400-plus unborn lives saved during '40 Days'

Baptist Press

Nov 03, 2011 5:52 PM Nov 03, 2011

Opinion

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WASHINGTON (BP)--With just a few days left in its fall campaign, the 40 Days for Life campaign says more than 400 unborn babies have been saved.

The campaign -- which focuses on peaceful, pro-life prayer vigils outside abortion clinics -- will conclude Nov. 6. This fall's 40-day campaign includes outreaches at 301 sites, the most in the effort's history.

As of Oct. 31, 417 unborn babies had been saved, including one at a Southfield, Mich., abortion clinic. A young couple was walking out of the clinic with a handful of paperwork when they were approached by 40 Days volunteers.

"They had just found out she was farther than they thought -- 17 weeks," said an unnamed 40 Days for Life volunteer. "And after paying $150 for the ultrasound, they didn't have the $775 to complete the abortion."

The volunteers mentioned a pro-life center that would do another ultrasound for free, and the couple accepted the offer.

"There's no way we're having the abortion now," the father said, after seeing the ultrasound. "I thought the baby was the size of a quarter from the picture gave us."

The semi-annual, 40 Days campaigns consist of 40 days of prayer and fasting to end abortion, as well as community outreach and the prayer vigils outside clinics. The effort, which began in Texas in 2004 and went national in 2007, has received reports of more than 4,700 unborn lives saved from abortion as a result of its campaigns.

Compiled by Tom Strode, Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press.

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