can’t give you the location. But we know of a woman who visited an abortion center to set up an appointment. 40 Days for Life volunteers in the public right-of-way outside prayed for her as she walked into the building.

Inside the abortion facility, she was given an ultrasound exam. When a staff member saw the image, she suggested that the woman NOT have an abortion.

Yes, that’s right. The person who performed the exam recommended AGAINST an abortion … because the ultrasound clearly showed TWINS.

The mother’s next stop was a pro-life pregnancy center. She still needs prayer — the twins’ father remains set on abortion. And of course, please pray for that employee as well.

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
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The 40 Days for Life team in Birmingham marked the middle of the campaign with a Walk for Life through the streets of the city.

“It was the first time such an event had ever been organised in this city and we were overjoyed by the response we received,” said Aline in Birmingham. “There was a crowd of about a hundred people, some of whom came from a distance to witness to life in a town which hosts two abortion centres, one of which is one of the biggest in Europe.”

The day started with rain, a temperature around freezing — and heavier rain in the forecast. “As we always do when things are beyond our control, we left it all in God’s hands and once again, the sun broke out just a couple of minutes before we set off,” she said.

Shoppers were amazed at the sight of people walking, praying, singing hymns. Many people took pictures. And, Aline said, “there was no sign of hostility.”

The event ended with two minutes of silence in memory of the 7 million children aborted since Britain legalized abortion in 1967.

“Finally, as if to show us that the sunshine was all of  God’s making, the rain poured down on us afterwards and there were even hailstones.” All in all, Aline said, “what we saw was very encouraging.”

For photos of the Birmingham campaign in England, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3010

Today’s devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life.

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DAY 29 INTENTION
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We pray for the grace to be strong when others ridicule or oppose us.

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SCRIPTURE
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Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
–Luke 14:27

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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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To stand up for what is right means we stand against what is wrong, and that means that those who love what is wrong will oppose us, just as they opposed Christ. Taking up the cross means we continue speaking and standing for the right even when that opposition comes.

We experience this, in particular, when we are out on the streets, where people are not expecting the pro-life message and where they did not go to hear it. We must remember to never take the opposition personally.

When people ridicule or yell at us, we might get a guilty feeling or be tempted to think we did something wrong. We did not.

The insults are not being hurled at us personally, but rather at the truth of what we are standing for, and at the demands of the moral law.

There are many who are trying to run away from those demands, or who have managed to tuck the abortion problem away into a distant corner of their minds where it can no longer disturb them.

By standing publicly for the cause of life, we have short-circuited that denial and frustrated those
efforts to ignore the issue. Therefore, some will be angry, perhaps not fully realizing why.

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PRAYER
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Lord, thank you for the grace of being pro-life, and of standing strong when others may ridicule or oppose me.

During this 40 Day campaign, may your peace fill my soul, especially when I may endure the opposition of others, and may I become more like your crucified and risen Son. Amen.

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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day29print.pdf

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Yours for Life,

Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life

PS: What’s new with 40 Days for Life in your city? Please share the good news by leaving a comment on today’s blog entry at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3010

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