Vanished

Here is a look at what the young person quoted below was referring to when she said that 1/3 of her generation is missing:

The Face of 40 Days for Life Memphis is Young!

The face of 40 Days for Life Memphis is so young! It really gives us so much hope and joy to see young Memphians as they passionately become involved in the campaign.

Since the start of the local 40 Days for Life effort young people have been showing out in great numbers to join us in prayer on the corner of Union Avenue and Pine in front of Planned Parenthood. They desire to stand up for life. I was standing next to one young person on Union and asked her why she was there. She told me:

"One third of my generation is missing. I do not know any of my friends or relatives that have not been affected by abortion. Two of my siblings are missing and my mother hurts. One of them was murdered right here at this Planned Parenthood. When there is an injustice you do something about it. Unfortunately right now, all we can legally do to stop the injustice going on inside is stand out here and pray and be a witness and reminder to the preciousness of life. That is why I am here. I hope my prayers and witness will be a means in which God saves a precious life and brings conversion of heart to a mother my age."

And joining us in prayer is not where their presence ends. Half of our leadership committee is under the age of twenty-six, and our Campaign Director is only but eighteen years and still in high school! Half, and some weeks all, of those that show up to participate in our door-to-door advocacy campaign on Saturdays are young people. They voluntarily lead us in prayer and song at our rallies and even practically lead them. They have become the face of 40 Days for Life Memphis and it has brought us so much hope!

Last week Blessed Sacrament Homeschool Group joined us in prayer and lined the corner and front of the building that leases to Planned Parenthood with young prayer warriors! They are pictured here. May God reward them for all they do to seek to protect life from conception until natural death!

He Regrets Lost Fatherhood

"Yesterday we were out there at around 4:00 pm and a man, Brian, walks up to us. He asks if we can give him a ride to a restaurant downtown where he had left his bag, as he had been cleaning windows that morning in an effort to get the money that had failed to be wired to him to finish his travel to Louisiana. We were a little leery. One of the men we were standing with told him, 'I tell you what… you hold this sign here and I will go get your bag.' Surprisingly Brian was alright with that. Then he looked over at me after about ten minutes with a look I won’t forget. He said, 'You know… I had two girlfriends that had abortions. I never would have guessed I would ever be doing this. If you would have told me even yesterday that I would be in Memphis on a street corner holding a sign that says 'Pray to End Abortion' I would have laughed at you.' He went on to tell me the pain and guilt he felt at agreeing to the murder of his children and how much he had wanted the child with his last girlfriend. We told him about Silent No More and the healing he could seek to overcome those feelings… I don’t know if he will actually seek that, but at the end of the day I was still standing there with him. As we packed up the supplies he said, 'Everything happens for a reason. God wanted me here today. Thank you.'"

Rain or Shine

"You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world." Matthew 15:13-14

St. Francis of Assisi Youth Group came to pray at Planned Parenthood today and be a witness for life.

Testimony

Our street friend Sydney who stops by to hold a sign and pray with us every once in a while.

“Meeting so many people from different corners of God’s church is a blessing for me! Knowing that I am being used as an instrument for Christ is another blessing. We don’t see how it affects everyone, but when they do come up to me and tell me that they have been touched by my standing there in prayer… what a blessing...it is so humbling.”- Prayer Volunteer (sent to us via phone)

Positive Experiences

Some comments we have received through e-mail and phone with in the last couple weeks:

"When I was out there earlier in the week a woman came up to me. She thought no one really cared about abortion. She thought we were doing a great thing and said that a peaceful, prayerful vigil was the 'right thing'"

"A lady came by today. She came over and said, 'I just wanted to read your sign. I really believe that."

"I went to stand vigil today. It is amazing the amount of honks and waves you receive while out there! It gives me so much hope!"

"Went to Planned Parenthood this last week. A pastor came by and said that he really appreciated us being there."

"It was raining cats and dogs yesterday! Two girls rolled the window down and said 'Thank you' to us."

"I love the fellowship when standing vigil."

"A woman stopped in her car and while she was waiting to turn right off Pine Street onto Union she looked over at us standing and holding our signs and mouthed, ‘Thank you.’ Then a little while later another woman pulled up and said, ‘Ya’ll are doing a great job!’ She stuck her thumb up. It is so positive!"

“A young guy came by that has been involved in the past with Bound for Life. He was really excited to see us out there. He asked for a picture and said he appreciated our presence in front of Planned Parenthood.”

Children are a witness for life!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127: 3-5

This week home schooled children from Mississippi drove up to stand in prayer for an end to abortion. They were a joy to have along side us and were such beautiful witnesses of how precious life and the child is! God bless them and their families for joining together with us during the 40 Days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion.