London Ontario, October 27, 2016
One of the 40 Days for Life volunteers in this Canadian city just wanted to be sure people driving by knew that he and the others were praying to end abortion.
Sometimes, he’d be greeted by a friendly tap of the horn and a thumbs-up. More often, though, the horn would have an angrier tone – and so would the driver’s gesture.
But one driver did something different. He pulled over, flipped on his emergency flashers … and got out of the car. All of a sudden, the volunteer noticed that a really big guy was headed straight for him.
“This man was impressively solid as he began approaching me,” he said; but he also “could see the emotion in his face. I recognized pain, but there was also something else.”
He still wasn’t sure what was going on, but when the guy walked up, he gave the volunteer a bear hug and started to weep.
“I was so moved with compassion for this stranger and the depths of his pain that prompted him to abandon his vehicle in the street to embrace me,” he said, “I wrapped my arms around him while he cried.”
The volunteer quietly said, “May God have mercy on us all,” as this gentle giant of a man returned to his vehicle amid car horns sounding and shouts from angry motorists.
“Oftentimes I am asked, why, as a man, would I be involved in what is considered a women’s rights issue?” the volunteer said. But the truth is that abortion touches the lives of each and every one of us.
Every aborted child has a mother, a father, grandparents, perhaps siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins – and each of these children has a unique set of gifts with which to serve their family, friends and neighbors.
“Pray to end abortion,” the volunteer asked. “Pray also that God will be merciful to Canada, one of the few nations that have absolutely no legal protection for her unborn citizens.”
Written by
David Brandao, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
With 40 Days for Life, David wears many hats. Prior to joining the 40 Days for Life team, he was an award-winning radio and TV journalist. He has also served as a board member for a pregnancy help center and as publications director for a major national pro-life organization.