40 Days For Life Ending Celebration - Spring 2009

"I knew you even before you were conceived." ~God
Jeremiah 1:4-5

Sunday night- Palm Sunday was the conclusion of this years spring 40 days for Life at our local Family Planning Association - FPA. What an amazing experience it was for me.

At the beginning of Lent I signed up to do my weekly hour of saying the Pro-Life Rosary at our local FPA clinic. I am not one the like confrontations so I did my hour before the clinic opened. I was praying for changes. I was praying for all the lost babies. I did this quietly so as to not get grief from too many people. I did it every week. In fact I went down several other time even though I wasn't scheduled. I did it silently to my family. My parents knew but I did not share with my children what I was doing. Until Sunday evening.

Sunday evening was the closing celebration. What a celebration it was. My Palm Sunday started out rather hurried and only got crazier as the day went on. I knew the celebration started at 5:30pm and I didn't want to miss out. BUT other matters came up. First my sons car died. And then the plumbing in my 7 year old new home backed up. I didn't see how I was going to make it to the celebration but I felt like I needed to go. Finally by 7pm I had managed to settle down all the life issues around me. I ran down to have some dinner that our local Knights of Columbus had put on for the celebration. I sat and watched with amazement of all the families coming together to help fight this thing called ABORTION. I took a moment out and went over and sat on the grass by myself to say the rosary one last time by myself. I watched as the leader was rounding up kids to come over, stand on the side walk and blow bubbles towards the building. ((earlier a week or so ago a security guard at the FPA had said that bubbles were trespassing on private property - something so innocent as a bubble.)) The bubbles that night at the celebration floated freely innocently in the sunset towards the FPA Building. What's the saying "Out of the mouth of babes". What one breathe could make a celebration so moving.

The schedule was to concluded at midnight. My thought was that I would come back at 11:30pm to help with the final celebrations. 150+ people were needed at 11:30pm we were asked to bring anyone that we could. My first call was to my Mother but she was tired and who could blame her. It was cold out and really she didn't need to be out in the cold since she just got over pneumonia. She was worried that I would go down there by myself but I was safe and I knew it. I call my youngest to come. He said "Sure". Wow I never expected that.

So I went home to relax and rest before for the ending celebration but I fell asleep. At 11pm I was awaken by my smoke alarms going off in my house. They happen to be very temperamental but boy was I wide awake. My son was already to go and thought it was hilarious as to how I was woken up. I honestly think had that not happen I would have just stayed right there curled up in bed. But I was awake and so was my son.

We bundled up and made it down there by 11pm or so. We got there in time to listen to the reading of the stations of the cross. I looked around to hopefully find a familiar face in the crowd. I finally did. And then the magic began.

At about 11:30pm we were all asked to go over to the sidewalk that surrounded the FPA. One by one we all started the pilgrimage over and what an amazing site this was. We all were singing Divine Mercy as we made our way around the building. There was enough people to completely surround the building. We were given candles. As the leaders moved to each person lighting the candle one by one. We sang and prayed. It was a windy night but some how most of us were able to keep the candles glowing. My son stood next to me and helped everyone out. A elderly couple came up next to my son. The wife was in a wheel chair and I gladly gave her my candle. We stood there everyone praying in both English & Spanish. My son turned to me and said "Thank you Mom for not aborting me". Wow not that was ever a thought or a choice but my son felt the need to say that. As if that was enough the celebration continued until 12 midnight.

At midnight we all were asked to blow out the candles and join hands. As we did the energy and feeling was so powerful. Nothing like I had ever experienced before in my life. My son on one side of me and a total stranger on the other. Strangers every where with one common thread Pro-Life. As all the candles were put out we started to say the "Our Father". With each word, with each line one more moving then the previous. Just to think about it now gives me goosebumps. With each word it seemed as though the energy of the crowd could have moved mountains. With the final AMEN it was over.

As we all went our separate ways we all walked away with the power of prayer. Many of us helped clean up. Amazing what a crowd can do with everyone helping. The celebration was over but not the fight.

For more information about 40 Days For Life
The Leader of Bakersfield - 40 Days For Life can be found at LifeHouse
Their twitter is LifeSaverMin

Until next time. Thanks for stopping by and reading my ramblings.