Life Chain Sunday

Although the newspaper said we had 68 people attend, I still thought it was a powerful witness.  The annual Life Chain was held from 2 - 3 p.m. in St. Joseph today, so Dorito and I went together and prayed the rosary for an end to abortion.  You never know who is going by--many people honk and give us the thumbs up.  It reminded me of the blog story I recently read on the 40 Days for Life website:
"Sometimes it’s hard to muster the courage and energy to confront the dark cloud of abortion that hangs over this nation. However, occasionally a ray of light shines through the darkness to remind us that God is still there and His love is triumphant.When I moved to Charlottesville this summer I met a couple men who had been standing outside of Planned Parenthood for years. In fact, one of them had been standing for so long that he was starting to question his service. He said to me, “It’s very rare that I get any positive feedback.” I told him that it was a small town, but I knew from my experience in Houston that lives were being changed simply by the presence of men and women outside of the abortion clinic praying and handing out literature.  No sooner had he crossed the street than a woman pulled up into the Planned Parenthood parking lot and started yelling at me. At first I thought she angry with me. But then she told me she wanted to tell me something. She pointed to the back seat of her car and said she had a grandson in a car seat that was alive because people were standing outside of the clinic — and she wanted to say thank you. I ran across the street to the parking lot where my friend was parked to tell him the good news. But God wasn’t done!  A week later a young woman pulled off the side of the road to tell me that she, too, had changed her mind because people were standing outside of the clinic. This woman later sent Steve a note: "I’m not sure why I was so inclined to stop and speak to you but remember feeling like I needed to tell someone my story, someone who changed my thought process when I was trying to decide whether or not I should carry my child to term. I cannot thank you and others like you enough for standing up for what you believe in, because had it not been for you all I may have made a horrible decision and terminated my pregnancy. My girl is my entire world, and everything I do now is so that I can create a better life for her.  Please, do not stop doing what you are doing. I know it may seem like your messages are falling on deaf eyes and blind eyes, but I can assure you that me and my daughter are proof of the power that you all have."
"So when your feet start to hurt and your back begins to ache,” said Steve, “just remember this baby is alive today because a group of people overcame their fears, anxieties, and personal plans to help others.”  Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.  Amen!