Abortion center staffs often try to intimidate prayer volunteers by making up imaginary rules and regulations governing the sidewalk.
The 40 Days for Life team in Sterling Heights saw this recently - on two separate occasions. Two men whose girlfriends were inside the facility came over to chat with vigil participants.
In both cases, the security guard came over to tell the men they were forbidden to speak to the people praying outside. The men were also told if they continued to talk to the volunteers, they would have to move their cars from the abortion center's property.
"You'd think people would wonder about what kind of place this is if they won't let you talk to someone," said one of the 40 Days for Life team members. "Taking away your right to speak must be a prerequisite to taking away your right to life. We were able to give one of the men information about free resources ... please pray for them."
On another occasion, the security guard spoke to a woman who'd come to talk to the vigil participants. When she finally made her way over to the group that was praying, she told them she'd had a baby after 25 weeks of pregnancy. Her doctor had recommended an abortion - but she chose life, and both she and her baby were fine.