As this 40 Days for Life campaign continues, one thing is clear — prayer outside the abortion center touches consciences. Sometimes, the reaction is anger. Sometimes, it’s tears.
The peaceful prayer presence disrupts the comfort that the abortion industry depends on in order to survive in a community. Your prayers and presence give hope to the women entering the facility, call passers-by to action and remind the workers in that facility of the evil reality of their work. More than anything else, it shows that people DO understand what abortion is all about — even if they don’t always want to admit it. But they know.
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McALLEN, TEXAS
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Nancy in McAllen, Texas has seen first hand that the 40 Days for Life vigil is having an impact. There’s a big, new sign over the abortion center’s door:
“Good women have abortions.”
(There’s a similar sign at this abortion chain’s location in Beaumont, Texas — which is also a 40 Days for Life vigil site.)
“What’s up with that?” Nancy asked. “No one — at any time — has said anything or held any sign up that said women are bad.”
So they continue to pray — that women will make good decisions.
And it’s working!
A woman pulled up to the traffic light at the corner and rolled down her window. “You saved my grandbaby!” she called out. “Thank you!”
About two weeks ago, a volunteer spoke with her daughter and shared pro-life information. “She decided to keep her baby,” said the woman in the car. “Thank you for being there!”
“And THAT,” said Nancy, “is why we are here.”
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WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
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A woman approached the vigil participants in Winnipeg. She said she wanted to talk. “I saw the immense pain, hurt and shame that she was carrying,” said one of the volunteers.
All of a sudden, the woman broke into tears and said, “I had an abortion and it’s killing me inside … it haunts me every day. I know what I did was so wrong. I just didn’t know what else to do.”
“Tears were now pouring down her face and I felt compelled to extend my hand to comfort her. That’s when she just gave me the biggest hug as she cried on my shoulders,” said the 40 Days for Life volunteer.
The woman was offered information about Rachel’s Vineyard retreats for healing after abortion — and the vigil participants promised to pray for her and her child.
“You have no idea how brave and courageous you are,” the woman responded. “To stand here and offer help and love is the most courageous thing anyone can do.”
As for the volunteers, they realized they’d been blessed — that they were present when this woman began to set herself free from guilt and take her first steps toward healing and freedom.
“It affirmed that our presence there is much needed,” said the prayer team member, “and that God will use every single person in the most powerful of ways.”
She felt honored to be part of that woman’s life.
“I ask you all to pray for this woman,” she said, “as well for all the other women who are living lives of quiet desperation and shame.”
LifeNews.com Note: Shawn Carney is the campaign director for the 40 Days for Life pro-life prayer campaign against abortion. He is the director of the Coalition for Life.
