Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Organizers of the Fall 40 Days for Life campaign say it has been more effective than previous efforts and has already resulted in saving the lives of 268 babies at its halfway point. The campaign has also engendered the typical condemnations from national and local Planned Parenthood activists.
"I know 40 Days for Life is on the right track whenever Planned Parenthood cranks up its PR machine," Shawn Carney, national outreach director of 40 Days for Life, tells LifeNews.com.
"And if you read some of the things Planned Parenthood and its supporters are publishing these days, it's obvious that the nation's largest abortion chain sees trouble on the horizon," she added.
"By our best estimates, tens of thousands of pro-life people in more than 175 communities in 47 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and two Canadian provinces are participating," she explained.
Most importantly: "Local campaign coordinators report that thus far, at least 268 mothers have left abortion facilities without having abortions."
Carney said the campaign is producing positive side-effects with pregnancy resource centers reporting a significant increase in their client numbers.
Local abortion centers appear to be reducing hours or closing up shop entirely in the fact of peaceful pro-life advocates praying outside and providing women with tangle pregnancy help and support.
Carney estimates the abortion decline in some cities could be as high as 30-50 percent as a result of the effort.
"We know of at least two clinic employees who have quit their jobs in the abortion industry," she said.
One Planned Parenthood facility in Vermont has reportedly been running newspaper ads seeking replacement employees to assist with its abortion business.
"Planned Parenthood in particular doesn't like 40 Days for Life," Carney said.
One Planned Parenthood affiliate refers to the campaign as "40 days of harassment" and the national organization brought back its "I am Emily X" blog, a series of postings that complains of the many alleged hardships employees face.
One entry takes specific aim at a Catholic group that came to recite the rosary during a 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.
"I worry about how intimidating the sound of all those voices at once can be," the blogger said, before claiming that the rosary "has been corrupted as a tool to frighten women."
"In point of fact," said Carney, "the sight of people gathered in prayer outside of Planned Parenthood facilities and other abortion centers has given women a sense of hope at a point in their lives when they feel most vulnerable and desperate.
"Prayer 'intimidates' no one - and thus far, it has saved 268 lives, and saved 268 mothers - plus fathers and countless other family members and friends - from the lifetime of guilt and regret that can follow the so-called choice of abortion," she added.
"We have said from the beginning that this fall represents a critical time for our culture and our society," said Carney. "The response we have seen during 40 Days of Life is a sure sign that faithful people, taking a public stand, can make a difference - for the babies, for the mothers, for our nation."
