1st week...1st save!

The Fall 2013 40 Days for Life campaign has begun -- 40 days of praying, fasting, standing vigil and reaching out to the community.  On Tuesday evening, families and friends gathered in the park across from the vigil site to kick off the campaign with music, prayer and inspiring speakers.  

At midnight, the "First Hour", folks gathered, to begin the 24/7 prayer vigil outside the Southwest late-term abortion facility, including St. Anthony Church parishioners, who adopted Wednesday, the opening day of the campaign.  (Some hard-core prayer warriors even went to the sidewalk after the Rally, i.e. before the official midnight "start" of the prayer vigil!)

On Thursday, the second day of the campaign, came the "every day pledge."   A man is planning to pray at the vigil site every day -- every day of the 40-day campaign.  Yes, in past years he prayed for an hour or so on the day that his church adopted. This year, however, God called him in a special way and he responded, "Yes, Lord. I will go." 

On Friday, we prayed for the families.   A couple with a growing family and some difficult crosses to bear was contemplating abortion.  A father (Christian man who also has a large family) just happened to be praying at the abortion facility with his own family when the couple arrived for their first abortion consultation. He reached out to the couple. And they decided not to schedule the 2nd abortion appointment.  Praise God!   The praying man and his wife are planning to break bread with the couple who chose life, and their children are looking forward to getting to know each other.

God is Good.... All the time!!! 

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Update:  A second baby has been saved from abortion at the Southwestern late-term abortion center.  Praise be to God!!

Whoa!!! “24-Hour Club” steppin’ UP!

T-Minus 44 Days 'til campaign starts: September 25 - November 3, 2013

At this early date in August, TWO folks have already said they have plans to pray and bear witness for 24 hours straight outside SW late term abortion clinic again!

Read LifeSiteNews story about Dallas “24-Hour Club” here

Additionally... Every year during 40 Days for Life, there are a number of folks who are on the sidewalk 8,10,12... (or more) hours. Those folks will be there again… of course.

AND... Every year during 40 Days for Life, there are folks (too numerous to count) who commit a little time (each day or several days during each week) to pray outside the abortion facility.

Rain. Sleet. Snow. Cold. Heat. Wind. Sprinkler system.  

Come!!!  for this peaceful prayerful (uh ah mm)  "filibuster"!

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The fall 2013 40 Days for Life-Dallas campaign will be outside of abortionist Curtis Boyd's Southwestern late-term abortion center at the NE corner of Greenville Avenue and Royal Lane in Dallas from September 25 - November 3.  

What we can do:

Groups: We can adopt a day for our church, small group or prayer community by emailing 40days@prolifedallas.org.  Available “open” days (for groups) may be found here.  

Individuals:  We can also commit to prayer outside the abortion center (per hourly time slots).   We can make that commitment here!

Christ's partnership saving lives

We couldn't do it without them.   Every day, every hour, that abortions are happening, there are trained sidewalk-counselors outside the abortion center.  They are there to offer an alternative to death and to receive those women and men who hear God's call to embrace the blessing of life.  And where do these women and men turn? To the neighboring pregnancy resource centers which offer real help and real love ... His love.

Guadalupe Radio Network recently interviewed the director of one of the pregnancy resource centers neighboring the 40 Days for Life-Vigil site.  She reported that her center had counseled an abortion-minded woman who saw you -- the people praying -- outside Southwestern late-term abortion facility.  She took it as a sign from God, turned her car around and went to the pregnancy resource center instead.

Resulting in...  a Baby saved!!!

Join us on the sidewalk, and witness to the power of Christ's family in a partnership of prayer, compassion and charity ... saving lives and converting hearts through His grace!

Day & Night... Knights & Days

Not enough good things can be said about the men who have have diligently committed themselves to praying during the late night vigil hours (most of whom are Knights of Columbus devoted to the cause of life!).  One Knight reported: 

  

"We had good coverage last night... my Brother Knight arrived at 7 pm and stayed till 10 pm.  I arrived with another Knight at around 8:30 pm and stayed till about 12:30 am. We pushed to make the "Knight Owl" designation!! (An honor for those who stand vigil for 4 hours or more) . 

While there, a women drove by and asked my Brother Knight if that was an abortion clinic behind him, and when he said "yes", she answered, "good - I was looking for one", and sped off.  (Lord have Mercy - prayers needed!)   But later, a nice young couple pulled up to the drive and asked if they could do anything for us. They had their baby with them who could not have been more than a couple months old. The couple told us they lived in the area and appreciated all that 40 Days for Life is doing. They attend a non-denominational church and couldn't help but stop and see if we needed help that night.  It was great to see firsthand that we are also making an impact in the community, and that others want to join us in this effort." 

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

(The Prayer of Saint Francis)

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Record Day!

This year, the 40 Days for Life-Dallas campaign has had its share of obstacles from technical difficulties to stretches of hours that needed to be filled after the campaign began.   But God heard our prayers, and our computers kept humming and the prayer volunteers kept coming. 

Amid all the details drawing our focus ... He was doing the real work.  His mercy was converting hearts.  His grace was saving lives.  We must reminder ourselves, daily, this is ultimately about Him ... hearing his faithful and answering their prayers.

And answering them He did!  It is with great joy we announce that last year's record (23 babies saved outside late-term abortion facility in Dallas) has been broken! 

28

babies saved and counting!!
26 moms (2 were carrying twins!) chose Life for their babies

... that we know of... so far.  :)

And the campaign is not yet over.  We still need your prayers and His miracles!!

We thank You, Holy Triune God, for Your great mercy!

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Suffering met us on the sidewalk today

A member of the clergy shared with me the struggles of the post-abortive penitents. They receive "all the Church has to offer in that regard" and are "restored to full participation in the Church. "... but they "continue to have great emotional spiritual difficulties." This is an all too common story.

That suffering met us on the sidewalk today. She looked tired. Her shoulders drooped, and her eyes contemplated the ground. Her sister held her with a concerned gaze. She is suffering with continual bleeding following an abortion several weeks ago. As she entered the facility for her scheduled follow-up appointment (a pregnancy test to see if the abortion was 'successful'), her sister came to the nearby pregnancy resource center for advice. 

A short time later, the despondent young woman emerged from the abortion facility. She joined her sister at the pregnancy resource center, and reported the pregnancy test registered "positive," and that there would most likely be another surgical procedure tomorrow because of "blood clots"  At least that's what they told her.  What does that really mean? It was likely a botched abortion, and she is continuing to hemorrhage. She may have damage to her uterus and cervix.  The remains of her child likely remain inside her. 

Sidewalk counselors and the pregnancy resource center were able to get her an appointment with a 'real' OBGYN tomorrow, give her supplies to help her family, and information about the hope and healing offered through The Rachel Ministries.  Upon leaving the center, phone numbers, prayers and God's blessing were shared.  There were spontaneous "hugs".  Love. Care. Mercy. Compassion.  

How many "walking wounded" suffer in the wake of their choice ... or the choices of others who had abortions? After 40 years of abortion on demand, statistics show 1/3 of all women have had an abortion by the age of 45; add the parents, friends, boyfriends, and husbands who participated in or even coerced the abortion, and the effect of abortion in this country is pandemic. Everyone is now affected by abortion ... and we are suffering for it.  This is the staggering reality that keeps many of us praying on the sidewalks outside abortion centers.

 
Christians holding hands with Christians on a path ... to Jesus.   

One soul at a time.

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Pray Pray Pray 

Are you or someone you know suffering from abortion?

The Rachel Ministries can help.

214-544-CARE - healing@racheldallas.org

972-679-4760 - sanacion@racheldallas.org (en español)

www.racheldallas.org

Learn more about post-abortion healing:
Post-Abortion Pastoral and Professional Conference

November 9th (for clergy only) & November 10th (for health professionals)

More info and register at prolifedallas.org/conference

Sponsored by Abortion AfterCare-Healing / The Rachel Ministries

Sidewalk Shuttle or Chris the Cabbie

The congregation of St. Michael in Garland was in full force on the sidewalk.  These folks, like so many others, step on the concrete and get to work right away offering prayers. Some had the distinct privilege of being dropped-off curbside.

We dub him, "Chris the Cabbie".  Chris took his work holiday (Columbus Day) to shuttle others in his big white extended truck. Not surprising, Chris is a member of Knights of Columbus.

Chris started late morning taking groups of people from the church to the vigil site and back, continuing throughout the afternoon.  Several of his passengers were "first timers" to come and pray during 40 Days for Life.

After Chris dropped them off, fellow Knight Ronnie took over making sure everyone was signed in and 'situated'.  Ronnie has committed each year to be on the sidewalk midnight to midnight. He thinks this may be his 5th or 6th time to do so, and this year has been no different.  He stands stalwart at his post -- a retired Marine who knows what it means to sacrifice for others.

In asking, "Well, how did it go?" to some of the first-timers. The responses were overwhelmingly positive. One lady asked, "When are others out here ... I mean during the rest of the year?" She plans to regularly pray after the 40 Days campaign ends.

We join her in prayers that abortion will end soon.

Are you interested in joining the efforts on the sidewalk after the campaign?  Visit www.prolifedallas.org/sidewalk to learn more about the prayer and counseling presence outside the 5 Dallas abortion centers throughout the year.

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