In the first two weeks of the 40 Days for Life campaign in Little Rock, at least one baby has been saved from abortion.
In addition to Little Rock and Fayetteville, Catholics are participating in 40 Days for Life in 167 other cities in the United States, Canada, Australia and Northern Ireland, praying, fasting and carrying pro-life signs in front of abortion clinics.
Mary Pate, 40 Days for Life director in Little Rock, said a baby was saved from abortion Feb. 20, when a mother decided not to go through with the procedure.
During the 40 Days for Life in Lent 2009, 422 babies were saved across the nation, according to Pate. Nationally, 40 Days for Life says five abortion centers have closed, 27 abortion clinic employees have quit their jobs and 2,168 children were not aborted since the campaign began in 2007.
While people are gathered in front of Little Rock Family Planning Services in west Little Rock from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily during Lent to pray for an end to abortion and pray for the mothers, babies and clinic staff, trained sidewalk counselors are gently approaching the pregnant women coming in for appointments and offering other options.
Maria Maldonado, a member of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, has worked to stop abortion as a sidewalk counselor for almost two decades. She can usually be found there on Saturdays and weekdays when school is out.
Maldonado said it is very important to have people with her praying, so the Holy Spirit can give her the words to try to convince the women and young girls not to have an abortion.
“They make a big difference,” she said.
For many years Maldonado, president of the nearby St. Joseph Helpers pregnancy resource center, was the only trained counselor. Last year she trained four others to assist her.
What is important is that they speak as Jesus would and reach the women at their level.
“As they approach the door, I give them a pamphlet, prayer card and Life Savers candy,” she said. “I start speaking with them when they get out of the car. I tell them the truth. You have to let God speak through you. That is why it is important that people pray. I will not do it alone. I need spiritual assistance.”
Maldonado, who by day is a second-grade teacher, continues to stay in contact with girls and women who decide not to have abortions, including one that the youth group from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marche) “adopted.”
Christie Powell, parish director of religious education, said the youth group participates not only in 40 Days for Life but has prayed in front of the abortion clinic other times as well. They were in front of the abortion clinic Feb. 27 and 28. Before that, during their Christmas break, the students went to pray at the site for a few days, to give the people who are there to pray every week some time off.
“We even adopted a child that was saved,” she said. “We had a baby shower and gave the baby everything that was needed.”
They were notified Feb. 24 the baby died. The students have decided to dedicate an hour of prayer at the 40 Days for Life vigil in the baby’s memory. They also raised funds to pay for the baby’s Feb. 27 funeral.
“It was just a powerful experience and we started doing it more often,” Powell said of 40 Days for Life.
“It gives us a chance to put prayers into action,” she added.
On Feb. 25, in addition to Maldonado, several others spent time in prayer in front of the abortion clinic.
Natalie Clark, a member of St. Jude Church in Jacksonville, used to go to only pray, but now she is a sidewalk counselor.
“You meet some of the most wonderful people out here, prayer warriors,” Clark said.
“God has blessed me with being able to walk two girls over to the pregnancy resource center,” she said.
Claire Ducrot, a member of St. John the Baptist Latin Mass Community in North Little Rock, prayed the rosary as Clark tried to talk to women going into the abortion clinic.
“I heard through somebody in my parish there were people praying in front of this place every Saturday quite a long time ago, so I tried to come some times and then I got involved more and more and now I come as often as possible,” she said. “Those ladies who talk to the ladies coming in are very courageous, but I think it is very necessary that they are supported by our prayers because they need the Holy Ghost’s inspiration to find the right words.”
In Fayetteville, 40 Days for Life is organized by Tiffany Dickinson, a member of St. Raphael Church in Springdale, and Juliet Cassell, a member of St. Joseph Church in Fayetteville.
“So many great things have happened already, thank God for the opportunity to be involved,” Dickinson said.
An example, Cassell pointed out, is that the AAA Women’s Center, a pregnancy resource center only a few doors down from the Fayetteville Women’s Clinic, saw seven clients the first week of 40 Days for Life. Normally they see about four a week.
“God calls us to stand up for the weak, and we have to be faithful to that call and try to do it in way I think he would want us to do it and to trust he will work in hearts and change minds,” she said.
There has been an amazing response from Catholics in the Little Rock area, said Pate, a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church. There was only one of the 40 days that had not been adopted by a church or pro-life group.
“We do see the effects of prayer,” Pate said. “The abortion clinic is seeing fewer women coming in for abortion.”
Pate is one of those who continued going to pray in front of the abortion clinic after 40 Days for Life ended last spring.
“We are seeing fewer women go in, they do not operate long days, normally they used to be open until 5 p.m., now they are closing in the early afternoon,” she said. “I cannot help but think it has to do with our prayer witness for women and children. One other effect is we are making people aware there is an abortion clinic in the city.”
Marsha Boss, a member of Christ the King Church in Little Rock and the vigil coordinator, said constant prayer is making a difference.
“It is not just the prayers but also the girls coming in seeing people there,” she said.
“I want to invite people to come out and join us,” she said. “It does make a difference, prayer changes things, prayer changes people. We don’t save the babies, God does, but God needs us to do it. He needs people to stand out there, kneel on their knees and pray. We have to go out there and give it to him, in the cold, in the rain because evil thrives when good men do nothing. Most of America is not for abortion, but most of America is not out there marching.”
For more information on 40 Days for Life in Little Rock, contact Pate at (501) 224-3858 or e-mail her at mary@precisionprintsolutions.com. For more information on 40 Days for Life in Fayetteville, e-mail tiffany40daysjuliet@yahoo.com.
