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Today’s email from Shawn Carney:

When the first nationally coordinated 40 Days for Life
campaign was being planned in 2007, we hoped for
20 cities, honestly. Of course, we weren’t thinking
big enough.

In September 2007, the first 40 Days for Life campaign
launched in 89 cities. And it’s now grown to 247 cities!

Then, when we thought this would ONLY be a campaign for
the United States ...

... well, we were wrong again! We’re in nine countries
this campaign.

Here’s a quick world tour of some of our 32 international
vigil locations:

ENGLAND

London is back for its second campaign, and Cheltenham
is along for its first.

The London campaign continues to have a strong reach
into the international community, and more nations may
be joining 40 Days for Life in the future — with help
from Robert, the campaign coordinator in London.

Robert sent along a link to a short video promoting
40 Days for Life in London.

I’ve watched this several times and it’s downright
amazing.

This video is directed at a specific community in
England’s capital, and the on-screen information is
presented in their native language — POLISH!

To see the Polish video about 40 Days for Life in
England, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1578

SPAIN

The 40 Days for Life coordinators in Spain have jumped
into this project with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm
and hard work.

The first inquiry we received mentioned the possibility
of a campaign in Madrid. As the months went by and the
word spread, that has grown to TEN different cities!

40 Days for Life in Spain now has its own national team
and its own web site — and people are answering the
call to pray and fast for an end to abortion.

To see photos of the 40 Days for Life campaigns in
Madrid, Segovia and Puerto de Santa Maria, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1578

GEORGIA

Georgia was once part of the Soviet Union, and abortion
continues to be a major concern there. Please keep this
campaign in your prayers; not only does it have great
potential to save lives (one baby saved already!), it
also has the potential to foster greater unity in the
Body of Christ.

“Every denomination that exists in Tbilisi is
participating,” said Carolyn, who is coordinating this
first-ever campaign in Georgia. “This is truly
unprecedented!”

Carolyn sent some photos from the vigil in front of
Parliament in Tbilisi, which is Georgia’s capital.

I don’t understand the words — and I certainly can’t
read the language. They use a totally different alphabet.
But Carolyn says the signs read “choose life” and
“abortion stops a beating heart.”

That sounds quite familiar, doesn’t it? It shows that
abortion is a worldwide problem — and that God has a
worldwide answer.

To see pictures from 40 Days for Life in Georgia, please
go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1578

AUSTRALIA

There are six cities Down Under for this 40 Days for
Life campaign — the most yet in Australia. And it
isn’t springtime there. This campaign begins in the
final days of summer, rolling into early autumn.

The kickoff in Sydney was quite an event — and we have
the video!

Check out the Sydney 40 Days for Life kickoff at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1578

Day 5 - March 13

Intention:

May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy triumph over judgment.

Scripture:

Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

- Genesis 9:5-6

Reflection:

The value of every human being can hardly be seen more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of the universe, has created all human beings in his image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the blood of any individual will require the blood of the one who shed it. God's concern for human beings is not limited to any particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal, and includes male and female, young and old, born and unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of every nation on earth.

Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of millions upon millions of innocent children cries out to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace, and yet this passage (among many other texts which express similar sentiments) should give every thinking Christian pause.

Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out. We must do all that we can to protect the innocent, to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of all those who bear responsibility for this great evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall the judgment that must otherwise surely come.

This passage should also be seen as an encouragement to educate and disciple our children and grandchildren about what it means to be human, and the responsibility that will become theirs in this ongoing struggle.

Prayer:

O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit. Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help us be people of salt and light within our nation. May every human being, from conception to natural death, be treated with the respect due those made in your image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev. John Brown
Director, United Friends for Life (United Church of Christ)