It was a beautiful and warm morning for the kickoff day! We didn’t know how many people to expect, and Our Lord sent us 50+ prayer warriors. What a sight!
Just as people started arriving to pray, a woman named Priscilla arrived for her abortion appointment. Her car windows were closed and she did not take our information pamphlets. Priscilla was playing at full volume a heart break song in Spanish, but stayed in her car. She kept playing the song over and over. From time to time, she would lower the volume and use her cell phone. Clearly, she was in distress and crying helplessly.
Meanwhile the vigil participants started arriving. I asked Virginia, one of the prayer warriors who was there to please help coordinate the persons by asking them to pray in front of the sidewalk. When Alfonso arrived, he handed out signs to the vigil participants. Everyone was praying for Priscilla who was sitting in her car.
Priscilla stayed in her car in what seemed like an eternity, but in reality it was close to two hours. Gaby and I alternated waiting to sidewalk counsel her in case she got out of her car. At one point one of the abortion clinic nurses approached her and attempted to entice her to go inside the clinic. Gaby told the nurse to ask her if she needed to speak with a priest (there were 2 priests on the sidewalk). The nurse was nice and let her know. Thank God, that Priscilla remained in the car.
Finally Priscilla started to back out of her parking space. I thought, "Praise God Almighty, she is leaving!" As I stood waiting to talk to her, one of the clinic owners drove in and honked her car at me really loud. This startled Priscilla and she drove back into her parking space. I prayed, “Please Lord; don’t let her go inside the clinic.”
As the clinic owner drove past her, Priscilla backed out again and I got to talk to her a bit. With tears in her eyes she told me, “I want to keep my baby.”
We talked a bit and she gave me her name. I mentioned to her, “Do you realize how many people have been praying for you and your baby?”
You see, up to this point Priscilla had not seen how many persons had been praying so close to her. She had gotten there just before the bulk of the people started arriving. And all the time she was sitting in her car the vigil participants had been out of her line of sight.
As we talked some more, I gave her my name and cell in case she needed to talk. I also gave her the literature we normally hand out. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw the clinic owner heading our way. I told Priscilla, “You should leave now; they are going to try to get you to go inside the abortion clinic.”
Priscilla understood and nodded, then drove off, but not before she stopped and talked to Gaby further down the alley. They talked for a good while. Gaby gave her a rosary and a baby gift.
The one thing that made the difference between life and death in the life of Priscilla and her baby is that YOU took the time to pray. YOU took the time to show Priscilla that there are good people out there who care for her and her baby. Yes, your prayers are helping to change hearts! If you are praying from home, from your work or are out there in front of the abortion clinic, your prayers are being heard.
For the Greater Glory of God!
Miguel
Pro-life El Paso/Cruces/Juarez
P.S. We had a turnout of about 33 people at the candlelight vigil tonight. We sang praises to God and thanked God for all the blessings of the day. Thanks to all who showed!
