Dear Deacon, There are 61 employees who have had conversions and
left their jobs in the abortion industry during
40 Days for Life campaigns. These journeys are never smooth. Many of these workers
are uncomfortable about the peaceful prayer vigils
outside their doors. They voice that discomfort
regularly. In fact, staff members threaten to call the
police ... over a poster, a candle -- or even a cross. Here are stories that illustrate that point. But first,
I want you to hear from the Planned Parenthood manager
who resigned her job after just ONE 40 Days for Life
campaign outside the facility where she worked. Enjoy this amazing story!
------------------------------------------------------
McKINNEY, TEXAS
------------------------------------------------------ Our 40 Days for Life national director, David Bereit,
was in McKinney to help launch their first-ever
campaign. He welcomed vigil participants -- and showed
them what COULD happen in their community. In the right-of-way outside the McKinney Planned
Parenthood office, David introduced everyone to
Ramona Trevino, who once managed the Planned
Parenthood facility in nearby Sherman, Texas. Ramona shared from her heart how last spring the local
40 Days for Life team in Sherman offered encouragement
and help when she experienced a conversion and decided
to quit her job -- during that community's FIRST and
ONLY 40 Days for Life campaign. Following the 40 Days for Life campaign -- and Ramona's
departure -- the Sherman Planned Parenthood shut down
for good. An independent videographer filmed David and Ramona's
inspiring comments. Here's a link to the video so you
can see for yourself what God can accomplish: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2866
------------------------------------------------------
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------
left their jobs in the abortion industry during
40 Days for Life campaigns. These journeys are never smooth. Many of these workers
are uncomfortable about the peaceful prayer vigils
outside their doors. They voice that discomfort
regularly. In fact, staff members threaten to call the
police ... over a poster, a candle -- or even a cross. Here are stories that illustrate that point. But first,
I want you to hear from the Planned Parenthood manager
who resigned her job after just ONE 40 Days for Life
campaign outside the facility where she worked. Enjoy this amazing story!
------------------------------------------------------
McKINNEY, TEXAS
------------------------------------------------------ Our 40 Days for Life national director, David Bereit,
was in McKinney to help launch their first-ever
campaign. He welcomed vigil participants -- and showed
them what COULD happen in their community. In the right-of-way outside the McKinney Planned
Parenthood office, David introduced everyone to
Ramona Trevino, who once managed the Planned
Parenthood facility in nearby Sherman, Texas. Ramona shared from her heart how last spring the local
40 Days for Life team in Sherman offered encouragement
and help when she experienced a conversion and decided
to quit her job -- during that community's FIRST and
ONLY 40 Days for Life campaign. Following the 40 Days for Life campaign -- and Ramona's
departure -- the Sherman Planned Parenthood shut down
for good. An independent videographer filmed David and Ramona's
inspiring comments. Here's a link to the video so you
can see for yourself what God can accomplish: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2866
------------------------------------------------------
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
------------------------------------------------------
complain -- about a cross at the 40 Days for Life prayer
vigil. It was a LITTLE cross, decorated with flowers.
But to the Planned Parenthood crew, it was a BIG issue. The cross, the employees said, just had to be moved.
Winnie, one of the Orlando leaders, courteously
informed them the cross would stay. The worker said
in that case, they would call the police. Winnie
smiled and politely said that would be all right. Soon, Orlando police were on the scene to respond
to the complaint. "Whatever you're doing is really
upsetting them," said one of the officers. But all the police found on the public right-of-way
outside Planned Parenthood was people peacefully
praying -- along with a small cross with flowers on it. The police assured Winnie and the other volunteers
that they were doing absolutely nothing wrong ...
and the cross could stay. Someone called the police again a few days later -- to
complain about the cross. Again, the officers came,
asked questions and left. Again, the cross remained. To see photos of the vigil in Orlando, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2866
------------------------------------------------------
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
------------------------------------------------------ "The wind howled; the rain poured; placards were
whirling," said Aileen in Manchester, "and yes, we
got wet! We prayed and sang and we reached out." Despite the weather, there was a constant stream of
clients, she said, some of whom they engaged in
conversation. "At the beginning of the day, a senior member of staff
'requested' that we remove our placards and the candle
burning for babies killed by abortion and mothers hurt
by abortion, declaring we were trespassing on clinic
property, which was not the case," Aileen said. "Her threat of calling for the police was not pursued,"
she added. "We had of course, before starting the
campaign, informed the police of our intentions."
Today's devotional is from Randolph Sly of the
National Pro-life Religious Council.
------------------------------------------------------
DAY 16 INTENTION
------------------------------------------------------ May the mystery of the Incarnation increase our zeal
for defending life.
------------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
------------------------------------------------------ Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God. And behold, you
will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and
shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will
be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God
will give Him the throne of His father David. And He
will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His
kingdom there will be no end." -- Luke 1:30-33
------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Randolph Sly
------------------------------------------------------ "God has assumed Humanity, joining it with Divinity,
and kindled in men's hearts new love of me." These
words were written by a Roman poet in the Fourth
Century. He spent his life finding ways to express the
greatest mystery of the world: the incarnation, in
which God became man. The womb has been referred to as the "first home of
the whole human race." It is the place where life
begins, where our stories start. In the womb the great men and women of history began
their magnificent march through life. In the womb Divinity met humanity, and God the Son was
born into the world. As one of the Fathers of the early church, St. Leo the
Great, declared, "Within her spotless womb Wisdom
built itself a house and the Word became flesh." Recently, I was at the hospital for the birth of my
fourth grandchild. Looking through the nursery window
at the rows of newly born babies, I began to think of
the great stories that would be written about these
tiny lives. During his visitation with the Virgin Mary, the angel
prophesied to Mary about the life of her child. Here
in this hospital, I pondered, what would he say about
each of these? Would they meet the one who also came from His
mother's womb to redeem the world and kindle our
hearts afresh for God? I thanked God for each baby alive and prayed for each
story yet to be written.
------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
------------------------------------------------------ Heavenly Father, you have made the womb of each woman
a very special place. Help us to hold fast to the sanctity of this first
home of humanity, remembering the wonderful mystery,
that God inhabited the womb of a young woman and came
forth as the savior and deliverer of the world. We ask this in the Name of the one who came forth,
Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
------------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
------------------------------------------------------ To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2012day16print.pdf
------------------------------------------------------ Yours for Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What's new at 40 Days for Life in your community?
Please share any blessings by replying to today's
blog entry: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2866 40 Days for Life 10908 Courthouse Road
Suite 102229
Fredericksburg, VA
22408
US
