The 1st 40 Days (for Life) Are Over

 

 

It is hard to believe that the 1st 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in DBQ finished yesterday. It seems like yeasterday when we started working on this, but it was early August. The last 40 Days seem to have just flown by.

Nationwide there were 608 babies saved from abortion— that we know of! & as the days go by, that number will surely increse.

Here in DBQ we have yet to hear if any babies were saved. But I can tell you that God moved powerfully. People showed up even when it was rainy, cold or dark. Sometimes only 1 of us was there. other times, 5-10 or more showed up to pray & witness. In addition, we got some nationwide coverage on PBS' Need to Know last Friday.

We wrapped up the Prayer Vigil on Sunday at 3 pm with a Rosary & the Divine Mercy Chaplet. There were about 35-40 people there.*

Then at 6:30 pm about 70 of us gathered at Park Farm Winery to celebrate. (The winery is run by the Cushman family. Liz Cushman is on the board for DBQ Co Right to Life.) After I welcomed everyone & Fr. Noah Diehm of Spires of Faith cluster said an opening prayer & blessing we had a time of fellowship & pizza from their Italiano style stone oven.

There was a time for the team & others who participated to share what God had done. They included how God worked to witness through their being there, how they were blessed just by being there & many other things to numerous to mention.

Next up was Fr. Jerry Blake who helps out at several parishes in the rural DBQ area. He talked on the importance of our persevering as well as the importance of voting Pro-life in tommorrow's election.

Next up we had representatives from several Pro-life ministries that help women in crisis pregnancies share a little of what they do. They were Birthright, Clarity Clinic (they have just gotten a new ultrsound machine to replace their old one as well as a portable ultrasound), New Beginnings, & the Gabriel Project. Afterwords Marion Bourek shared what DCRTL is doing as well as upcoming events.

After I thanked everyone & encouraged them once more to continue, Fr. Diehm said a closing prayer.

I want to end by saying that I (& everyone involved) knows that God has moved powerfully & will continue to do so as we go forward. I thank Him for all he has, & will continue to do in the days & weeks ahead.

Finally, they may still be there for now, but God has heard our prayers & one day the DBQ Planned Parenthood abortion mill will close.

 

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* I took a picture of everyone gathered for the closing prayer. Later this week I plan on sending a card with a copy of it to the local Planned Parenthood. In it I will say that we will continue to pray for them. Also, even if we aren't there as many hours we are there, the people who are there during the hours they are open will still be there praying. & I will also add that we will hope they will be joining us on our side of the sidewalk soon. (ie, that like Abby Johnson & Iowa's own Sue Thayer.