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Many of the 316 cities participating in 40 Days for
Life this fall are holding 24-hour vigils. That’s
960 total hours!

It is a very powerful witness to know that before
any couples show up for an abortion and long after
the last abortion worker leaves, there is someone
there praying and bearing witness to the community.

For me, praying at the abortion facility in the middle
of the night is very moving. It may sound a bit
different at first, but it has been a time of peace,
silence and solidarity for the thousands of volunteers
who do it.

And as one of these 24-hour communities has found,
you’re guaranteed to see a little bit of everything.

LONDON, ENGLAND

“It’s been an interesting week at Whitfield Street
40 Days for Life!” So said Claire, who’s leading one
of three London-area campaigns.

Volunteers are praying outside a Marie Stopes abortion
facility, which is directly across the street from a
residence building for University College London
students. “This leads to a variety of colourful
meetings and incidents with the students,” she said.

[Note to US readers: Yes, there are some words that
our British cousins spell differently. I’ve made no
changes to the original text.]

One of the students has been putting up posters in
residence hall windows. One sign simply announces,
“Pro-choice.” This student was also moved to add a
second sign telling vigil participants, “You can’t
sing, either!”

You can take a look at those hand-drawn signs at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397

Clare said one of the other signs wasn’t nearly as
complimentary, so she chose not to post a photo of
that one.

As this is a 24-hour vigil, there are many interesting
discussions with students on Friday evenings who’ve
been out for a night on the town. There have also been
students who asked for prayer, that they might be able
to keep their faith strong in the university environment.

“Saturday morning is a different matter,” Clare said.
“It’s so quiet you would think no-one lived on
Whitfield Street.” It was cool but sunny, and the
peace and quiet continued until the students started
to wake up and prepare breakfast — around midday.

There’s a picture of the Saturday morning vigil at:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3397

“Early Tuesday morning, about 7:15 am, we were
suddenly joined by a peaceful presence of about
200 students who had obviously been inspired to join
the vigil,” Clare noted. “So keen were they that they
had all come in their pyjamas.”

They all remained well-behaved, even as one of the
vigil participants read aloud a prayer for purity.

“It didn’t take us long to realise that their
presence had been inspired by the fire alarm going
off and their good behaviour encouraged by the
presence of the managers of the residence,” she
said, but noted that she “didn’t have the heart to
take a picture.”

Wednesday brought great encouragement — a turnaround
on Whitfield Street, and word of another possible
turnaround at the vigil at London’s Bedford Square.
“Both need your prayers,” she said.

Daytime hours are busy but hassle-free, although
there is the occasional critic who will shout things
such as, “You idiots are putting the women’s rights
movement back 25 years” ... with a bit of cursing
tossed in.

So, Clare said, “whether you like to pray in the
quiet, in the dead of night, in the sunshine or
the rain, in the face of abuse, or just in season
or out of season, we have a time slot for you!”

She called 40 Days for Life a great opportunity.
“It takes commitment and sacrifice though, so let’s
give some commitment and get going on the prayer and
fasting. Don’t let us waste this opportunity.”

Have you had a chance to take part in a peaceful
40 Days for Life prayer vigil yet? If not, here’s
the link to the list of campaign locations:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Day 13 - October 8

Intention:

For all fathers who are terrified of being fathers.

Scripture:

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.

-- Psalm 68:5

Reflection:

I had a friend many years ago who confided in me that he was terrified of being a father. He and his wife already had two children when this revelation came forth. "I never knew my father," he explained, "and I have no idea what a father is supposed to do." We continued to share about this, as well as pray together. He began to see he had a father's heart for his children. His biggest problem was not a limitation on love but not knowing how to act out this love.

One day we talked about the verse quoted at the top of this page. I shared that he did know his Father… not his biological father but his Heavenly Father, who had rescued him from a life of destruction not many years before. "How did your Heavenly Father guide you?" I asked. He talked about the ways he had seen God's love offered to him and the way the Lord had used circumstances and the Scriptures to mold him and mature him. "Well, the Lord wants to do the same thing through you for your children. Be available to His love and available to your kids. You'll do fine."

How wonderful it is to know that God takes a personal interest in each of us, many times using His faithful people - the Church - as channels of this love. No one is fatherless who lives in the Lord. His fatherly care begins at the moment of our conception, as it is written, "you knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:12), and continues to be poured upon us throughout our lives.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for caring about each of us so deeply. Help us to see and know you as our Father in heaven each and every day of our lives. Your loving hand also rests on every child today carried in its mother's womb. May they be born into this world and come to know fully and personally your endless love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Randolph Sly
National Pro-life Religious Council