I had to smile when I read a California blogger's post that described 40 Days for Life as a "babies-saving, moms-helping, 'round-the-clock prayer-and-fasting- outside-abortion-businesses effort that's been saving thousands of babies' lives."
I really loved that breath of fresh air! Far too often lately, I've see strings of other adjectives connected to 40 Days for Life that are -- to put it mildly -- inaccurate.
Just this week, I saw 40 Days for Life described as "a nasty campaign of anti-women harassers" who "get their jollies at this time of the year by swarming women's reproductive health centers and abortion clinics for 40 days."
Really?
Unfortunately, others can often be taken in by these inaccurate representations. One 40 Days for Life vigil participant saw first hand how such misstatements can have an impact.
A young woman drove up to the abortion center and sat in her car. She seemed to be waiting for someone. Finally, the person she was waiting for arrived -- a policeman. The woman wanted to be escorted into the building because people were outside praying.
A 40 Days for Life vigil participant said the officer was aware that "there had never been any complaints about us and how we conduct ourselves." But he also didn't seem to understand why people were praying.
The volunteer saw an opportunity to do a bit of educating, and explained that two dozen lawsuits were pending against the abortion center and there had been reports of three abortion-related deaths. "He didn't know any of that."
The officer said, "The woman was scared to get out of the car with you here." The volunteer responded, "She should have been scared to go inside."
Other people have fallen for the common "pro-choice" mantra that a woman's abortion decision should be "honored and respected."
A 40 Days for Life participant in Lake County, Indiana was shocked to see a pro-life bumper sticker on a car in the parking lot at Planned Parenthood. The driver explained that she didn't like abortion, but it was her friend's choice to have one.
She was told that such an argument wouldn't wash if her friend were to rob a bank; the driver of the getaway car is considered an accomplice.
With that, the woman went inside the building to tell her friend she was about to make a terrible mistake.
It wasn't easy. Voices were raised. It was quite emotional. At one point, the driver came out crying, saying she had failed.
But the vigil participants encouraged her to try again. They kept praying and "decided to let the Holy Spirit work."
The driver went back into the abortion center.
Later, her friend came out in tears, saying she had changed her mind: "I couldn't do it."
Thank you for your faithfulness and your commitment. And thank you, Holy Spirit!
Contact: David Bereit
Source: 40 Days for Life
Publish Date: March 4, 2010
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