WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- "With abortion advocates trying to exploit the current health care reform debate to mandate taxpayer funding of abortion," said David Bereit, national director of 40 Days for Life, "we are incredibly encouraged to see record numbers of people in cities across America willing to take a stand by participating in 40 Days for Life to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and seek God\'s protection for innocent children in the womb -- and mothers -- at risk of abortion."
40 Days for Life is now gearing up for its largest campaign to date with 209 cities in 45 American states, five Canadian provinces and Denmark poised to launch simultaneous 40 Days for Life campaigns from September 23 - November 1. The list of fall locations is posted at: http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm.
40 Days for Life is a groundbreaking pro-life initiative that burst onto the national scene just two years ago, mobilizing more than 215,000 people in 240 cities across all 50 states -- and beyond -- during four coordinated campaigns, saving 1,561 lives from abortion. The community-based 40 Days for Life campaign involves people of faith in 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion, round-the-clock peaceful vigils outside abortion facilities, and grassroots educational outreach.
Bereit served as a key organizer for the Stop the Abortion Mandate coalition of more than 70 organizations which held a highly successful nationwide webcast in July, drawing an audience of more than 36,000 Americans to oppose the abortion mandates in current health care reform proposals. Over 100,000 letters, e-mails, and calls to Congress were generated in response to coalition efforts.
On the heels of these successful pro-life efforts, a much smaller coalition recently announced its own campaign called "40 Days for Health Reform" to push abortion-laden health care reform. The group has organized a series of events, including a conference call today featuring President Obama.
"Some say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but using the biblical 40-days concept in an attempt to salvage floundering health care reform proposals that would mandate taxpayer funding of abortion and force Americans into health plans with mandatory abortion coverage -- we are anything but flattered," said Bereit. "I am confident that the prayers of millions of people, imploring God to inspire people to turn away from abortion, will be a much more powerful force in shaping the future."
