Day 18 – Rape Victim Grapples with Abortion

Table of Contents

• Local Campaign News
  • Rape Victim Grapples with Abortion
  • Last Week’s Abortion Already Haunts One & a Decades Old Abortion Brought Another to Pray
  • Please Remember to Stay on the Sidewalk or Across the Street
  • Have You Encountered Disturbing the Peace or a Noise Nuisance?
  • Please Ask Your Church to Join Life Chain & Adopt A Day at the Sidewalk
  • Video Cameras Recommended
• National Campaign News
  • 199 Babies Saved
• Vigil Calendar
  • Reno Adopt A Day Calendar
  • Volunteers Needed Sat 2-7 pm, Sun 2-2:30, 4-5 pm, 5:30 – 7 pm, & Mon  11-11:30 am, 4-4:30 pm & 5-7 pm
• 40 Days through Scripture
  • Day 18 - John 20 – Acts 4
• National News
  • American Idol, StayTeen.org and Planned Parenthood: Promoting Sex, Abortion
• Video Vignette
  • Caitlin Jane - Unborn
• Coming Events
  • Life Chain Rally – Sunday March 14, 2 – 3:30 pm
  • Allow us to Announce Your Pro-Life Prayer Gathering Here
• Support the Effort!
  • Support 40 Days for Life with a Donation through our Website

Local Campaign News

Rape Victim Grapples with Abortion

At the sidewalk on Friday a young woman walked down the sidewalk, departing the abortion facility property.   She thought she would be having her child aborted today, but it was determined that her pregnancy was too far progressed to allow for the simple one day procedure and she was sent home with a new appointment for next week.   As she exited the property, we talked to her, gently offering her assistance with any concerns she had due to her circumstances.   “I had a moment of thinking that I don’t believe in abortion, but … I was raped,” she shared.   She was encouraged to consider the fact that while the rape was most certainly a terrible tragedy, the aborting of this child would be an even greater tragedy that would haunt her for years to come, because it was the killing of her own child by her own choice.   This was something that would cause far greater pain than the initial rape.   It was also pointed out that many women have raised the child conceived in rape and they have found that this child was the good that came from something terrible, a gift for which they are very grateful.

Her name and number were taken, and she took our contact information as well, saying that she would follow-up with calling the Reno Crisis Pregnancy Center before her intended visit to Planned Parenthood.   Please pray that she does in fact contact the CPC, for they have the resources available to best help her in this difficult time.

We also let her know of a resource which has not yet been included on our resources list, which is called “The Nurturing Network.”   This national resource to women in crisis pregnancies is prepared to assist women who need to relocate due to the circumstances of their pregnancy, for example, if a boss is pressuring the woman to abort or loose her career position, or a student risks losing their position in a school program.   They help women who are being pressured to abort by the child’s father who feel they need to be out of the area where perhaps family and friends are insisting that the best option is to abort.   These women are given help to move to a new location, get into a college program equivalent to the one in which they are currently enrolled immediately, all the red tape taken care of.   The program helps these women find housing in their new location, employment and a host of other resources to allow them to continue to live the productive lives they were living before they realized they were pregnant and to do so while carrying the baby to full term.

We want to provide help to these women, we don’t come to condemn or scorn them.   This point was further made to the rape victim as she was told that regardless of what choice she ended up making, we wanted to be there for her and that if she chose to abort her child, we wanted her to know that there are programs designed to help her deal with the pain she would then encounter.   In offering her this, we pray that we were not giving her an out, but rather letting her know the strength of our conviction to be there for her.   We pray that  she consider the fact that the prayer volunteer with whom she spoke was a woman who herself had once had an abortion and was sharing with her the heartache that it had caused.

It is far too rare that we have the opportunity to converse with a woman who is considering an abortion, as we stand at the sidewalk here in Reno, and yet, we pray that on those occasions when we are given this opportunity that we speak using the words given to us by the Holy Spirit, rather than our own inadequate words.   The Holy Spirit is quite capable of using anyone to deliver a powerful message when the circumstances require it.   Please answer the call and come to the sidewalk to pray or to offer assistance.

When you come to the sidewalk, please bring some of our local pregnancy resources that we have to offer the women to come to the sidewalk.   If you haven’t seen this handout, please download a copy from our website.   There is a link to it located on the team page, or you can go there directly at: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe/resources.   These resources provide the women with the opportunity to fully explore their choices before the go down a dead end.

Before you go to the sidewalk to pray and/or sidewalk counsel, please sign our Statement of Peace, located at: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe/statementofpeace.    Those who participate in 40 Days for Life are asked to commit to being peaceful, prayerful and lawful while we are at the sidewalk.

Last Week’s Abortion Already Haunts One & a Decades Old Abortion Brought Another to Pray

On Thursday another of our prayer volunteers, also a post-abortive woman, was standing at the entrance to the abortion site when a woman leaving the property stopped to talk to her.   Rather than risk blocking the driveway, after it was realized that this might be a real conversation, she was asked to move her car out of the driveway and park at the sidewalk so the conversation could continue.   What ensued was and spirit-filled opportunity to share the witness of Christ and the truth regarding the pain and loss of abortion.   Just last week this woman had submitted to an abortion at the strong urging of her boyfriend who was already the father of two living children.   He let her know that he did not want any additional children and convinced her that this was the best thing to do.   She commented on how, when she came for her abortion, there were people present with signs but that no-one had attempted to engage her in conversation or offer her assistance.   She proceeded to abort her child and was immediately regretful.   Then, to make matters worse, her boyfriend has stopped taking her calls.   She had expected this show of her commitment to his will to strengthen their relationship and was confused that he was now turning his back on her.   Our prayer volunteer who has been through this herself, and has gone through a healing program that walks through the circumstances encountered by women after their abortions, pointed out that to this young man, seeing her was a reminder of the child they had killed.   Therefore, he could not continue to call or see her.   She was also confused by the fact that “all my friends have had abortions and none of them feel this way, I feel terrible, I keep thinking I’m pregnant, and then I realize I’m not.   It just doesn’t feel right.”   Upon further exploration, she acknowledged that when she’s out and about, she looks and acts as though everything were fine, but once she gets home, she falls apart with the regret of what she’s done.

She has exchanged contact information with our prayer volunteer and it felt that a strong bond was formed between these two women who had each gone through such similar experiences.   She was warned to be on the look-out for harmful, self-destructive behaviors, and that this experience was a pivotal point in her life.   She could either stuff her emotions, enter denial and continue down a dark path, or she could acknowledge what has occurred, deal with it, and determine to live by better choices from this point forward.   Let us pray that this young woman takes the better path.

And just one day after this conversation occurred at the sidewalk, a new prayer volunteer, who has never previously come to the sidewalk joined another who has experience at the sidewalk, as they together prayed to End Abortion.   During the course of their time at the sidewalk our experienced volunteer was looking for an extra hand and our novice offered to hold her “I Regret My Abortion” sign.   The experienced volunteer explained that this sign was specifically reserved for women who have in fact had an abortion, and she was then told that this woman too had had an abortion at the young age of 16, many decades ago.    Abortion changes you, as the website says.   It is not something that simply fades into the background, quickly to be forgotten.   It is something that women look back on for the remainder of their lives.   Thank God for the saving grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.   Thank God for His infinite Mercy and the redemption won for us on the cross by Jesus Christ alone.

Please Remember to Stay on the Sidewalk or Across the Street

Just a quick reminder that we don’t want to be in the street when we come to pray.   Please stay either on the sidewalk or on the dirt across the street when you come to pray.   We also are not allowed to block vehicles entering or exiting the driveway of the abortion site, nor can we block pedestrians on the sidewalk.   Thank you for your continued cooperation.   If you are asked to move by a police officer, please comply immediately and ask for his name and badge number.   We’d like to keep track of any encounters between those who are volunteering at the sidewalk and the Reno Police department, so please email us at 40DaysforLifeRenoTahoe@gmail.com or call us at 530-412-1573.  

Have You Encountered Disturbing the Peace or a Noise Nuisance?

Have you been to the sidewalk and been subjected to a noise nuisance while there?   Did you know that the City of Reno has a code that specifically addresses disturbing the peace and public nuisances?

Sec. 8.12.020. - Disturbing the peace.

It is unlawful for any person to commit a breach of the peace. Such breach shall consist of:

1. Fighting or challenging to fight; or
2. Conduct or words calculated to provoke violence or a violation of the law by the person to whom the conduct or words are addressed; or
3. Making annoying, lewd, malicious or threatening telephone calls; or
4. Willfully and unreasonably subjecting a person or neighborhood to any noise which is likely to disturb the peace of persons of reasonable and ordinary sensibilities.

(Code 1966, § 11.12.090; Ord. No. 5047, § 1, 9-28-99; Ord. No. 5387, § 1, 11-5-02)

And further on in the code regarding Nuisances:

Nuisance or nuisance activity. That which is injurious to health, or injurious, indecent and offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, or is against the interest of public morals, decency, safety, peace and order, including, but not limited to, an attractive nuisance, a nuisance per se, criminal activity, the presence of debris, litter, graffiti, garbage, rubble, abandoned, unregistered or junk vehicles or junk appliances, curfew violations, or any other activity, behavior or conduct defined by the council or Nevada Revised Statutes to constitute a public nuisance. Nuisance or nuisance activity includes unreasonably creating, allowing, or engaging in any activity, conduct or use of property that subjects a person or neighborhood to noise which is likely to disturb the peace of persons of reasonable and ordinary sensibilities. [Reference NRS 268; NRS 268.412; 1997]

Sec. 8.22.035. - Nuisances per se defined.

Any of the following conditions are a nuisance per se as constituting conditions which annoy, injure or endanger the safety, health or comfort of any considerable number of persons:

(1)     An unsafe or dangerous building; …

(25)   Any other condition which creates a blight to adjoining property, the neighborhood or the city, or a nuisance, health, safety or fire hazard identified as such under the conditions set forth in the International Fire Code, International Building Code, Uniform Abatement of Dangerous Buildings Code, Washoe County Solid Waste Management Code, or any other Reno Municipal Code or Washoe County Code or the Nevada Revised Statutes.

While we need to be accountable for our own behavior and ensure that we ourselves do not in any way cross over from prayer and an exercise of our Free Speech to being a public nuisance, we should also be protected from those who seek to disturb our peace or use noise as a nuisance towards us.   The Reno Police Department Non-Emergency number is: 775-334-2677.   I recommend you program it into your cell phone.   If you do contact the police for an incident of Disturbing the Peace or a Noise Nuisance, please also contact us at 40DaysforLifeRenoTahoe@gmail.com or 530-412-1573 and let us know how your call was handled.   Please get the name of the officer with whom you spoke, as well as their badge number.   If a report was taken (this is what is required for them to follow-up on the matter) be certain to ask for the case number and provide that to us as well.

Please Ask Your Church to Join Life Chain & Adopt A Day at the Sidewalk

We have posted an invitation to participate in Life Chain, along with a sample Bulletin Announcement & Pulpit Announcements is available at: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe/LiveChainInvite.   Please bring this to the attention of your Pastor.   If you believe you’ll be able to join us, please RSVP through our Facebook Event, located at:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=339511168591&index=1

Thus far, our campaign success in maintaining a nearly constant vigil at the sidewalk has been possible because people like you have stepped up and requested that their pastors support Adopt a Day through their church.   The vast majority of the churches that have stepped up to this challenge have been Catholic, but this campaign is by no means a Catholic endeavor.   The national director of 40 Days for Life is not Catholic, and many of the campaigns around the country are led by non-Catholic Christians.   Many of our local regular prayer volunteers are themselves not Catholic and we would like to see our campaign better reflect the entire body of Christ as we Pray to End Abortion.   Won’t you please approach your pastor and request that your congregation join on the sidewalk to defend the most innocent and defenseless children be protected from abortion?

What we have found is that those who come to the sidewalk grow in the depth of their relationship to Christ.   Being there where the killings are done also creates a sense of just how serious this issue is and increases the intensity of the prayers that it will come to an end.   These are the spiritual benefits of participating in this campaign at the frontlines, not to mention the benefits that occur when a mother sees those who love her child enough to come out of their comfort zone to plead for the innocent life.   We can’t save every child that is brought to the abortion site, but on occasion, we see the fruit of our labors, through an innocent life saved.   Won’t you come to Pray to End Abortion?

We will also be holding a Life Chain on March 14.   This event started as a gift from God to a small ministry in Yuba City, CA in 1987 and in 2009 over 1700 locations held a Life Chain event.   This non-denominational Christian effort is for those who call Jesus Christ Lord, and are willing to declare abortion a grave evil that defames the name and holiness of God (Leviticus 18:21).   For more information on Life Chain, call Elizabeth Labat at: 504-296-8670  

Video Cameras Recommended

It has been recommended, and I’d like to encourage you to consider this recommendation, that those coming to the sidewalk bring a video camera when you come to pray.   Place the camera in your car, or on a tripod on the sidewalk, to videotape you while you are standing in prayer.   It is prudent that we have a video record of all that occurs at the sidewalk, as we gather peacefully, prayerfully and lawfully.

To sign up on the vigil calendar go to: www.vigilcalendar.com/renotahoe or for the Carson City vigil site, go to: www.vigilcalendar.com/carsoncity.   If you’ve already registered, your username is your email address.   If you have forgotten your password, there is a simple mechanism by which your password can be sent to your email address.   If you still have difficulty getting registered, feel free to send your questions to: 40DaysforLifeRenoTahoe@gmail.com or call: 530-412-1573.

Join our Facebook group for 40 Days for Life Reno Tahoe, at: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=50059641315

Join the Carson City Facebook Fan page at:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/40-Days-For-Life-Carson-City/262781127002?v=wall&ref=search

National Campaign News

199 Babies Saved!

World-wide, there are a reported 199 babies saved during the current campaign.   The incredible thing is that we know from local experience that there are saves that aren’t reported to the sidewalk, sometimes for years afterwards, and sometimes they are never reported to those who come to pray and council the women entering the abortion site.   Praise God for all those who are saved from abortion and the women who are spared the trauma!   Praise God also for those who have been brought to the healing of Our Lord Jesus Christ through the witness provided at the sidewalk.

If you’re not already getting the daily updates from the National 40 Days for Life campaign, go to our website: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe and sign up to receive updates at the top right corner of the page.

Vigil Calendar

Reno Adopt A Day Calendar

Date	Church	Contact	Phone
Sun – Mar 21	Bishop Manogue High School	Matt Schambari	(775) 336-6000

Bring Adopt-a-Day to your church by contacting us at 40DaysforLifeRenoTahoe@gmail.com or by calling Carol Marie at (530) 412-1573.   We will schedule your church for a day at the sidewalk.

Volunteers Needed Sat 2-7 pm, Sun 2-2:30, 4-5 pm, 5:30 – 7 pm, & Mon 11-11:30 am, 4-4:30 pm & 5-7 pm

On Saturday we need your help.   Please sign up for an hour or more, especially in the afternoon.   We have the opportunity to maintain our spiritual presence at the sidewalk on a constant basis, but we need your help to make it happen.

On Sunday we need your help.   Can you come to the sidewalk from 2-2:30 pm, 4-5 pm or 5:30 – 7 pm?   Help us maintain the coverage at the sidewalk.

Next week, which hour can you cover with prayer?   Could you stop by the sidewalk before going to work.   This gives you an opportunity to be present when the doctor and his staff arrive for their day of work.   We would like them to see that we are praying for them as their day begins.

Perhaps you can take an early lunch and come to the sidewalk at 11 am, staying to pray for an hour.   Or would you be able to swing by at the end of the work day to pray from 4-7 pm.   We like to continue our prayers at the sidewalk even after the doctor and his staff have left for the day.   If the weather turns, praying from your car still provides the spiritual benefit to the site, but seeing a prayer volunteer standing in inclement weather has turned more than one person from abortion or from participating in the industry, as they see the strength of our commitment.   Help us maintain a constant vigil for 12 hours of the day, from 7 am until 7 pm daily.   Please register using our online calendar, so we can be certain that the sidewalk is covered in constant prayer.

Please register the hours when you can come pray at the sidewalk by going to our on-line calendar at:  www.vigilcalendar.com/renotahoe

You are welcome to sign-up or simply show-up to pray at the sidewalk at any time of the day or night when you are available to join us.   Your prayers have value well beyond anything we can see and we welcome whatever contribution you can make to the effort as we Pray to End Abortion.

40 Days through Scripture

Day 18 - John 20 – Acts 4 (including: Acts 3:1-10)

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer.   And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.   When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms.   But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”   He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.   Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.”   Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.   He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.   When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

If Christ can make the lame walk through His apostles, He can use us to bring about an end to abortion.   Become a part of the solution, join us as we Pray to End Abortion.

Join us as we read the New Testament over the course of the 40 Day campaign.    

To get the complete 40 Days Through the New Testament list, go to: www.40DaysforLife.com/renotahoe/NewTestament, print it out and get started now.

National News

American Idol, StayTeen.org and Planned Parenthood: Promoting Sex, Abortion

[Life News] – While watching American Idol, a commercial came on that caught my attention. An amateurish-looking home video showed two giddy, laughing teenage girls jumping on a trampoline, acting goofy. Then a voiceover said:

“I love my life. I'm not gonna mess it up with a pregnancy.”

And a web site flashed on the screen: Stayteen.org.

Being the abortion abolitionist I am, I immediately opened my laptop to check it out. At first, I was pleasantly surprised. The web site, which is funded by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, strongly advised waiting to have sex.

Among the various messages were myths about sex, lists of compelling reasons why abstinence is best and even a mention of how TV and movies portray sex as having no repercussions. In addition, they impressively differentiated between lust and love, and recognized the physical and emotional consequences attached to sex.

According to their bullet points, not everybody is doing it. Nearly 70 percent of teens wish they had waited to have sex and 94 percent want a strong abstinence message.

But, as I expected, that was the end of the good news. After leaving the “abstinence” section and perusing the rest of the site, I came upon the “help and advice” section. Who took the top spot under the first three resource topics? Planned Parenthood. To Continue Reading

For more Pro-Life related news, go to our website: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe/News

Video Vignette

Caitlin Jane - Unborn

Coming Events

Life Chain Rally – Sunday March 14, 2 – 3:30 pm

Mark your calendar Spring Life Chain Rally held on Sunday, March 14, from 2-3:30 pm at South Virginia and South McCarran in Reno.   We will stand to give witness to the truth that Abortion Kills Children.   Signs are available at $1 apiece.   Churches are encouraged to make them available to their congregants for a $2 deposit, allowing those who would like to keep them, and others who would like to get their deposit back to return them. Please contact Elizabeth Labat at: elizabethlabat@gmail.com or you can call her on her cell phone at: (504) 296-8670. 

Allow us to Announce Your Pro-Life Prayer Gathering Here

Gather together to Pray to End Abortion!   When you have plans, let us know and we’ll let others know through our updates.

Support the Effort!

Support 40 Days for Life with a Donation through our Website

Do you believe in the work we are doing as we Pray to End Abortion?   If so, please support the effort with a donation to cover our expenses. Donate Now

For more information on 40 Days for Life, Reno/Tahoe, visit our local website, at: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe , look for us on Facebook, or Call: Carol Marie at 530-412-1573.

To receive your own copy of these updates, as well as information from the National Campaign, go to http://www.40DaysforLife/renotahoe and request to receive updates. 

If you prefer to only receive our local updates, send an email with “Please Add Me to 40 Days for Life” on the subject line to renotahoe@40DaysforLife.com

Campaign Materials

Free 40 Days for Life Items - Bumper Sticker, Bracelet & More.

Heritage House, is offering a Promotion Pack of 40 Days for Life items through their website for the amazing cost of $0, they are even picking up the postage.If you have wished to place a bumper sticker on your car, but I haven’t had one on hand when we’ve seen one another, our you haven’t yet got one of the rubberized bracelets, but you’d like one, now is your chance to get these and more items,for free.They aren’t even requiring that you enter your email address to receive this promotion, although, I encourage you to do so, and they will continue to keep you informed of the many great items they place on sale during the course of the year.And if you see something on sale and would like to purchase it for our 40 Days for Life campaign, I would gladly accept the help in making their many excellent pro-life items available!To receive your free promo pack, go to: http://www.40dayspromopack.com/40dayspromopack/signup.asp

Two Hearts Catholic Books & Gifts to Carry 40 Days for Life Items

Truly, pictures are worth a thousand words.To make it possible for us to communicate more effectively with those who witness our campaign, Millie has stocked Yard signs, Rally signs, New colored precious feet, Pro-life buttons, Static and Bumper sticker available @ The Two Hearts,33 Winter Street, Reno NV and St. Rose of Lima Church (weekend Masses).

More information

Please share this truth, among others relative to abortion with those who follow your Facebook posts! For more information on 40 Days for Life, Reno/Tahoe, visit our local website, at: www.40DaysforLife.com/RenoTahoe, look for us on FaceBook, or Call: Carol Marie at 530-412-1573 Please forward this message to anyone you know who might be willing to Pray to End Abortion.

To receive your own copy of these updates, as well as information from the National Campaign , go to http://www.40DaysforLife/renotahoe and request to receive updates. If you prefer to only receive our local updates, send an email with “Please Add Me to 40 Days for Life” on the subject line to renotahoe@40DaysforLife.com

If you wish to be removed from this distribution list, simply reply with Please Remove in the subject line.