40 Days - Saturday Morning

I arrived for my first hour of prayer outside Planned Parenthood shortly before 7 a.m. yesterday - I am an early morning person. It was cool, but not unpleasantly cold. Traffic at that hour is light.

There was a sidewalk display at the site - a collection of stuffed animals and flowers.

Mixed in were slips of paper explaining what the display was.

I was soon joined by three other people - including a folks I've met only through blogging (good to place faces with names!). I was glad to meet them.

We prayed the daily reflection supplied by 40 Days, then a rosary (joined part-way through by Rick, who is coordinating 40 Days this year). I'm used to saying the rosary on my own; it was nice to say it with others for once. It enriched the experience for me.

After the rosary, we held signs. A couple of people had to leave early, but those who remained chatted about the campaign and the kick-off that I missed on Tuesday. One of the people who spoke at the kick-off was a man whose mother had attempted to abort him. Amazing, an abortion survivor right in our midst. I hope I get to meet him.

We also talk about sports - well it was three guys at that point, and I was wearing a Red Sox cap!
As we stood, a few cars drove by. We got a couple of supportive waves, and two ladies (Jehovah Witnesses?) pulled up to hand us Awake! saying that they agreed on the issue.

Nothing dramatic or profound happened - it was just a good experience. But nothing had to happen. We prayed - and the power of prayer will have its effect in God's good time and when the people for whom we prayed - the women and men facing choices, those who have lost their children, the employees and volunteers at Planned Parenthood, our society - are ready for God's love and grace to move them.

I will be back out there next Saturday - at 10 a.m. More traffic at that hour, and maybe a few more bloggers will join me to pray for an end to abortion and for all the people caught up in the tragedy of abortion.