September 25, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — This year’s fall 40 Days for Life campaign kicked off Wednesday with the pro-life group calling it the largest ever.
More than 500 communities in over 30 countries will take part in the international campaign to save the unborn by conducting around-the-clock prayer vigils outside abortion facilities worldwide until November 3.
In addition to its largest campaign to date, the popular pro-life outreach welcomed its one millionth volunteer in recent months, and it’s coming off the success of the Unplanned movie, the retelling of the story of pro-life activist Abby Johnson, who worked with 40 Days for Life to make her pro-life conversion.
“In the last campaign, we were excited to see so much growth take place in the battle to end abortion through victories like the release of the Unplanned movie, which prominently highlighted 40 Days for Life’s role in ending abortion,” said Shawn Carney, president and CEO of 40 Days for Life. “Now this news that our fall campaign will be the biggest to date is confirmation that the pro-life movement is stronger than ever before.”
The latest campaign kicks off as the pro-life cause has made strides with laws in many red states while pro-abortion blue states have enacted more radical abortion expansion laws than ever. It comes as well with every member of the crowded Democrat 2020 presidential candidate field pledging allegiance to abortion. Among them is socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont promising funding for abortion around the world as part of his plan to address so-called climate change.
Carney emphasized that the pro-life movement is as vibrant as ever.
“Despite what we see from the media about abortion legislation and the pro-choice side, the fight for life isn’t going away,” he said. “It’s only getting stronger.”
40 Days for Life is a community-based, grassroots organization that arranges volunteer-led vigils around the world, offering pro-life witness in hopes of changing hearts and minds about abortion. The campaigns are carried out through prayer, fasting and community outreach.
The outreach began in 2007 in Texas, its first organized vigil reaching 89 cities in 33 states. Vigils followed in all 50 states before long, and 40 Days for Life is now held in hundreds of cities in dozens of countries on all six populated continents.
The group says its peaceful but powerful approach to praying outside of local abortion facilities 24/7 has resulted in 16,004 unborn lives saved, 191 abortion industry workers joining the pro-life movement, and 104 abortion facilities closing.
The personal stories of babies saved and how the campaign has touched abortion-vulnerable women are numerous, and the statistics of its success are chronicled on the 40 Days for Life.
In 2016, the Vatican endorsed 40 Days for Life, and the outreach has the enthusiastic backing of pro-life leaders across the movement.
40 Days for Life’s spring campaign this year was also the largest at the time, with some 400 cities. The group credits the success of the Unplanned movie with a 30 percent increase in vigil participation.
Carney acknowledged the organization’s volunteers for making the outreach so effective.
“It’s through our dedicated volunteers that we have been able to make such a tremendous impact,” Carney said. “But we are not finished fighting – we know there are more lives in need of prayer and ministry; expecting mothers, fathers, abortion workers and more. The larger the campaign, the greater the impact on lives around the world.”
This year’s fall campaign takes place September 25-November 3.
To find a nearby 40 Days for Life location, click HERE.