John,

As we reach the midpoint of this spring's 40 Days for Life campaign, 156 babies have been spared from abortion thanks to YOUR prayers!

When abortion supporters argue that legally protecting unborn children is pointless because women will go out of state for abortions, they're failing to account for YOUR prayerful presence on the sidewalk.

A Texas couple came to Wichita, Kansas, for an abortion because they have five kids and felt they couldn't afford another.

The sidewalk counselors who were present are both mothers of big families, which would have made them a perfect fit to encourage the abortion-bound parents...if not for a language barrier.

After the counselors got home from their 40 Days for Life shift, they couldn't get the abortion-bound couple off their minds. So they dusted off their high school French lessons and went back to the vigil to give it another try.

They persuaded the father to bring his wife out of the abortion center, but Planned Parenthood wouldn't let him talk with her.

Vigil participants exhorted him to try again. This time he brought his wife and unborn baby out of Planned Parenthood for good!

The expectant mother said that Planned Parenthood did an ultrasound--but refused to show her, saying there wasn't anything to see but a clump of tissue.

Fortunately, one of the vigil participants happened to have an eight-week ultrasound image of her grandbaby. "She showed the ultrasound to the mother, [who] realized it was a baby and had fingers and toes and a heartbeat," explained Sue, the Wichita campaign leader. "She knew then that she could not go through with the abortion."

By the end of the day, the couple had been seen by a pro-life doctor, scheduled an appointment with a pregnancy help center, and had found a church back home in Texas.

"They were so excited to find a community they could be a part of," Sue said.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

An abortion-minded couple in Colorado Springs stopped to talk with vigil participants on their way into Planned Parenthood.

"They were friendly and open and very happy when they learned about the free services at the pregnancy center," shared Michele, the longtime 40 Days for Life leader in Colorado Springs. "They went on into Planned Parenthood...but came out two minutes later and went to the pregnancy center!"

Tulua, Colombia

An expectant mother in Tulua was told she needed to have an abortion because she had an IUD contraceptive in place, which doctors said could hurt her baby.

Imagine telling a woman she needs to abort her baby to avoid harming her baby!

Thankfully, the woman's co-worker arranged for her to meet with 40 Days for Life volunteers. Those volunteers introduced her to a pro-life clinic director (who empowered her to choose life) as well as doctors who are caring for her during her pregnancy.

The Tulua campaign now knows of SEVEN babies saved by God through their efforts!

Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.”

--Genesis 25:21-23

O, God, you formed us in our mothers' wombs and planned a unique and special life and purpose for each of us, and we do thank you. Grant that we may pray and work for an end to abortion, especially in these 40 days, so that no unborn baby you have made may fail to achieve your divine intention for him or her because of intentional abortion.

See today's full devotional

For life,

Shawn Carney
President/CEO, 40 Days for Life