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 38: Revised List for Pregnancy Center Donations

I had the honor of speaking recently with Tami of the Paul Stefan Home, who sent me a revised wish-list for their organization which provides lodging and personal development assistance to expectant and needy mothers. If you would like to donate some items at our celebration dinner on Sunday, I invite you to take a look at the list below. Our original list, which includes items for MaRiH pregnancy center just a few blocks west from the abortion facilities on Duke Street, can be found by clicking here.

Paul Stefan Home: Needed Items (Revised)

• Walmart or Target gift cards
• Maternity clothes or gift cards
• Towels/wash cloths
• Bassinet/crib sheets and pads
• Window treatment for 3 large windows: 104x50, 120x72, 156x72 (call for details)
• Two irons/ironing boards
• One microwave
• One pair of ladies winter boots or shoes, size 9.5
• One ladies winter coat, size XL
• Food plastic storage containers
• Hand and dish soap
• Kitchen and bathroom cleaners
• Paper towels, tissues, toilet paper
• Ladies sanitary products

In addition, there are some needed Volunteer Activities:

• Transporting ladies to appointments and classes
• Assembling and dismantling baby cribs
• Painting, yard care, and assistance managing and organizing donations

At Sunday's dinner, we will have a table to collect your donations, as well as information about MaRiH and the Paul Stefan Home effort. Thank you for your solidarity and generosity towards local women in need!

Many RSVPs have come in for our victory celebration dinner on Sunday. We're really looking forward to seeing everyone! Please consider signing up for a final prayer time at our vigil, and walking with Paul's outreach team this coming Saturday beginning at 9:30am. Our vigil will conclude Sunday with a simple prayer rally from 12:30-1pm at the vigil site, to which all are invited to attend. Let us intensify our prayer as we reach the end of our campaign!

Please RSVP for our Victory Celebration!

"Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. 
She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table" (Proverbs 9:1-2).

Well, our 40 Days of prayer and witness are almost at an end, and we would love to celebrate their conclusion with you at our Potluck Dinner and Victory Celebration this Sunday! After a long period of prayer and fasting, you must be ready for a bit of festivity! Let's come together to celebrate God's blessings, enjoy food and fellowship, and reflect on what God has accomplished in our community this fall.

Please indicate whether you will be attending by clicking on one of the following links:

• Accepts with pleasure
• Declines with regrets

Thank you for your response!

St. Augustine writes in his Sermons on 1 John,

The entire life of a Christian is in fact an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for, but the very act of desiring prepares you, so that when he comes you may see and be utterly satisfied... So, my brethren, let us continue to desire, for we shall be filled.

Our prayer and fasting has reminded us of our need and desire for the Lord in our community, particularly in the area of respect for life. There are only a few days remaining in our 40 Days for Life this fall! Come out to our vigil one more time if you can, and we hope to see you in person on Sunday!

Photo: Attendees at last fall's 40 Days for Life Victory Celebration Dinner.

Day 32: Press Forward to What Lies Ahead

We enter the last full week of our prayer vigil with excitement and enthusiasm: so far, almost ALL the vigil hours on our last week of the campaign are covered! See the calendar for the few remaining open hours -- today from 4-6pm, Thursday from 2-3pm and next Saturday from 2-4pm -- and let us know when you can come out and join us!

Our outreach team will be walking all day today beginning at 9:30am -- our goal is to hit 3,000 doors! If you can participate at any time during the day call Jacinta at 540-692-0480, and remember to dress warmly!

Don't forget to RSVP for our Victory Celebration Dinner to Sara Dina at jandsdina@cox.net. Let her know how many are in your party as well as the dish you plan on bringing. That will greatly help our preparation efforts!

If you are feeling sad that our vigil is coming to an end, and would like to continue, never fear! We will be coordinating an ongoing prayer vigil during abortion hours (note: this will cover fewer hours than the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil), and you are welcome to participate! Please see a detailed report on this soon!

As we journey on towards Day 40, let us keep in mind the words of St. Paul (Philippians 3:10-14):

I wish to know Christ and the power flowing from his resurrection; likewise to know how to share in his sufferings by being formed into the pattern of his death... It is not that I have reached it yet, or have already finished my course... I give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead. My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God calls me -- life on high in Christ Jesus.

Also we read from Gregory of Nyssa, in his Homily on Ecclesiastes:

We shall be blessed with clear vision if we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, for he, as Paul teaches, is our head, and there is in him no shadow of evil.

Keep the faith and let's continue together in faith, hope, and love. We're looking forward to seeing you on Day 40!

Come to our Victory Celebration!

Thank you for all your support this fall as we pray and witness for life! In appreciation for all you have done and to rejoice in God's victories together, I am pleased to invite you to our closing victory celebration:

WHAT: 40 Days for Life Concluding Pot-Luck Dinner and Social
PLACE: Queen of Apostles Church Hall
ADDRESS: 4329 Sano Street, Alexandria
TIME: Arrival, 3pm; Dinner Served, 3:30-4:30pm.
CONTACT: Sara Dina, Event Coordinator (jandsdina@cox.net)
Facebook Event Page (optional RSVP): www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=235570859832514

Feel free to bring friends and family, as well as those who may be new to the campaign. All are invited and welcome to attend! Please email your dinner contributions to Sara at jandsdina@cox.net so that she can coordinate the menu efficiently. We will also be collecting donations for our local pregnancy resource centers (more details to follow), so start saving your baby blankets now!

Fall 2010 Victory Celebration Dinner Attendees

Campaign Update

With 361 reported saves so far during this campaign, as well as many stories of blessings around the world and here in Alexandria, we are truly thankful to the Lord as we continue our prayer, fasting, and witness for life. Let's remember the words of St. Paul as we complete our campaign, mindful of the Lord's guidance through all our efforts, "He who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus" (Phillipians 1:6).

This good work of prayer, vigil, and witness continues the work of Christ for which He came into the world. St. Thomas Aquinas writes, "When he took our flesh he dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered his body to God the Father on the altar of the cross as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin" (Opusculum 57, in festo Corporis Christi). While we cannot compare ourselves to Christ our Lord, we must fulfill His commandment of love for the weakest among us, by physically helping others to find life and healing despite personal inconvenience and discomfort.

Note to All Vigil Participants: As discussed earlier, we request that you limit yourself to the sidewalk when praying at the vigil, and do not stand or walk on the grass. Also, a reminder that we are a team of peace and prayer, and must respond to all comments with true Christian charity and kindness. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against "spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Our first and most powerful action is always prayer.

Day 21: Halfway Rally Report

The pro-life community mourns the tragic deaths of Kortney Blythe Gordon, her unborn child Sophy, and fellow Students for Life worker Jon Scharfenberger following an auto accident October 8. Kortney and Jon were two young heroes in the pro-life movement, and they will be dearly missed. Please join me in prayer for their families and the ongoing work they leave behind.

Photos courtesy of John Meyering,
www.archispherix.com. Thank you John!

Our campaign midpoint was celebrated at the vigil site with pink and blue balloons all around, joyful songs led by Bob and Miranda, testimonials and stories of God's blessings, as well as a simple prayer agenda. 

Around 20 people attended the event including core team leaders and vigil participants. The rally began shortly after 3pm with the opening songs, "Praise to the Lord" and "Come, Holy Ghost," and an opening prayer. Campaign leader Jacinta welcomed everyone and noted that to date the number of children saved through 40 Days for Life this fall is 205 [now 302!]. She related a story of a woman in Manassas, VA, who kept coming to the clinic for an abortion but couldn't bring herself to go in when 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers were praying on the sidewalk last spring, and finally decided to give her baby up for adoption.

Vigil participants at our halfway rally Sunday afternoon.

Several team leaders and prayer volunteers offered remarks. Keith related several personal details showing how adoption can indeed be a wonderful and life-affirming choice. Tracie related how she has been able to minister to several people during her scheduled vigil times, and Tom read some positive reports from participants in the vigil log. Matt asked for prayers for longtime sidewalk counselor Dick Retta, who is facing a Department of Justice lawsuit.

An appeal was made for help to fill the schedule. The latest tallies indicated 45 hours still completely empty, and 101 hours with only 1 person signed up (the preference is to have at least 2 people scheduled at all times). With 434 hours already spoken for by at least one person, vigil coverage has been wonderfully inspiring so far this fall, but everyone was invited to bring another person on board, and to help finish stronger than we began!

Vigil participants at our rally Sunday afternoon.

The rally concluded with the Lord's Prayer and the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision." Attendees had the opportunity to pick up pro-life signs for home or vigil use, as well as pro-life flyers and hoodies. The rally ended around 3:45pm.

May the Lord and his holy angels accompany our efforts during this second half of our campaign, as we renew our commitment to the unborn through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach. Please take a moment to sign up for a few additional hours this week on our vigil calendar, and consider coming out for door-to-door outreach this Saturday. 

Mark your Calendars for our final celebration potluck dinner, to be held in Queen of Apostles Church hall at 3pm on Sunday, November 6. More details to be announced soon! We look forward to seeing you there!

Rebecca Lewis Speaks at Closing Celebration

Peter Shinn of ProLife Unity has posted his video of Mrs. Lewis's remarks at our closing celebration. Click here to view the speech: http://www.prolifeunity.com/index.php/site/comments/video_-_ive_had_a_very_difficult_time_getting_to_black_churches/.

Day 40: The Last Day of Our Campaign!

We've reached the last day together, and I thought I would say . . .

. . . Thank you for all your support!

I'm hoping to see you this afternoon at our Victory Celebration (see details below), but if you have a previous engagement, or if you're stuck at home, here is your official thank-you note just the same!

Some of you prayed, others kept vigil as well, and a few handed out flyers throughout the city. You are our mainstay, and you made it happen! I think we made a great team, and I enjoyed meeting and working with every one of you in support of life.

On behalf of the whole leadership team, and all the men, women, and children whose lives you have touched, I am deeply grateful for all your help.

A big thank-you to the financial donors, who paid for the signs, bags, flyers, victory dinner, prayer books and prayer cards that gave us the "stuff" to accompany our witness!

I also thank every member of the leadership team, who donated their time and talents to assist with planning and running events, church networking, door-to-door outreach, vigil coordination and scheduling, materials preparation, budget planning, reporting and writing, blog management, media coordination, phone calling, emailing, and general assistance.

Sincere thanks to the clergy, who opened their doors to our efforts, and allowed us to speak to their congregations regarding our work for Life!

Finally, let's offer thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings He has wrought during these past forty days, whether they be babies saved, hearts touched, or personal blessings and fulfillment. For truly He is the Savior and Lord of Life! We may not have kept our commitments or witnessed as we should, but the Lord can supply for our weakness, and we can trust that He'll show us the wonders of His love in time. Let's ask him for perseverance and courage in the pro-life movement, for blessings on all our local leaders and prayer volunteers, and for life and resurrection at so many places of death.

The final report will come later but for now, let's rejoice and celebrate the conclusion of a truly exciting campaign!

Looking ahead, now that our campaign has reached the finish line, we are still needed at the front lines of the pro-life movement. By the front lines I mean the sidewalk! The next abortion day at our vigil location is this coming Tuesday, and Mary Ellen is organizing the continuing vigil (contact her if you are able to participate).

We will send you just one more email for our Spring 2011 campaign, to inform you of the final counts and statistics as they become available. With that our spring 40 Days for Life campaign will be completed, and it's "Adios!" until the fall!

Day 36: Wrapping Things Up

Tomorrow is our requested RSVP deadline for the Victory Dinner Celebration, to be held this Sunday at 1:30 pm at St. Lawrence Church (see Events below for more details). Please help spread the word by inviting all your family and friends who have participated in the campaign, and send your RSVP so we know you are coming! Dick Retta will share stories of babies saved from the DC campaign, and Rebecca Lewis will talk about outreach to the African-American community. Bob and the other musicians will be practicing their guitar, violin, flute, and possibly even harp tonight, so you definitely will want to be there to hear them!

Also, Mary Ellen will be heading up continuing vigil on abortion days on Duke Street: Fridays, Wednesday afternoons, and perhaps Tuesdays and Thursdays. The previous posting on this topic, including the latest abortion schedule, is available here; you can sign up for the vigil at the dinner on Sunday or by emailing Mary Ellen (maryellen.40days@verizon.net).

All signs are due back in the bag or to the team leaders on Sunday unless you plan to use them for continued vigiling or use in the upcoming fall campaign.

For final reports and national updates on the campaign, see the national 40 Days for Life website at www.40daysforlife.com/blog.

A quick note about tomorrow: the US Senate will be voting on whether or not to continue subsidizing Planned Parenthood. Please pray and contact your representatives as able.

Alexandria campaign results this spring are mainly the sort you learn about in heaven, I suppose. We had a few positive stories and good experiences (look for these in tomorrow's report), and particularly this past week several negative and angry ones (see report on those this Friday!). However, for the large numbers of hours covered by our plucky vigil stars and the thousands of flyers distributed all over the city (come to Dinner on Sunday for final statistics!), we will never learn the destination of all those papers and prayers. One thing is for sure: our prayers and good efforts are never wasted, and in His good time, God will yield the benefit. It is all for His glory anyway, and for the good of His children!

Day 34: For Those Who Feel Led to Continue...

Even though our 40 Days for Life campaign ends officially this coming Sunday, April 17th (see below for details about our Victory Celebration Dinner), sadly, abortions will continue to take place at the Duke Street clinics.

We would like to continue our prayer vigil at the Duke Street location during the hours when abortions are performed. Please consider prayerfully taking part in this effort to save babies' lives and help women make a choice they will not regret.

We have learned the following schedules for the two abortion facilities:

Gynecare Associates, 2807 Duke Street

Operating Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Out to lunch from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Abortion Days: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Annandale Women and Family Center, 2839 Duke Street

Operating Hours: Varies

Abortion Days and Times:
Wednesday at lunch time (abortion pill, local, or general anesthesia)

Friday at 8:30 a.m. (general anesthesia, possibly local anesthesia as well)

Also, the pill abortion is a two-step procedure, so after starting the process on Wednesday, a woman would return for the final step on Friday. (Note: there is no guarantee that the baby will die after the first step; thus, it's important to counsel against the second step even if the first has already been completed.)

Therefore we will continue the vigil at 8 a.m. on Fridays, and if we have enough people, we will try to cover other days as well.

To sign up for the continuing vigil, look for signup sheets at the Victory Dinner on Sunday, or contact Mary Ellen McElfresh at 703-780-2922 or MaryEllen.40days@verizon.net.

Day 33: Happy Sunday!

A blessed Sunday to you and your family!

We are now one week away from Day 40! -- and I hope you are planning to join us for our concluding victory banquet next Sunday (for more details see upcoming events below)!

If you haven't done this already, please help us spread the word about our concluding event by inviting everyone you know who's been a part of this campaign in Alexandria, Fairfax, or Washington, DC -- and might not be on our email list or know it is taking place! This is our way of thanking you for all your support -- and we want all of you if possible to be there!

We have a tasty dinner planned, at least two speakers, door raffle, music, pro-life tables, and lots of time for visiting and socializing with fellow pro-lifers. It's looking to be a great party, and we're really looking forward to seeing you!

To RSVP (if you haven't already), visit our Facebook event page, or email Sara Dina at jandsdina@cox.net.

Day 31: Lenny

Well, we're almost a week away from the finish line, and I hope you received your invitation to our victory dinner (see below if you haven't!). Also, here's the CBN news report from the Manassas vigil: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1947.

We have received news of a woman in grave danger due to a life-threatening pregnancy. Please keep in your prayers the following prayer intention:

The woman's name is Lenny... Lenny had a baby less than a year ago by C-section and became pregnant again right away. The pregnancy was not healthy... Doctors told her she had to have an abortion or she would die. She refused. They did an MRI at 22 weeks and cared for her as best they could... They will do another MRI on Friday and operate to do some surgery Monday to try and save her life and deliver the baby which is mature enough to live if they can get the baby out without harm.

Claire has been delivering babies for about 14 years and has never seen anything remotely like this, or any surgery ever so complicated. None of the physicians have either. The best medical team in Portland will be there Monday...

Lenny has been in the hospital for three months. Today the two women shared their faith and prayed. Lenny was crying and said she just wants to live to care for her babies.

Her husband is terrified.

Please keep this courageous faithful woman and her family in your prayers. She said she would like to be on prayer lists, so please also forward this message.

Day 30: Come to our Victory Dinner!

You are hereby invited to our

40 Days for Life Victory Dinner

to be held on
Sunday, April 17, 2011

at St. Lawrence Church
6222 Franconia Rd, 22310

beginning at
1:30pm

The favor of a reply is requested by April 14
RSVP: Facebook or jandsdina@cox.net

Day 27: Our Final 2 Weeks

253 babies saved so far through 40 Days for Life this spring -- thank you, God!

And thank you all for your prayers, as I'm sure they made a difference for these children!

Less than two weeks left to go, and alas, our vigil schedule still has many holes in it. Will you consider signing up for a few hours between now and the end of our campaign?

Twice this weekend I passed the vigil site...

...in the course of a long Saturday of door-dropping...

...only to see there was no one praying.

Let's step up the pace, team!

Click here to view the schedule or see hours needed below.

Since it's not fair asking people to do what you won't do yourself, I am making a personal commitment to two hours at the vigil site each day from now until Day 40.

Also, we have only two more Saturdays for our door-to-door efforts -- will you consider coming out for at least an hour to help us distribute flyers this weekend?

Door-to-door outreach is one of the most exciting parts of the campaign, but for some reason has the least participation. So I offer tremendous thanks to all the plucky souls who have assisted thus far!

I'm planning to walk all day on the final Saturday of our campaign - April 16. I'd love to have some friends join me -- any chance you can be there?

Just imagine what our city could be like if each person had the opportunity to learn the truth about abortion. Your time will not be wasted, I can guarantee that!

To help out with the outreach faction, email Paul.

Finally, I'm excited to tell you we finally have a location for our concluding celebration dinner, which will be a combined event including the Fairfax and Washington DC campaign teams. The festivities will take place at

• St. Lawrence Church (6222 Franconia Rd, 22310) on
• Sunday, April 17, beginning at
• 1:30pm

Mark your calendars now to attend!

We are working on some great entertainment, food, and speakers for your edification, but we could use some help with cooks, music, and miscellaneous tasks for the afternoon. If you or a friend can help out with that, let me know at jacinta.40days@gmail.com. Also if you know or work with a pro-life group that would like to present information to folks attending, feel free to let me know about that, too. Thanks!

Below are a few pictures, from two visiting vigilers from Fairfax: Jonathan and his friend Dave. Feel free to send pictures and your experiences for inclusion in our daily reports. We all need the encouragement!

Our Halfway Rally Yesterday

We had a very good halfway rally yesterday evening, with around 15-20 people participating. The rain held off until the event was concluded, and the vigil site was quiet and reflective, with grey skies overshadowing the proceedings. The clouds, however, did not dampen the spirits of participants, who shared stories and reflections about vigil experiences, sang hymns, and prayed together.

Special thanks to Fr. Michael Kelly of St. Mary Church, who provided spiritual leadership, and to Bob and Susan, vigil keepers who provided leadership for the music.