"Do You Have To Be Here On Wednesday?"....

Wednesday, March 9^th- Just one of the fabulous comments passer-bys screamed at the wonderful sight of peaceful witnessing outside the Midwest’s largest, late-term abortion mill on the opening day of our Spring 40 Days for Life rally.

            It was blustery and raw as winds were bearing down on the gathering. We held our banner, passed out 40 Days for Life signs, and stretched out on the sidewalks surrounding this deathcamp. “Get a life!” was yelled at us from another passing car. We stood prayerfully as the media arrived and began taking in the opening ceremonies and shooting pictures. Fr. Chris Comerford led the charge and read from the 40 Days devotional. Our intention is to use these next 40 Days to plead for God's mercy and grace for all those involved in the sin of abortion. Joel 2:15-17 “Blow a trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly. Gather the people, notify the congregation, gather the children. Let the priest and ministers of the Lord weep and say, ‘Spare, O Lord, Your people.’”  We are called to be God's messengers. We are ambassadors for Christ. We are to be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20. This is the true message to all we encounter at the abortion mills and in our communities who have been deceived by the Culture of Death. We don't bring condemnation; we bring God's good news.

            Angela introduced herself as the Granite City 40 Days campaign coordinator and director of Small Victories, a daily ministry that has been standing outside this abortion facility for over 18 years as a pregnancy and adoption resource through their ultrasound van and as an advocate for mothers and their babies. There were many new faces on the sidewalks.
            We then gave an overall view and brief history of Hope Clinic for Women through the years. We specifically noted that in the past three campaigns of 40 Days, God really began moving in Granite City and the number of abortions inside this facility has dropped from an annual 13,104 to less than 4,000. Over 3800 babies have been saved from abortion through our witness, and over 39 babies have been adopted from those 3800, including two little babies scheduled to die inside Hope abortion mill that we saved and adopted recently.

            We informed the participants that we are to be Jesus to the abortion-minded rather than scream Jesus at them. Not only is ultrasound technology saving babies, but when we asked our most recent saves, they told us what changed their minds was, “Seeing people standing outside this abortion clinic praying,” for them. Prayer works. That is all God is asking from us. Just show up; the results are up to Him. It’s not easy standing our here in all kinds of weather, but we are making a difference inside and outside this abortion facility and in this community. We then did a 40 Days for Life Jericho March around the abortion mill, praying for those walls to come down. Reporters then interviewed and took pictures of our assembly. We noticed that most of the vehicles were from the evening before. Almost all the cars were from Missouri, and there was one Mississippi. 

            “Lord, we ask for the strength, courage, wisdom, determination, and stamina to carry out this mission according to Your will. Guide us, we pray, as we go forth and proclaim Your truth, always doing so with a spirit of love and compassion, as was demonstrated to us through the work of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.”