40 Days For Life

The 40 Days for Life campaign is taking place from September 24 through November 2 in more than 170 cities across the USA and around the world.

Through prayer and fasting, constant peaceful vigil and community outreach, the campaign draws attention to the horror of abortion.

To the left is the famous picture of the perfectly formed feet of an aborted baby only ten weeks from fertilization, taken by Dr. Russell Sacco. The tiny feet were used as a model for the Precious Feet so familiar to those of us who are pro-life. This picture has changed the mind of many women who considered abortion.

I wasn't always vehemently pro-life. It wasn't until I "accidentally" saw some horrible pictures of aborted babies as I was flipping through channels on the TV. The pictures made me gasp and I had to stop to see what had happened to these babies. The program was the old Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker show. Looking back now, it is astonishing that they were able to show those pictures at all on daytime, network TV.

I was appalled that I hadn't realized what abortion really meant. People in my life whom I cared for deeply had had abortions and I hadn't given it much thought. At the time, I thought it was their decision to make. God forgive me. I was ignorant, giving no thought to when the "tissue" is really a baby. I was a brand new Christian, and God gave me a huge wake up call.

I've been moderately involved in the pro-life movement ever since. Sometimes I get very discouraged because so many babies are dying. Over 40 million babies have died since Roe vs. Wade--that is a holocaust. What are we, pagans, sacrificing our children for convenience, money, self? We are destroying the most precious gifts God has given us, for no good reason. It has to stop. We can't give up.

Tonight Ron and I joined others at the 40 Days for Life vigil in front of a large abortion mill, and again I wondered how much good we could possibly be doing, standing on the sidewalk holding our signs. But on the way home I thought that if just one person during the whole 40 days has a change of heart because she sees us standing there, a baby will live. That's worth everything. Tonight as I was reading some articles about the campaign online, I saw that many babies have been saved and some abortion clinics have closed or cut back their hours due to the 40 Days for Life campaign, so it is making a difference.

Our experience at the vigil was quite pleasant. The people were all sweet and friendly, and many people driving by honked their horns, waved or gave the thumbs up sign. There were a few who shouted obscenities, maybe three or four, but I think two of them were the same guy. :o) A fellow pro-lifer simply said, "God bless you," as the guy drove off. A young girl driving a pickup truck stopped to tell us thank you. The owner of a restaurant/donut shop across the street allows picketers to park in his parking lot, and he has a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe on his sign, facing the abortion clinic. The clinic was closed when we were there. It might not have been so pleasant had it been open.

If you would like to join the 40 Days for Life campaign, go here. You can pray and do the daily devotions, join a vigil, contribute financially or shop at their on-line store.

Here is Fr. Frank Pavone's prayer to end abortion.

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen!