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An email update!

Today is Good Friday — the day Christians mark the
crucifixion and death of the Son of God. In memory of
Christ, 40 Days for Life volunteers in a number of
cities are planning to pray at abortion centers today.

For instance, every member of the 40 Days for Life team
in Everett, Washington is invited to pray outside the
abortion facility today.

The same invitation has gone out in Syracuse, New York.
Not only is it Good Friday, but the local Planned
Parenthood center in Syracuse is doing a “pledge-a-
picket” campaign.

Abortion businesses will do this as an attempt to get
pro-life people to stay away. They say that the vigil
participants are raising money for them.

In most cases, though, this is a desperation move to
raise funds to make up for lost business, as clients
see people praying and become convinced that abortion
is not the answer.

In Houston, Texas, Planned Parenthood is also doing
“pledge-a-picket,” going so far as to say that the
people praying are hired hands who are being paid
a salary and benefits to show up for “40 Days of
Harassment.”

In other locations, the abortion businesses spent the
final days of the 40 Days for Life campaign trying to
bully vigil participants. In one city, the facility’s
staff tried to convince a police officer to keep
people far away, even though city laws hold no
restriction on peaceful activities in the public
right-of-way.

In Boulder, Colorado, the abortionist wrote a lengthy
letter to the editor denouncing the “harassment” caused
by the throngs of people outside his business.

The daily newspaper went to investigate, and found
people quietly praying on a cold day when a light
drizzle was falling. Still, the abortionist is
demanding that the city council impose a 500-foot
buffer zone to keep the prayer volunteers far away.

This is to be expected; Christ Himself said we would
face this sort of thing. In Matthew’s gospel, He said,
“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely)
because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward
will be great in heaven.”

Paula in Tucson offered a nugget of truth that I think
is worth sharing. As she prayed at the 40 Days for Life
vigil, she realized something. “I looked at the no
trespass signs,” she said, “and I laughed — because
God was there.”

God IS there — in the abortion facility.

God IS there — when life begins. That point became
quite clear to Christina, who suffered a miscarriage
in the ninth week of her pregnancy.

“The doctor wanted my husband and I to come and see
for ourselves that this little 9-week-old unborn child
was a real baby,” she said.

“I know this is hard for you,” said the physician,
“but as a doctor, I am appalled when people tell me
it is not yet a baby.”

“And as we looked at this little baby,” Christina said,
“we could see the little heart through the opaque flesh,
the hands and feet formed but still like a little web,
the head larger than the rest of the body.”

It was, in a word, amazing — God’s miracle.

“It was a pleasure and a joy to join in the vigil this
year and I will never miss another one,” said Christina.
“You feel the presence of God at every minute.”

If you are able to, take time to pray at an abortion
center today, Good Friday. Remember Christ. Remember
the babies, the mothers, the fathers, the abortion
facility staff.

And remember — God is there.

Yours for Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life