Dear Deacon, Many of the 316 cities participating in 40 Days for
Life this fall are holding 24-hour vigils. That's
960 total hours! It is a very powerful witness to know that before
any couples show up for an abortion and long after
the last abortion worker leaves, there is someone
there praying and bearing witness to the community. For me, praying at the abortion facility in the middle
of the night is very moving. It may sound a bit
different at first, but it has been a time of peace,
silence and solidarity for the thousands of volunteers
who do it. And as one of these 24-hour communities has found,
you're guaranteed to see a little bit of everything.
-----------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
----------------------------------------------------- "It's been an interesting week at Whitfield Street
40 Days for Life!" So said Claire, who's leading one
of three London-area campaigns. Volunteers are praying outside a Marie Stopes abortion
facility, which is directly across the street from a
residence building for University College London
students. "This leads to a variety of colourful
meetings and incidents with the students," she said. [Note to US readers: Yes, there are some words that
our British cousins spell differently. I've made no
changes to the original text.] One of the students has been putting up posters in
residence hall windows. One sign simply announces,
"Pro-choice." This student was also moved to add a
second sign telling vigil participants, "You can't
sing, either!" You can take a look at those hand-drawn signs at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397 Clare said one of the other signs wasn't nearly as
complimentary, so she chose not to post a photo of
that one. As this is a 24-hour vigil, there are many interesting
discussions with students on Friday evenings who've
been out for a night on the town. There have also been
students who asked for prayer, that they might be able
to keep their faith strong in the university environment. "Saturday morning is a different matter," Clare said.
"It's so quiet you would think no-one lived on
Whitfield Street." It was cool but sunny, and the
peace and quiet continued until the students started
to wake up and prepare breakfast -- around midday. There's a picture of the Saturday morning vigil at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397
Life this fall are holding 24-hour vigils. That's
960 total hours! It is a very powerful witness to know that before
any couples show up for an abortion and long after
the last abortion worker leaves, there is someone
there praying and bearing witness to the community. For me, praying at the abortion facility in the middle
of the night is very moving. It may sound a bit
different at first, but it has been a time of peace,
silence and solidarity for the thousands of volunteers
who do it. And as one of these 24-hour communities has found,
you're guaranteed to see a little bit of everything.
-----------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
----------------------------------------------------- "It's been an interesting week at Whitfield Street
40 Days for Life!" So said Claire, who's leading one
of three London-area campaigns. Volunteers are praying outside a Marie Stopes abortion
facility, which is directly across the street from a
residence building for University College London
students. "This leads to a variety of colourful
meetings and incidents with the students," she said. [Note to US readers: Yes, there are some words that
our British cousins spell differently. I've made no
changes to the original text.] One of the students has been putting up posters in
residence hall windows. One sign simply announces,
"Pro-choice." This student was also moved to add a
second sign telling vigil participants, "You can't
sing, either!" You can take a look at those hand-drawn signs at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397 Clare said one of the other signs wasn't nearly as
complimentary, so she chose not to post a photo of
that one. As this is a 24-hour vigil, there are many interesting
discussions with students on Friday evenings who've
been out for a night on the town. There have also been
students who asked for prayer, that they might be able
to keep their faith strong in the university environment. "Saturday morning is a different matter," Clare said.
"It's so quiet you would think no-one lived on
Whitfield Street." It was cool but sunny, and the
peace and quiet continued until the students started
to wake up and prepare breakfast -- around midday. There's a picture of the Saturday morning vigil at: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397
suddenly joined by a peaceful presence of about
200 students who had obviously been inspired to join
the vigil," Clare noted. "So keen were they that they
had all come in their pyjamas." They all remained well-behaved, even as one of the
vigil participants read aloud a prayer for purity. "It didn't take us long to realise that their
presence had been inspired by the fire alarm going
off and their good behaviour encouraged by the
presence of the managers of the residence," she
said, but noted that she "didn't have the heart to
take a picture." Wednesday brought great encouragement -- a turnaround
on Whitfield Street, and word of another possible
turnaround at the vigil at London's Bedford Square.
"Both need your prayers," she said. Daytime hours are busy but hassle-free, although
there is the occasional critic who will shout things
such as, "You idiots are putting the women’s rights
movement back 25 years" ... with a bit of cursing
tossed in. So, Clare said, "whether you like to pray in the
quiet, in the dead of night, in the sunshine or
the rain, in the face of abuse, or just in season
or out of season, we have a time slot for you!" She called 40 Days for Life a great opportunity.
"It takes commitment and sacrifice though, so let's
give some commitment and get going on the prayer and
fasting. Don't let us waste this opportunity." Have you had a chance to take part in a peaceful
40 Days for Life prayer vigil yet? If not, here's
the link to the list of campaign locations: http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm
Here's today's devotional from Kevin Burke,
executive director of Rachel's Vineyard Ministries...
-----------------------------------------------------
DAY 12 INTENTION
----------------------------------------------------- May the King of the Universe, who entered this world
as a helpless infant, give us the humility to be
healed.
-----------------------------------------------------
SCRIPTURE
----------------------------------------------------- My power is made perfect in weakness. --2 Corinthians 12:9
-----------------------------------------------------
REFLECTION by Kevin Burke, Rachel's Vineyard
----------------------------------------------------- The great mystery of the Humility of God is very near
and dear to the mission of those serving in pro life
and in a special way, post abortion ministries across
this nation. For those wounded by their participation in abortion,
the door to healing often feels like crossing an
abyss of great fear: fear of judgment, fear of being
torn apart by the pain, by self hatred and rage at
those who hurt and abandoned you, and manipulated you
in your time of temptation. For men in particular, entering the unknown waters of
emotional vulnerability, so necessary to healing
calls for a different kind of courage that feels
deceptively like weakness. The door to healing is humility. It is born in the
inability to no longer control the pain, to live with
the consequences of that tragic decision to reject
life. The hearts cries out, "I have committed a grave
offense against my Creator and I am consumed by
regret, grief and sorrow!" During these forty days let us pray for all who have
participated in abortion and with love call them to
healing and reconciliation. With healing these women
and men can become as John Paul II proclaimed in the
Gospel of Life, "the most eloquent defenders of
everyone's right to life." Jesus proclaimed, "I am the Vine, you are the
branches" (John 15:5). To bear the greatest fruit,
the branches must be pruned. Each level of pruning of
the vine requires a deeper level of humility so that
we can abandon ourselves to His will. This is not a lofty theological concept as much as it
is an earthy experience of pulling weeds, tilling
rocky soil, pruning and healing the vines. "If a man
wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self,
take up his cross, and begin to follow in my
footsteps" (Matthew 16:24).
-----------------------------------------------------
PRAYER
----------------------------------------------------- Lord, during these forty days, we ask that with each
day of this sacred vigil, everything in us that
separates us from your perfect will would be pruned
from our hearts and souls. In this blessed freedom may we experience a powerful
anointing of your Holy Spirit. Filled with confidence
and trust may we proclaim with the mother of Jesus,
"Let it be done to me, according to your Word."
-----------------------------------------------------
PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL
----------------------------------------------------- To download today's devotional as a formatted,
printable PDF to share with friends: http://40daysforlife.com/docs/fall2012day12print.pdf ----------------------------------------------------- For Life, Shawn Carney
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life PS: What has 40 Days for Life meant to you thus far?
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