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Today’s email:

Ready for another international tour?

We never imagined how far God would take 40 Days for
Life from where it started — in Bryan/College Station,
Texas — six years ago.

Last week, I showed you photos from Canada, England
and Denmark that demonstrated how people are responding
to God’s call to pray and fast for an end to abortion.

Well, here’s more from around the globe ... plus a
U.S. location, too. Come along to Austrailia, Ireland
... and back to Texas.

ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adelaide is conducting its first 40 Days for Life
campaign right now — autumn for most of us, but it’s
springtime Down Under!

“Our campaign is going exceedingly well,” said Lionel,
the local coordinator. “We have met many new people
even from different faiths and churches.” An average
of about 30 people have been to the vigil site to pray
each day.

Response has been quite favorable. The local team
expected protesters — a group applied for a permit —
but they’ve only been seen twice during the campaign.

To see photos of the Adelaide campaign, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1274

“I am sure that God is working numerous miracles,”
Lionel said, “and at the proper time He will disclose
to us whom He has saved.”

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland has been participating in 40 Days for
Life for several campaigns now, coordinated by Bernadette
Smyth of the Irish pro-life organization Precious Life.

Abortion is not permitted in Northern Ireland, but there
are constant efforts under way to change that. Plus there
are organizations that help women travel to nearby
England, where abortion is legal.

“In Northern Ireland, we are urging people to join our
daily vigils outside the Family Planning Association’s
abortion referral agencies in Belfast and Derry,” she
said. “As part of the community outreach component of
the campaign we are encouraging people to take the pro-
life message out onto the streets.”

To see photos of 40 Days for Life in Northern Ireland,
please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1274

“Northern Ireland has hundreds of churches filled with
pro-lifers and two abortion referral centres,” Bernadette
wrote on her web page. “What are we waiting for?”

EL PASO, TEXAS

El Paso is on the Rio Grande — the border between
Texas and Mexico — so it certainly has an international
flavor. There are two abortion centers there where
40 Days for Life vigils are being held.

We got a quick note from Gabriela in El Paso: “20 lives
saved since September 22!” The prayers of the volunteers
at these two vigil sites are certainly making a difference.

David Bereit, the national director, of 40 Days for Life,
recently visited there. You can see photos of both El Paso
vigil locations if you go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1274

Earlier in this campaign, one of the staff members at one
of these facilities quit her job. She recently drove past
the vigil to wave hello — on her way to her new job.
Gabriella described this as “the best feeling ever.”

She added, “Thanks to all who are praying to end
abortion.”

Day 23 - October 14

Intention:

We pray for the strength to love those who do not love us.

Scripture:

But the Lord said "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in the night and perished in the night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and much livestock? Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

-- Jonah 4:10-11

Reflection:

God doesn't value people and things like we do. Jonah loved a shade tree more than an entire city of sinful people. We love our dogs more than a terrorist. We love our cars more than a beggar on the side of the road. And sometimes, we love our money more than a child growing in a desperate teenager's womb.

But God isn't like us. Genesis 1 tells us that humans were the capstone of God's creation. We were created on the sixth day after God had completed the land, the stars, the plants and the animals. Therefore, His love for us is greater than His love for a plant, an animal, or any other created thing. And the book of Jonah tells us that He loves even the most sinful people and seeks to bring them into His merciful arms. And it's a love that seeks to touch all of his created children: that desperate teenager, the baby growing in her womb, even tyrants and terrorists. So it's up to us to imitate God's merciful love by helping and praying for those who persecute us, and those who don't love us back.

Prayer:

Gracious God, loving our enemies seems like one of most difficult things you could ask of us. Please remind us that this is how you love and that if you ask it of us then you will give us the grace to do it. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dennis DiMauro
Lutherans for Life representative to the National Pro-life Religious Council