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Women have abortions because they have lost hope.

Abortion centers are hopeless places. They survive on
fear and despair. When you are there praying, you are
the last sign of hope for the baby as the woman enters
to have the abortion ... and the first sign of hope —
and first impression of mercy — as the woman exits
after the abortion.

This hope and mercy come from Christ, in whom all things
are possible. Thank you for bringing His hope and mercy
to the places they are so desperately needed.

DOVER, DELAWARE

It was cold and snowing outside Planned Parenthood in
Dover, and Darla and her two teenaged sons were thinking
about leaving early. They’re glad they didn’t.

A woman came up to talk. She told them she had six
children ... but aborted her seventh. At the time, she
thought she couldn’t handle another child. Now, she
considers that the worst mistake of her life. And she’s
worried that a friend is about to make the same mistake.

The friend is a teenager who is pregnant. Her family and
most of her friends are pressuring her to abort — all
except this woman, who knows abortion’s impact firsthand.

The teenager walked out of Planned Parenthood, met her
friend, and spoke briefly. The woman then returned to
talk to Darla and her sons.

“You ARE making a difference out here,” the woman said.
“My teenaged friend has decided, because of your presence,
that she cannot go through with an abortion.”

Darla said, “I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit
prompted us to stay, despite the bad weather.”

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

Laura left a note on the 40 Days for Life blog. She
brings a group of families to pray at a San Jose
abortion center every week — including a number
of children.

“It breaks my heart to see how some people do not even
respect life after birth,” she said, noting the escorts
that glare at them and the drivers who offer rude
gestures as they speed by. “But we get so many positive
responses from drivers too. They honk and wave, and
give us thumbs up.”

On a cold, windy day, a driver slowed down and shouted,
“Put your kids back in school!” The group just continued
to pray quietly, until a stranger walked up to shake
their hands and thank them for being there.

“Never lose hope,” Laura wrote, “and never stop fighting
for these precious babies, wounded mothers, boyfriends,
husbands, families, doctors, nurses, and everyone
involved in abortion. The tide is changing.”

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

“Did you know that our prayers at the vigil are just
the visible sign of 40 Days for Life?” asked Ann in
Richmond. “In the quiet places of our city, prayers
are being lifted to the Lord for an end to abortion.”

She listed just a few of those places:

* In the evening hours at a small chapel
* In the rooms of elderly residents
* In the cells of inmates at a nearby prison
* In the classrooms of students
* In the homes and cars and churches of the community

“We have great back-up at the vigil, great prayer cover,”
she said. “God sees all who join us and hears all of our
prayers. Thank you very much to everyone who prays for an
end to abortion, at the vigil and beyond.”

Day 20 - March 12

Intention:

We pray for humility in our work for God's Kingdom.

Scripture:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

-- Philippians 2:5-8

Reflection:

There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we don't care who gets the credit.

Jesus Christ's life on earth exemplifies a total submission to the will of the Father. His humility, compassion, gentleness and thoughtfulness are reflected over and over again in the New Testament. He was God incarnate, yet He chose to be born to a humble, working class home.

How absurd it must have seemed to the rich and powerful that the Son of God, the Messiah, the one foretold by the prophets, the 'King of the Jews' was born and raised as a simple peasant.

During His thirty-three years on earth, He sought no riches, claimed no secular power and gathered no possessions. Yet, His short time on earth changed more lives, softened more hearts, and gave hope to more people, than all the rich and powerful human 'kings' combined. And, at the end of His life on earth, by dying on the cross, He opened the door to eternal life for those who heed his words and follow in his footsteps.

Prayer:

O Lord, help us follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Let us humbly and diligently work to restore legal protection for the unborn, the disabled, the medically dependent and all innocent children of God whose lives are threatened. Let us remember the old adage that "He can never lead who has not first learned to obey." And, Lord, grant us a peaceful heart as we labor in your name. Amen.

Ernest Ohlhoff
Outreach Director, National Right to Life