Day 37: Continuing Vigil Details

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Although our 40-day vigil is coming to an end this Sunday, we will continue to stand and pray at our local abortion facilities in Alexandria, VA. Our efforts are not over until abortion has ended in our city! Please consider signing up for a weekly prayer time at one or both of our vigil locations during the times listed below:

Duke Street
Tuesday: 8:30am - 3:30pm
Wednesday: 10:30am - 1:30pm
Thursday: 8:30am - 3:30pm
Friday: 8:00am - 3:30pm

South Whiting Street
Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday: 7:30am - 2:30pm

To sign up for the continuing vigil, contact Mary Ellen at maryellen.40days@verizon.net. Please note that you may come and pray at these locations where babies are put to death any time, but these are the hours when women are most likely to be arriving for an abortion appointment. We have heard that most abortions are performed here in the mornings, so the morning hours are most important to fill first.

One report from the sidewalk shows God's blessing on our efforts and witness for life. A lady who actually lives in the Landmark Towers building sensed God nudging her one morning, leading her to join other volunteers in prayer and peaceful witness. Since then she has continued as a vigil participant, and even shared the pro-life message with several neighbors and friends! This lady told the volunteer she had been praying about what ministry God would want her to become involved in since she retired -- and He literally put a sign in her hands! Praise God!

The Genocide Awareness Project is coming to George Mason University on April 2-3, from 7am-4pm each day. In case you are not aware of this effort, it is an image-based outreach project designed to spread awareness of the facts and evils of abortion that has been very effective and widely used. Volunteers are needed to help setup and take down the displays, engage students and distribute literature throughout the day, or provide a place to stay for out-of-town volunteers. For more information click here.

Also the Pro-Life training Institute will be this Saturday, March 31, from 10am-4pm, in the GMU Mason Inn Junior Ball Room. For more information click here and scroll down to bottom of page.

We look forward to concluding our campaign with you this Sunday, and hopefully seeing you at our victory celebration from 3-5pm at St. Lawrence Church Hall. Thanks for your continued prayers and support, and God bless!

Day 36: VDH, Final Days Training and Potluck

Come and Celebrate this Sunday!

Our campaign is quickly reaching its close, and the days have been wonderful windows of God's blessings! This update contains an official community fact-check, additional details about our Victory Celebration this Sunday, and details regarding CBR pro-life training on Saturday. Peace to you and yours!

Some people have wondered if Gynecare Associates does in fact perform abortions. Well the simple answer to that is yes, we have verified this with the Virginia Department of Health, to which every abortion facility is required to report the number of abortions they perform each year. We have also verified that abortions take place at Alexandria Women's Center on S. Whiting Street -- at a greater rate than any other Alexandria facility (they are also the cheapest).

We are looking forward to our potluck dinner celebration on Sunday! Please make every effort to attend if you can, and join us for a relaxing social gathering with other pro-lifers as we conclude our 40 Days for Life campaign. If you are planning to continue at one of our prayer vigil locations during the year please keep your sign, otherwise you may return it. Also, Sunday's vigil is optional and will officially end ended at noon so that everyone can attend the 3pm dinner.

We also wanted to let you know about a free pro-life training opportunity this Saturday (Day 39 of our campaign) featuring former pro-choice atheist Jay Watts as speaker and Dr. Fletcher Armstrong of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform as training leader. The event will be held in Fairfax from 10am-4pm at the Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel. For more information see the attached flyer.

I'm looking forward to celebrating so many miracles with you on Sunday as we come to the end of our campaign. It's wonderful to be alive in Alexandria with so many blessings and stories of God's grace to share!

Day 34: Victory Celebration Details

Fall 2010 V.C. Photo

We're looking forward to seeing you at our victory celebration this coming Sunday! Event details are as follows:

WHAT: 40 Days for Life concluding celebration dinner!
WHO IS INVITED: Volunteers, fellow pro-lifers, family and friends -- everyone!
DATE: Sunday, April 1, 2012
TIME: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
PLACE: St. Lawrence Church, 6222 Franconia Road, Hannan Hall

Come for a relaxed social gathering and pot-luck meal to celebrate God's blessings over the past forty days, and look ahead to our continuing vigil and fall campaign!

As in past years, we will be collecting donations for our local pregnancy centers, including the following items:

• new baby clothes up through size 2T
• blankets
• diapers
• gift cards to places like K-mart, Wal-mart and Targets

Please RSVP to jacinta.40days@gmail.com if you will be able to attend and note the type of dish you will bring (main, side, dessert). We look forward to seeing you!

On a side note, Tuesday afternoon's vigil is open from 2:30-3:30pm due to an unexpected cancellation. If you or someone you know can fill this gap, please email Mary Ellen at maryellen.40days@verizon.net. For a list of other needed hours, see our previous update or visit www.vigilcalendar.com/alexandria. Thanks for your support!

Photo from 2010 Alexandria Fall Victory Celebration

Day 33: We Are There -- 496 Babies Saved!

Did you know we are just one week away from the end of our campaign? This Sunday, April 1, will be our last day with our concluding pot-luck celebration at 3pm -- we hope you can join us! Please see details below. This update also contains stories from the sidewalk and a list of our last few needed vigil hours. Let's give this last week our best effort for LIFE!

One of our newest volunteers, Tom, who participates in the vigil with a spirit of gratitude for life despite serious personal physical challenges, reports the following:

I had a great day today at the vigil. I wish I could report that I saved a child but it is hard to get people's attention as they enter in their cars. I will sign up for more [hours] each week. ... It was a very spiritual and enriching experience for me. I am in for LIFE!!!! ... My goal is to save one life. God willing, it will be done. Thank you for the opportunity!

Another volunteer, Marie, brings this story from the sidewalk:

Yesterday around 5:30, [a prayer volunteer] and I were praying the Rosary and we heard someone yelling, "Thank you!  Thank you!," until we looked up at her. I waved as she drove away, but asked [the other volunteer] why she would say that.  I had been wondering why I was out there.  Then almost shortly after, two babies in strollers passed by, with two little kids walking with them, then another baby in a stroller, and again two more kids and a baby.  We saw four babies, and four toddlers.  And also a 17 month old girl visited with us earlier while walking with her Mom.  I was so grateful for those kids, and I remembered why we were there.

 Our concluding victory celebration will be on Sunday, April 1, from 3-5pm at St. Lawrence Church Hannan Hall, 6222 Franconia Road in Alexandria, VA. More details will be forthcoming throughout the upcoming week -- for now, please mark your calendar and plan to attend to celebrate the conclusion of our 40 Days for Life campaign together with other pro-lifers and valiant prayer volunteers!

Upcoming needed vigil hours are as follows:

Duke Street:

• Monday: 10-11am, 5-6pm
• Tuesday: 3:30-5pm (currently have no one signed up)
• Many other hours throughout the week: need a second person

S. Whiting Street:

• Monday: 11am-5pm
• Tuesday: 9am-12pm, 3-5pm
• Wednesday: 12:30-5pm
• Thursday: 9am-5pm
• Friday: 9-10:30am, 12:30-1pm, 2-5pm
• Saturday: 7:30-9:30am, 10:30-11:30am (currently have no one signed up)
• Many other hours throughout the week: need a second person

Please email Mary Ellen at maryellen.40days@verizon.net to sign up for any of these hours or visit our online calendar for the Duke Street vigil: www.vigilcalendar.com/alexandria. Thanks for your support and commitment!

Day 29: Looking Forward to Victory Celebration April 1

It's hard to believe this campaign is already 75% over, and we are only ten days away from the end of our prayer vigil! So far the reported number of babies saved is up to 377! This update contains information on our victory celebration, important events for the weekend, reports from the sidewalk, and a reminder from Mary Ellen for all vigil keepers. Enjoy!

We're hoping you'll join us for a meal and celebration of life to conclude our prayer and witness for life on Sunday, April 1 from 3-5pm at St. Lawrence Church Hannan Hall (6222 Franconia Road). Please let us know if you are interested with helping out in providing this dinner -- any and all assistance appreciated! 

This weekend will see a host of important pro-life events: "October Baby" movie screening and opening day, Elizabeth McClung counseling seminar and "Making Abortion Unthinkable" workshop, "Stand up for Religious Freedom" and "Circle the Court with Prayer" rallies, and last but not least, our own local "Ride for Life." See our earlier post for a detailed list of events, and make your best effort to attend or at least offer special prayer for these intentions!

So many wonderful stories have been sent from the sidewalk, showing God's blessings in our own city of Alexandria. They describe good conversations with local residents, wide-ranging participation by Christians, and new volunteers continuing to join our efforts. Prayer volunteer Melissa has this to share:

A little girl about 8 years old (she lives across the street) came over to talk to me. She told me that she loved children. Her sister got pregnant and was going to get an abortion, but she knew it wasn't moral - and now she has an awesome nephew they love very much. This little girl made my day.

Finally, our vigil coordinator Mary Ellen has a word of reminder about the need for punctuality in one's vigil commitments:

We know that things come up unexpectedly, and extra traffic or road work can cause big delays, but when possible, please try to make every effort to arrive on time when you are scheduled for the prayer vigil.  In spite of our best efforts, we do not always get there on time, and this either leaves a gap in the vigil or causes the person before us to be inconvenienced if they are waiting for us to arrive before they leave. Some people are reporting that they have been to the vigil several times and no one came to replace them, so I am sending this reminder to all of us to try a little harder.

As we enter into these last few days of our campaign, surely we can all try a little harder to show up on time for our vigil hours, pray with a little more fervor, give up a little more comfort for the sake of our witness for life, and follow our Divine Leader a little more closely. Please check the vigil calendar if you are able to sign up for some of the empty hours in this last week or so remaining. May God bless our efforts on behalf of His children, and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support! 

Photo from Jonathan at Saturday outreach in Old Town

Day 25: Who Is Saint Patrick?

St. Patrick, Missionary to Ireland

Who is the real saint Patrick and why do we celebrate his feast day? Today marks an occasion that has become largely cultural. Its original Christian intent has been sullied through secular traditions of excessive drinking, parades, and parties of various sorts. For any truly good celebration we must remember the reasons and purposes of the occasion from the beginning.

Patrick was a British living in the 400s, a time when all Christians still lived as members of a united Church. He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave, where he experienced a spiritual conversion of heart. After escaping he later returned to Ireland, a land of druids and pagans, to work tirelessly until his death as a missionary. As one biographer writes, "In a dream vision it seemed 'all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands' to him, [and] he understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland." 

He was a firm believer in the power of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and wrote a beautiful prayer entitled "The Breastplate of St. Patrick," which is quoted as follows:

Christ shield me this day: Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me (source).

As we pray and witness in our own community of Alexandria, VA, let us be inspired by the example that Saint Patrick leaves us: to base our efforts on the power of Christ, and to be fervent missionaries of the Gospel of Life among our neighbors. Although we face difficulties and opposition at times, as did Patrick, the Lord will bless our work for His Glory as He did Patrick's. In the words of another biographer, "By the time he died in 461, Patrick had converted virtually all of Ireland to Christianity, and he is a reminder that God speaks to us through His servants." May Christ speak through us as we spread the message of life throughout our own city.
 

Day 24: Community Outreach for St. Patrick's Day!

I invite you to come out this Saturday and help with community outreach on this special celebration of St. Patrick's Day!

Outreach this Saturday, March 17, will be led by Jonathan Darnel in Old Town from 1-3pm. Meet at St. Mary's Church (310 Duke Street) to distribute literature and answer questions about our campaign with Alexandria residents and visitors.  For more information contact Paul at paul.40days@gmail.com.

More on St. Patrick tomorrow; in the meantime, please check our vigil calendar for additional slots that may be available. As always, remember to send any reports and stories to Jacinta at jacinta.40days@gmail.com. Thanks for your prayer and continued witness! 

Day 24: An Important Reminder

Prayer

As you may know, 40 Days for Life is a Christian project and unlimited by denominational boundaries. As National Director David Bereit has stated, although we may not see eye-to-eye on all religious matters we can stand arm-in-arm on the sidewalk for the unborn. Today I'd like to clarify some questions that have arisen regarding the inter-denominational aspect of our efforts here in Alexandria.

From its beginning, 40 Days for Life has provided Christians of all denominations an opportunity to work together to save the lives of unborn babies in danger of being killed by abortion and to show the love of Christ to women facing crisis pregnancies. The keystone of our mission is unity of purpose and reliance on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Many parts ... one Body

In order for the prayer vigil to succeed, it is essential that Christians from different churches and traditions work together to accomplish the task that the Lord has given us. This means that we must set aside our differences and endeavor to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

To that end, please keep the following guidelines in mind whenever you are at a prayer vigil:

1. The vigil is predominately a time of prayer. Do not use the time trying to persuade other participants to your religious or political point of view.
   
2. Be mindful that other volunteers may not share your church’s traditions or forms of worship. If you pray or converse with other volunteers, try to avoid contentious language and practices. For example, whenever Protestants are known to be present, Catholics should direct all spoken common prayers only to God the Father or to Jesus Christ.
   

   

   One God ... One Lord of All!
   

3. Do not find fault with the religious expressions of other vigil participants. For example, if a spoken prayer offends you, quietly move to a different location, out of hearing range.
   
4. If you pray out loud, either individually or as a small group, pray softly so that others who do not share your traditions will be able to move out of hearing range.

Each one of you is vitally important in the fight for life! We appreciate the dedication and commitment of every vigil volunteer. Thank you for reading and for respecting these guidelines as we continue to work together on behalf of the unborn children in our city of Alexandria, VA. 

We Stand Together for Life!

Outreach this Saturday will be led by Jonathan Darnel in Old Town from 1-3pm (St. Patrick's Day!). Meet up at St. Mary's Church (310 Duke Street), and distribute literature and answer questions about our campaign with Alexandria residents and visitors.  For more information contact Paul at paul.40days@gmail.com.

Please remember the vigil calendar for upcoming hours that are still needed. We're up to 294 reports of babies saved in this campaign -- thanks so much for your ongoing prayer and support!

Day 22: Hands Around Alexandria

Yesterday I invited you to get involved with Art for Life, a pro-life children's art initiative. Today I'd like to share our second project, Hands Around Alexandria, and invite you to participate.

Hands Around Alexandria is a symbolic effort designed to show love and support for mothers and pre-born children in Alexandria. Everyone is invited to make a paper cutout of their hand, and decorate it with trim or a pro-life message. The hands will be displayed at our Victory Celebration on Sunday, April 1, from 3-5pm at St. Lawrence Church (6222 Franconia Road). To view our flyer, click here. For more information, please contact me (Sara Dina) at 703-971-0678 or 571-218-6224 (cell).

I hope you'll be able to participate and help to spread the word about these two pro-life projects in our community of Alexandria, VA: Art for Life and Hands Around Alexandria. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at the phone numbers listed above!

List of Upcoming Needed Vigil Times (Duke Street):

• Sunday: 11am-12pm; 2-3pm
• Monday: 7-10am; 4-7pm
• Tuesday: 8-8:30am; 3:30-5pm

To sign up, go to www.vigilcalendar.com/alexandria, or email Mary Ellen at maryellen.40days@verizon.net. Thanks for your prayers and ongoing support in defense of Alexandria's youngest residents!

Day 21: Art for Life, Important Upcoming Events

Over 270 babies reported saved -- that's around 2 for each of our weekly vigil-keepers and a good nursery-full left over for everyone else! Thank you so much for your ongoing prayer and support, and for being a part of this coordinated international prayer effort. Who knows -- the life you save may one day be your own!

I'd like to invite you to participate in two ongoing projects that will be highlighted at our concluding celebration dinner on Sunday, April 1, at St. Lawrence Church on Franconia Road, beginning at 3pm. The first is Hands Around Alexandria which will be the focus of tomorrow's campaign report. The second is Art for Life which I'd like to share with you now:

Art for Life seeks to involve all children in the pro-life movement during these 40 days of our campaign by inviting them to create a drawing, painting, sculpture, or other art form that celebrates God's love for mothers and their pre-born children.

Children can participate through their families at home, school or religion classes, Scout groups, friends, or as individuals wherever they are. Children are asked to bring their artwork to the 40 Days for Life concluding celebration at St. Lawrence Church Hall on Sunday, April 1, from 3-5pm (6222 Franconia Road).

Click here for our event flyer, and for more information please call me (Sara Dina) at 703-971-0678 or 571-218-6224 (cell).

Please encourage any children you know to participate in the Art for Life initiative, and help spread the word to families and groups you know! Thanks for your enthusiasm and support!

Please also mark your calendars and help spread the word about several important upcoming events:

• Thursday, March 22: "October Baby" Movie Screening to Benefit Northwest Pregnancy Center (AMC Hoffman Center 22, 7pm, click here for flyer).
• Friday, March 23: "October Baby" Movie Opening at AMC Hoffman Center 22 (click here for movie times and tickets) AND "Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally" (D.C., 12-1pm, click here, here and here for event details) AND "Speaking the Truth With Love" Elizabeth McClung Counseling Seminar (D.C., 6-9:30pm, click here for flyer).
• Saturday, March 24: "Making Abortion Unthinkable" Seminar (St. Raymond Church, 10am-4pm, click here for flyer)
• Sunday, March 25: "Ride for Life" Motorcycle or Car Ride to Five Local Vigil Stops (click here for event details) AND "Encircle the Court with Prayer" Vigil at the Supreme Court on the Eve of Obamacare Hearings (2-4pm, click here and here for details).

A reminder to check the vigil schedule and signup for any additional hours that you can attend. Contact Paul if you can help with crowd outreach in Old Town this weekend on the afternoon of St. Patrick's Day. And let's all remember to pray and fast for life and love in this community of Alexandria, VA!