rom 40 Days For Life: DAY 32: A “Texas welcome” for Planned Parenthood

In 2013 – after years of prayerful pro-life witness and seven 40 Days for Life campaigns – Planned Parenthood in Waco, Texas packed up and left town. But this year, Planned Parenthood returned. And so did a powerful 40 Days for Life campaign!

I visited Waco, where the volunteers promised to keep going strong until the end of the campaign – and beyond. "We are not going away," said John Pisciotta (above, right), who began leading 40 Days for Life in Waco during the very first coordinated campaign in 2007. Aine Fitzgerald (above, left), who is co-leading the current campaign, encouraged people to continue coming out to pray on abortion days after the campaign. Planned Parenthood flies in a doctor from Massachusetts to abort babies in Waco. "The local media coverage has been great," Aine said. "We were on the front page … and that has drawn a lot of attention to abortion being back in Waco."

Earlier this campaign, we sent a beautiful story of a mom who chose life. That's just one example of how God is using the campaign to save lives – and get Planned Parenthood out of Waco forever.

Santa Cruz, California This is the 15th campaign for 40 Days for Life in Santa Cruz … and the volunteers are seeing a significant impact as a result of their prayer and witness. For starters, the number of surgical abortions went on a steep decline, from around 40 per month to 8 or fewer. And now, surgical abortions are no longer taking place – only chemical abortions. Clients are referred to other locations for surgical abortions. The local team isn't sure if this is a permanent change – but they're praying it will be. They're also helping to publicize abortion pill reversals in light of the changes at the abortion facility. As for the vigil itself, participation continues to grow, with new churches and more first-time volunteers joining the campaign.

Ventura, California Volunteers prayed while a mother of four – pregnant with her fifth child – drove into Planned Parenthood. They were afraid she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life. But then she saw a man on the sidewalk holding a cross. She left Planned Parenthood and got into a car with people who had come to pick her up – but not until she stopped to share the good news that she would not be going through with the abortion. "If we can save one baby's life," said George in Ventura, "there's rejoicing in heaven! Keep coming out to pray!"

The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne. — Revelation 12:4-5 3 O God, from generation to generation, you have called your people to be the very aroma of life amidst a culture of death. Now it is our turn. Prepare me. Send me. Use me. I am eager to do my part. Stir your people everywhere to take up this great work. See today's full devotional

For life,

Shawn Carney President, 40 Days for Life

40 Days for Life 4112 E 29th St. Bryan, Texas 77802 United States (888)