40 Days of Prayer and Fasting - 40 Days of Constant Vigil - 40 Days of Community Outreach

Thank you all for another incredible 40 Days for Life! We could not have achieved all that we did without every single one of you. Your dedication in the face of a particularly hard year—when pro-life efforts had to be spread thin over several outreach efforts, and everyone was distracted by the upcoming election—was simply inspirational. In Seattle, we had over 300 volunteers at the vigil, and we found out that the U-District Planned Parenthood facility has ceased performing surgical abortions. Across the country, over 600 babies’ lives were spared just during the campaign this fall! We expect next year’s campaign to bring us even greater blessings and we hope to see as much energy and enthusiasm from you, Seattle’s amazing pro-life advocates.

Today is Day 39 of this 40 day venture.  I wonder what Noah was thinking after 39 days of the most intense storm he and his family had ever experienced, or what Jesus the Christ was experiencing after 39 days of fasting in the desert.  My guess is that at least one experience was of tiredness, maybe even weakness.  But don’t forget – don’t forget! – the experiences of the following day – that of transformation, rejuvenation, and grace!  On day 40, after 960 hours of prayer and fasting and preparation – it was THEN that the devil came and tempted Jesus.  One only has to look at Jesus’ response in that situation to see that the preparation (and grace!) of his spirit was able to rise above any weakness in his body. 

May we all harness the energy and freedom that God has instilled in us on this day – day 39 – and be prepared for what is given to us on day 40.  It has been an amazing sight to see so many people dedicated throughout this vigil – truly giving of themselves to others in need, truly focusing on prayer and fasting, truly allowing themselves to be open to God’s Living Word, and truly giving of their time talent and treasure.  I thank you all from the core of my being, and I hope and pray that this vigil will transform you – YOU! – to God’s will of Love, in your life and the lives of others that you are called to. 

If you are able, come and pray today or tomorrow during these last hours of the vigil.  Come and pray.  May we pray for a transformation of our own hearts, our own life paths, and a transformation of our culture to that of love for life. 

I’m sure that there will be plenty of people present on Sunday night during the last hours – I can hardly wait!  (and don’t forget about Daylight Savings Time - FALL BACK an hour!!) And I hope that you ALL will come to the FINALE RALLY on MONDAY 11/3 6:30PM at ST. MARKS: 18033 15th Pl. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155.  Come and encounter others who you have been holding vigil and praying with you.  We’ll be sharing our experiences, finding out what has been going on throughout the nation (amazing awe-filled things!), and ensuring that this momentum in our hearts does not stop.  We’ll also be having a potluck, but please if you aren’t able to bring anything, or if you weren’t able to do all that much during the 40 Days for Life – come anyway!!  I mean it – discover all that has transpired through this vigil at our Finale Rally.   Thank you all!  Thank God!

The Midway Rally location has been confirmed.  We will be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm in the Cafeteria at St. Benedict’s School (4811 Wallingford Ave N, Seattle, WA).  Be sure to go to the school and not the church.  There will be signs up indicating which entrance to use.  Joining us will be Pastor Ken Hutcherson and Ellen Egge from Silent No More.  I look forward to seeing you all Tomorrow night!

The dedication that I am seeing in numerous supporters of 40 Days for Life at the Seattle vigil site has left many of them telling me “I want to give even MORE of myself!”  This is amazing!  And it shows how much we not only believe in the right to life, but also sincerely believe and witness and love this intrinsic gift of life.  In the beginning of this rally you were challenged to make this 40 day time period truly remarkable in your life, truly different, truly prayerful, to lift your heart and soul and life to God through it.  Many people are doing this through their time and prayer at the vigil site.  I thank you for your dedication and hope that more will continue to respond as you have.  Many are also showing this commitment outside the vigil.  I’ve had a few requests to repeat what I mentioned at the Kickoff Rally for other ways of giving of ourselves outside the vigil.  Here are some practical ways of lifting up our lives to God in beseeching for His grace and His love to be showered over those considering an abortion, those who support abortions, those who perform abortions, those who are aborted, and for a movement of heart in us all:

• Getting up a half hour early and praying before work or school
• Having your family pray together after dinner for the unborn
• Making time to read the Bible each day
• Spiritually adopting an unborn child
• Wearing 40 Days for Life shirts, sweaters, bracelets to invoke conversations
• Going to a church for a little bit of time each day to pray in solitude
• Fasting from a certain food or entertainment
• Praying a specific form of prayer each day (Bible passage, Stations of the Cross, rosary, chaplet, lectio divina, liturgy of the hours)
• Supporting the other pro-life activities going on this month

These are continued ways, outside the vigil, to show our commitment and dedication during these 40 days.  These are also ways of simply keeping in mind, throughout the day, the unborn and their utter dependence on our Heavenly Father.  Finally, these are ways to show our total desire for the heart of Christ to transform our culture through ourselves. 

EXCITING NEWS!!!!
40 DAYS FOR LIFE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR TO VISIT SEATTLE VIGIL SITE!!!!

David Bereit, the National Campaign Director of 40 Days for Life, will be speaking and praying at the Seattle Vigil Site this Wednesday, 10/1 at 8PM.  I know it’s last minute, but don’t miss out!  David is an excellent speaker, a motivated follower of Christ, the founder of 40 Days for Life, and a family man.  He and his family will join us in unity and love and witness at our vigil site, at the Planned Parenthood on 45th and 9th, for a memorable evening from 8 to 9PM.  I’ve attached his biography at bottom, but I know from personal experience that no bio could ever adequately describe this man.  I was attending Texas A&M in Fall 2004 when David led the first 40 Days for Life, and I also personally knew him and his family from our church.  And all I have to say is that he is convicted, his desire is intense, and his love is always present.  He is my brother in Christ and I’ll never let him forget how instrumental he has been in helping me experience the great need in our culture for a sincere and devout love of life.  His family will be joining him so it should be a blast!  He is also the person writing the daily devotional emails - if you don’t receive those and would like to then note that you can sign up for them on the national 40 Days website or read them on the national website’s blog.

Peace in Christ,

Chris Haag

DAVID BEREIT - BIOGRAPHY
40 Days for Life National Campaign Director
David became an outspoken pro-life advocate after Planned Parenthood announced plans to build an abortion clinic in his Texas town in 1998. He helped to start and build a local grassroots coalition that rallied 60 churches and thousands of people together and dramatically reduced abortions in the region. Planned Parenthood recognized the effectiveness of David’s efforts when it labeled his town “the most anti-choice place in the nation.” David led the first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign in College Station, Texas.

David moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 2005 where he served as executive director of American Life League and national director of Stop Planned Parenthood until being asked to lead the national 40 Days for Life campaign. His pro-life work has been featured in the media hundreds of times, including coverage on Fox News, HBO, ABC, NBC and CBS television stations, numerous radio programs, and in over 100 newspapers across the country including USA Today, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times.

This morning at midnight a handful of people brought our trusty cooler out to the vigil site and stood the first hour, marking the beginning of our constant presence at this abortion facility.

This is hour 7 of  our 961 hour vigil.

Tonight at 7pm we Kickoff our campaign at University Heights Community Center on the corner of University Ave and 50th St.  I hope you can join us!

At midnight tonight, our prayer presence begins here in Seattle.

Tomorrow This evening at 7pm we’re holding our Kickoff Rally at the University Heights Community Center (5031 University Way NE, Seattle WA 98105).  There is a flurry of excitement and energy that is difficult to describe.  God has something amazing in store for us this year!

I hope you will join us, tomorrow, at the kickoff rally, and in prayer and vigil over the coming weeks!

There are still open hours before the rally tomorrow.  If you are available during the day, please consider signing up to spendsome time in front of the abortion Facility.

This coming Sunday night, the EWTN global cable
television network will be airing a world-premiere
new documentary about 40 Days for Life in millions
of homes to help kick-off your campaign.

Episode 2 of “beingHUMAN” highlights the impact of
the national 40 Days for Life campaigns which have
already happened in 144 cities in 43 states and
England, Ireland, Brazil and Peru.

The show interviews local and national leaders
including Fr. Frank Pavone, Carmen Pate, Peter
Kreeft, former abortion providers, and volunteers
who helped make this campaign one of the largest
pro-life mobilizations in history.

Encourage everyone in your community to tune-in –
this will be a big shot in the arm for your local
campaign efforts!

WHAT:  “BeingHUMAN: 40 Days for Life II”

WHEN:  Sunday, September 21, 6 PM Pacific)

For all of you who have been waiting to signup for hours, the time has arrived!  After a good deal of technical difficulties we’re going back to the tried and true setup with Google Calendar.

At this point if you know your hours, get them filled in, if your unsure, but you’d like to help out the first week, consider taking some hours on the 24th.  Since our kickoff meeting is that evening, this will be one of the most difficult days to fill.

So… Sign up now and sign up often!

The 40 Days campaign is almost here again! We are excited to announce that the 2008 Kickoff Rally has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 24th at 7pm. It will be held at University Heights Community Center at 5031 University Way NE, Seattle WA 98105.

There will be speakers, the opportunity to meet with others who will be involved, and campaign coordinators will be available to answer any questions and sign people up for vigil hours. At the end, we will walk down to the vigil site for a short time of prayer as a group, for those who would like to get an idea of the location (Planned Parenthood on 45th and 9th) and a feel for being out there.

You’ll see a lot more information posted here over the next couple weeks.  Also check out our page on the nation site!

This should be the beginning of an amazing 2008 campaign… We are excited to see you all on the 24th!