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Two Saved Babies.

It is with jubilation that I share that two Montreal mothers are carrying through with their pregnancies.

The day before yesterday I received a phone call from Jennifer (pseudoname), a mother of five who shared a story with me about her neighbour. The latter is twenty-two weeks pregnant and ultrasound revealed a fetal deformity - a missing hand. This was confirmed with a second ultrasound. The father was adamant about aborting this "imperfect" child, the mother sadly acquiescing. No conversation, email, from Frances or from another neighbour could dissuade the father. What prevailed eventually to save the life of this unborn was the protective instinct of the mother. She had wished to recover the aborted child and give it a proper burial. Yet as she soon learned aborted bodies are not returned to the parents and the child is dismembered prior to extracting. On hearing the latter, the mother seemed to awake from her slumber and became defensive toward the life budding inside of her. In short, no abortion.

The second saved concerns a foreign national carrying a 19-week old infant. Financial woes and immediate family pressures – parents and grand-mother, to abort wreaked havoc on her. She visited the abortion mill outside of which we are hosting the 40D4L prayer vigil for medical advice and see the infant inside of her. She left more frustrated than anything else and came to speak with us. We directed to various people in our aid network and now mother, father, and child are being accompanied along. Praise God.

Please keep these in your prayers as the wiles of the evil one are never too far off.

Sunday October 28 Highlights: Families and especially the children, a couple visiting from Guelph, and the weather.

I was particularly touched at day's end. Several vigilers had brought their children to the vigil location. And as many of us were in prayer, I glanced around to spot them absorped in games. Their energy and enthousiasm was heart-warming.

I was also delighted to welcome Mike and his wife to the prayer site. They were driving back to their home in Guelph, ON, and decided to join us for an hour of prayer, despite the dark and ominous autumn clouds.

Finally, I felt deeply blessed at one point during the afternoon. It dawned on me how truly blessed I was to be privileged to have hearts revealed to me. In fact, I felt deeply humbled that persons, either for or against our cause, are willing to share with me something deep and personal. Some are joy-filled, radiating a beautiful smile as they pass me by. Others are hurt, frowning or doing worse as we make eye contact - feelings of hurt, sadness, and anger.

Yet God in his goodness and mercy has blessed me and them for what is often a very brief moment - two hearts exchanging on a matter so fundamental to our existence, the fate of the unborn.

Lord, may I always be charitable to all of these.

Saturday, October 27, Day 32. This past week we crossed the three-quarter mark of our 40-day prayer for the end of abortion. On average, slightly more than twenty persons came out to the site spending about 45 hours of prayer time, each day.

I'm inspired by the numerous exchanges that spontaneously take place on the subject of life and abortion and related themes. Either with passersby or the pro-choice crowd that gathers next to us, many vigilers share their views. Special thanks to Mr. Lecomte, John & Celeste, Carole, and Barbara.

End of Our Banner - More Signs

On Thursday, I was visited by an officer with the local police force. It seems that our banner is violating a municipal by-law. Yes, we have had it since 2009 – i.e., seven other 40-day campaigns, and yet only now has it been deemed not permitted. The officer showed me the law which dates back to 2001. Hence, as of Monday, I will be compelled to take it down, else pay a fine.

We will continue for the final week of the vigil with signs.

The loss of the banner entails a loss of visibility, which we will try to compensate for in two ways. First, we can continue using our signs. Our current inventory displays the same message as the banner – "Pray for the End of Abortion." Also, we will reveal two new signs – one with the image of the 20-week old fetus and the other with the help-line number.

Second, in effort to have some visibility, I suspect that we will be parading more along the wakways in Lahaie Park.

Please keep us in your prayers during this last week of the vigil.

The vigil ends this coming Sunday, November 4th

Saturday, October 20 - On day 26 of our vigil for the end of abortion, I was reminded, again, that God is in charge and is intervening during this vigil. Let me explain.

Heading to the vigil for my afternoon shift, I felt morose. Georges had opened the site and covered the first half with Charlotte. I would cover the second and as the schedule was void of any name except my own, I felt sad at the prospect of being on my own. However, I learned God had other plans.

On arrival, I was stunned and elated by what I saw. Families! Miguel, from Lanoraie, accompanied by his wife Monica, was standing next to the banner reciting prayers and proudly showing off the youngest of their clan – a six month old. Then in the distance, I spotted Maria with her husband Pierre and their 3 year-old Marie-Camilla speaking with a young woman. And this was only the beginning.

As the afternoon wore on, God’s handiwork was apparent. People came and went from the prayer location. The peak was about 4 p.m. when no fewer than thirteen people were on hand: Ymelda and her sister and her two children, tapers in hand, were praying, Francois and Andrew were chanting psalms by the picnic table, and finally Carole and many of her friends had rendez-vous'ed at the site and were now reciting their devotions. What a blessing I was privy to.

Lord, have mercy on me, a man of little faith.

Finally at about 5:30 p.m., the day was coming perfectly to an end as the rains had subsided, the sun came out, and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.

Daily Highlights: 1. Presence of several families with their children; 2. Natalie a newcomer and fellow Christian came for a first visit; and 3. Rainbow at day’s end.

We've begun the second half of our 40-day prayer vigil for the end of abortion this past Monday and here are a few of the highlights since.

Wednesday, October-17: Spiritually Powerful Day

Day 22 was an emotion packed day: encouragement at the outset, dread and foreboding in the middle, and the sweet peace of reconciliation at the end.

During the second hour of the day, a young francophone evangelical dropped by to offer a few words of encouragement for the work we are doing. We exchanged a little about our respective faiths and then he was off.

A more powerful event came in the afternoon. At that time, I began feeling dread and foreboding and no matter how much I prayed or shared with one or two persons at the site, these feelings would not subside.

Noris was one such person I shared with. She arrived an hour or so after I first had these experiences. As I described them, she shared her particular devotion to Saint Benedict and to the Saint Benedict medal, the latter being used in instances against Satan and his minions.

We began to pray and as we did so something incredible happened: pro-choice persons began walking up to our site. First came a young man - a student of social work, then a woman pushing her child in a carriage, and finally another woman.

On arrival, they were greeted by vigilers and conversations sprung up. The young man met John and Celeste with whom he spoke for nearly ninety minutes; during this exhange, the second woman arrived and joined in. On the other hand, the woman with the stroller met Yves on arriving and the two spoke for nearly as long.

Throughout these exchanges, Noris and I prayed continuously for peaceful resolutions. I invoked the intercession of powerful saints - Dominique, John Chrysostom, Peter Chrysologus, and John the Baptist, hoping that their inspirations may provide our vigilers with the right words for their listeners to hear. Noris expressed her conviction that positive outcomes would result.

And positive outcomes did occur. On the one hand, the exchanges though intense and passionate weret not belligerent. On the hand, there was one conversion. John and Celeste introduced me to the young man who they told had become pro-life as the result of the encounter. Though the two women did not express any conversion of hearts, we trust that our witness and goodwill affect them in the time to come.

Finally, the day ended with a blessing as one vigiler was able to bring peace to a fractured relationship between two others.

Thursday and Friday, October 18 & 19 – Contrasts in Weather

Days 23 and 24 of the vigil could not have been more unalike. Thursday was sunny and balmy while the following day, rain, rain and more rain.

Sunday, October-14, Day 19.

Shortly after my arrival at mid-day, a drizzle began to fall. Only a mist at first, it progressed in intensity as the afternoon wore on. Eventually, I needed to put on my rain wear and protect our gear inside our waterproof bag.

By 5:30 p.m., a steady rain had been falling for some time. Little did those of us who were there - Andrew, Francois, and me, know that we were in store for "sunshine." Yet when God is the vigil scheduler, sunshine often occurs.

The "sun" did come in the form of welcomed company. First, it was the arrival of Christopher. Then, no sooner had greetings been exchanged that Brother Emmanuel and Mark-Anthony showed up. Finally, within thirty minutes, Maria, Pierre, and little Marie-Camilla arrived and stayed until closure.

A wonderful blessing I have experienced during this vigil time and again is  the arrival of persons - whether old friends or new acquaintances, coming to spend some time at the site in prayer.

The vigil runs through until Sunday, November 4, 2012. Drop by for an hour of silent prayer or remember us and the cause of life in your own home or faith community.

Saturday, October-13, Day 18

My half-day at the vigil location began and ended with soup. Shortly after I had arrived - 12H30, Maria appeared, carrying a pot containing a vichyssoise and, later, as my thoughts were turning to the day’s closing prayer, I was delighted to see John and Celeste arrive, the latter carrying likewise a pot filled with soup - bean soup. On this cold day both were appreciated and consumed up by those of us there.

In addition to the soups, I will remember this day because of two pretty intense exchanges. First, at about 3 p.m., a cyclist stopped no more than three feet in front of me. An older gentleman, he fixed his pale green eyes into mine and remained silent for an extended time. After a while, I smiled and introduced myself. No response. This does not bode well, I thought.

Eventually, the monolith spoke. In his German accent, I learned that he had been the security guard posted in the building where the abortuary is located across the street some twenty years ago. At that time he had witnessed many acts committed by the then pro-lifers that he found disturbing. As he had read in the area’s local paper about our presence in the park, he had decided to come and see us.

Throughout the conversation, his face remained tense, eyes riveted into mine. The topics of our ten to fifteen minute conversation varied from abortion to the Church, from science to theology. An intelligent man, very sensitive and hurt person. I presumed he associated us and our tactics with those pro-lifers whom he had met some twenty years ago. Eventually he cycled away.

The second encounter had a similar charged excitement to it. Shortly after 5 p.m., a young woman jumps out of a car stopped in the middle lane of Saint-Joseph Blvd. waiting for the red light to change. She beelines to the banner, demanding what this, waving with her arms at the banner, is all about. Her indignation is apparent.

Between Andrew and me we talk to her. As the closest, I greet her first and begin explaining the banner and its two panels – that we are here to pray for the end of abortion (banner), to save the life of children who are already in this world (left panel of 8th month foetus), and that help is available via a toll-free phone line (right panel).

At this point, Andrew enters the discussion, I exiting and joining Charlotte in silent prayer for a peaceful resolution to this exchange. Our prayers are heard, as the woman retreats, with a smile, and joins the driver who had parked, awaiting her return.

Praise God for his countless blessings.

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Day 16 of this Fall's vigil for the end of abortion welcomed its youngest vigiler. This morning, Melanie came on site with her seven week old new born, Sebastian. Sebastian displaces Marie Camille, 3, as the youngest participant thus far at this Fall.

Today’s numbers: 27 visitors longing close to forty hours of prayer time.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 – Day 15

I could not help but notice God’s protective hand working at the vigil today.

At the outset of the day, the schedule appeared complete. Our regulars had slotted themselves through until 3 p.m. Charlotte and I took the early shift from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. At this time Vaclav and his wife were then scheduled for a ninety minute block. Carl was then slated for two hours. And finally John and his wife Celeste would follow. All set, right? Not quite.

I knew something was amiss when Carl showed up at 9:30 a.m. rather than his appointed time of 11:30 a.m. I approached him to inquire about his early arrival. He explained that his wife had made arrangements late the day before with friends visiting from out-of-town for a noontime meal this very day. Hence, this spelt havoc with my well-groomed schedule.

Not to worry for God is the vigil’s scheduler. Shortly after Carl’s arrival, Gabriel unexpectedly showed up. I greeted him and asked how long he was thinking of staying; he answered, until about 2:30 p.m. Problem solved! So a period of angst quickly evaporated. Praise be to God, the King of schedulers!

Else, I thank God for the different blessings He has endowed each and every one of us. On this day, I think particularly of two of our members gifted with the wonderful charism of loving and personal conversation.

John and Celeste travel into the vigil site once a week from their home on Ile Perrot, a forty-minute ride, if the traffic is good.

In the two weeks that they have come, I have looked on with awe at how passers-by are drawn to them and seen moving conversations follow. Last week, they spoke with a high school age girl for what was close to half hour.

Today, a young man, driving by saw our banner, decided to stop and come over to investigate. Who were the first people he meets at the site but John and Celeste. Again what seems like a pleasant conversation ensues, lasting well over thirty minutes.

This couple radiates a love that is easily seen some twenty yards away. I feel blessed to have them represent our vigil team during these 40 days for life.

Today's numbers: 21 visitors to the site logging in over 45 hours of prayer time.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 – On Day 14, about fifteen people showed up at the vigil location today, thirteen of whom stayed for an hour or more, logging in over forty-one hours of praying time.

In previous entries I have spoken of some of the spiritual battles we encounter while at the vigil location. Well, our perseverence is paying off.

At about 3:30 p.m., Rosina, a faithful prayer warrior, walked over and introduced me to a young woman. On doing so, she returned to her silent praying leaving me alone with this young lady. I listened to her teary account of her pregancy and the struggles she was experiencing.

Eighteen weeks pregnant and wanting to keep the child, she did not know where else to turn. First, her boy friend was pressuring to abort the child. Second, she desperately wanted some medical support but as a foreign national she is not entitled to receive Quebec health care services without paying for it. As her funds are limited due to working a meanial job for the specialized education she received in her native country is not recognized in Quebec, her anxiety is obvious.

In her desperation for obtaining some kind of medical evaluation, she visited the Morgentaler abortion facility. She left there aggrieved as abortion was the sole option offered, something she does not want.

As we were across the street she approached us.

I suggested that we call the toll-free help line: (514) 871-4442.

I dialled the toll-free help line and she was able to receive information about available resources for her. A second call followed, providing more specific aid for her situation.

At day’s end, I’m not sure what became of her as I returned to praying while she made the phone calls. So I ask all of you to keep this woman in your prayers.