We wanted to share the following message from Chester County 40 Days for Life with you!
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| Dear Volunteers, It is astounding that the creator of the universe entered this world in the form of the most vulnerable and helpless of humans – a child in His mother’s womb. Christ did not take on human form at His birth, but rather at His conception. Let this truth sink in deeply, because we are living in an age of great deception where even the most respected medical institutions and societies are involved in promoting and defending the killing of preborn humans, and our culture is steeped in language and falsehoods that seek at every turn to dehumanize, devalue, and deny life in the womb. At Planned Parenthood, no woman is told the truth that she is ending the life of her child. In fact, there is no mention of a growing human being at all; instead, she is sold the following euphemisms taken from PP’s own website [BOLD ours]: “In-clinic abortion works by using suction to take a pregnancy out of your uterus“”Suction abortion (also called vacuum aspiration) is the most common type of in-clinic abortion. It uses gentle suction to empty your uterus” “Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) is another kind of in-clinic abortion procedure. It uses suction and medical tools to empty your uterus.” “First, you take a pill called mifepristone. Pregnancy needs a hormone called progesterone to grow normally. Mifepristone blocks your body’s own progesterone, stopping the pregnancy from growing.” Notice any glaring omissions from these descriptions of how an abortion works? What exactly is growing in a pregnancy? What are the contents of a uterus during pregnancy? PP tells its clients: “Your nurse, doctor, or health center counselor can help you decide which kind of abortion is best for you.” No kind of intentional killing of innocent human beings is good for anyone. Men and women have become disciples of the evil one, the father of lies, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20) While many of us look back at injustices of the past and imagine ourselves on the side of the courageous, standing for what was true and righteous at the cost of our reputations, livelihoods, and even our very lives, the reality of history is clear: far too many men and women who lived through these times were not heroic in their actions. Many professing Christians were distracted, complacent, deceived, fearful, ambivalent, ignorant, and even complicit. Our time is not any different, we face a grave injustice and the same temptations to be silent or shrink back amidst lives that are full – full with blessings we do not want to lose, as well as cares, responsibilities, and challenges, but we can be confident that God will bless and honor our efforts wherever we can serve and that each action is significant. We once again closed our Chester County 40 Days for Life spring campaign with gratitude to God for the wonderful news of a confirmed LIFE SAVED! If you missed our previous email or were not able to attend our closing ceremony, we recounted the story of an abortion-determined woman at West Chester Planned Parenthood who providentially (and against her intentions) viewed the ultrasound of her baby. That image and heartbeat caused a changed mind and life saved, and this mom made her way to Birthright to find the ongoing care and support that she needs. We look forward to celebrating the birth of this precious baby in the fall! THIS is the difference that you’re making and why it is so crucial that our prayers are put into action by being present, speaking truth, and offering help to those in need. Whether it is spring and fall 40-day campaigns or year-round 365 campaigns, it’s a privilege to take part in this life-saving and life-transforming work, both worldwide (266 lives saved so far this spring!) and here at our local Chester County Campaign. Locally, we have tallied 272 volunteers from 26 local churches and several pro-life organizations holding Vigil and covering more than 476 hours of prayer – thank you! Though spring and fall campaigns are essential for ending abortion in West Chester, the battle for the lives of innocent preborn children takes place 365 days a year. One of the best pieces of news for our local community will be the permanent shuttering of WC PP and an end to the killing of the innocent. Until that time, as we rely upon a foundation of frequent and fervent prayer, trusting in God’s all-sufficient grace, let’s faithfully engage in the good works prepared for us as we continue to build a culture of Life where abortion is made both unavailable and unthinkable. Your prayers and presence are needed year-round while abortions are being performed in our community. Please Sign up online for an hour of prayer on Tuesdays throughout the year as able, or simply show up on the sidewalk any other weekday. Currently, Vigil hours will be limited to Tuesdays from 8 am – 4 pm, which are the operating hours for surgical abortion day at WC PP. With your help, we will quickly meet the goal of year-round coverage during all operating hours from M-F. This is especially needed because chemical abortions currently make up 55% of all abortions performed in PA, and are likely being administered every day of the week. Surgical abortions are irreversible, but a woman receiving information on Abortion Pill Reversal has the opportunity within the first 72 hours to reverse her decision and a child can be saved. As the story above emphasized, the truth about life in the womb and being able to connect women with the support and resources they need is critical. Thank you for your generous donations to our midway baby shower. Let’s keep up that support and look for ways to volunteer and give at CCCC, Birthright, any other pregnancy resource center, mothers’ home, adoption, or pro-life organization, such as Chester County Pro-Life Coalition which seeks to support all of these local efforts. To be freshly inspired and motivated for our fall 40 DFL Campaign (Sept. 25 – Nov. 3), plan to attend the PA State March for Life in Harrisburg on Sept. 23rd of this year and make a public stand against abortion. In an election year, it is truly tragic thay many Christians are ill-informed and/or absent from civic engagement. This is a massive missed opportunity at the local, state, and national levels to press forward in our fight to abolish abortion. God demands just laws; legalized slaughter of the innocent unborn is an abomination to God and a stain on our Nation. Please be informed, vigilant, and engaged. Lastly, please take time to better equip yourself with pro-life apologetics, sidewalk advocacy training, and the storehouse of pro-life resources (literature, blogs, podcasts, and news outlets) that can grow your knowledge and skills. There are many great free or low-cost resources to learn from which we can recommend. Please reach out if you do not know where to start. We thank God for each one of you and your faithfulness in prayer and action to honor God by defending His most vulnerable image bearers. As we’ve celebrated the Passion of our Lord, His sacrifice on our behalf, and the victory we now have in Christ through his resurrection, may all our efforts be for the magnification of His name, glory, and renown. Easter blessings to you, Rachel Hayes & Jamie Failla, Co-Leaders Chester County 40 Days for Life Instagram @chesco40days, FB @ChesterCounty40DaysforLife |
