The Effect 40 Days for Life Is Having Is Reaching Arround the World

This is today's entry from the 40 Days for Life blog. Is shows how God is working far beyond what we can ever imagine to bring the Culture of Life to places where the "culture of death" has control. In this case 1 of the former parts of the Soviet Union, Georgia. & while we mostly associate what 40 Days does with saving lives of the unborn (at least 316 as of this morning for this campaign) they also bring God's healing to both men & women who have been harmed by their participation in an abortion.

DAY 33: Replacing a culture of death

40 Days for Life was first launched as national effort in the fall of 2007 -- and oh, how we NEVER imagined where God would take this campaign!

Here's what I mean. One of the 247 locations where 40 Days for Life is taking place right now is in the nation of Georgia -- a place with a long, sad history regarding abortion.

Here are some of the things that Carolyn, the local coordinator, has told us about this first-time campaign ... and of course, some pictures!

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TBILISI, GEORGIA

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The vigil is in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital city, in front of Parliament, on the city's main street.

As a former Soviet republic, Georgia is steeped in abortion. There is not only a need to turn the current generation away from abortion, but to bring healing to the many who experienced it in the past.

"We are sort of doing outreach and vigil at the same time, which probably is unusual," Carolyn said. "But since we are not in front of an abortion clinic, everything is a little different than we expected.

"There is a school nearby. "Mothers and grandparents are rushing by, but the children are drawn to our set of fetal models and drag their mothers or guardians along to see them," she said. "This gives us great chances to talk to them about abortion and how babies develop so early."

While the kids are looking at the models, counselors talk to the adults."Many adult women don't want to stop and look -- and their post-abortion pain is very visible on their faces," she said. "We are able to speak with women about our healing program."

Men often hurry past the display, insisting that abortion is a women's issue. But occasionally, a man will stop. Carolyn recalls telling one man that men have a lot to do with a woman's decision to abort. She then gave him a brochure.

"As he began to read of post-abortion hurt in men, tears came into his eyes and he began to talk," she said. He had four sons, and insisted on an abortion when his wife became pregnant again. "He said his wife didn't seem to suffer after abortion, but that he himself thought about it often." He didn't realize other men experienced things he was feeling.

"We also have many opportunities to talk with teenagers," Carolyn added. "They know their mothers have had many abortions. So we send them home with post-abortion healing brochures."

Many people asked if they could sign something, so the group started a petition. The first day, more than 90 people signed it. There is an Orthodox church acrossthe street that sends people to sign the petition.

"We have also had a number of journalists come by, and I was interviewed on a major TV station," Carolyn said. The same station scheduled an interview with a woman who has been through post-abortion healing.

"Please pray with us that many will enter our healing program," she said, "and through this campaign, we can begin to see the culture here changed from a culture of death to a culture of life."

The pictures show signs in the Georgian alphabet with familiar messages like "pray to end abortion" and "abortion stops a beating heart." But the street in front of Parliament attracts many visitors -- people who often know a bit of English. So at one team member's suggestion, the group added one sign in English: "choose life."

"I've talked with people from Spain, Azerbaijan, Iran, Holland, Germany and other countries," Carolyn said. "So who knows where the message may spread!"

To see a bunch of pictures from 40 Days for Life in Tbilisi, please go to: http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1982