Day 39: Thanks to St. Paul of the Cross Parish, St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Christ our Savior Parish, Assumption Parish, faithful Volunteers and Shift Leaders

REAL STORIES FROM THE SIDEWALK — WE PRAYED, WE SUPPORTED, WE REFERRED, WE HELPED, WE LISTENED, WE SAVED, WE LOVED.

YOU ARE INVITED TO DAY 40 TOMORROW:

2-4 pm Sunday 3/28 : Celebrate Life EVENT : Hear Sisters for LIFE, Mary’s Place, Fr. Brian Welding, and Others @ St. Bernard Church, 311 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon Clairvaux Hall

6:15 pm Sunday 3/28 : 40 Days for Life Vigil Closing Service : 933 Liberty Avenue. Praise God for His Goodness during our Vigil & Re-Commit Yourself !

THESE ARE THE REAL STORIES FROM TODAY as told by those who were there :

From PEG:

I went to 40 days for Life this morning with my parish.  Since I hadn’t been at PP for 2 years I called Regina at Birthright to ask  what would be the best place to refer anyone this morning and Regina said if they called her she could help them walk through what is available to them. Shortly after I got there before we began praying together I was saying a gentle “Good Morning” to people passing by.  I was on the 10th St. side of the “circle”. A young couple decided to approach me asking if we were supporting abortion or against it.  I said that PP does many abortions and we were there to offer other choices for support.  The young man took the lead explaining that his girlfriend was thrown out of her house by her mother because she was pregnant.  She looked shy but hopeful.  So.. I took Regina’s advice and gave him her phone number hand-written on the trifold we have offered in the past saying that Birthright would be able to help them throughout this time and even after the baby was born.  As they crossed through the circle our people on the other side gave them other papers.  Within an hour Regina called me to say the young man called.  Thank you, Jesus! 

   7-9 Shift Manager Joe Reports:

Faithful Diane & Tom brought the goods and set-m-up for the next to the last day of the vigil – they’re kind of like a modern day Pro-Life Vigil-Dash…This seemed like the quickest Lenten Vigil yet – how ’bout you? We did the parking fire-drill in prep for the mobile sonogram truck.  Thanks to all – including Tom & Diane, Virginia, and one of the crew from St. Anne’s… The St. Paul of the Cross wasted no time – there was no spiritual warm-up with this crew – it seemed like they literally jumped out of their cars, signed in, and started praying – B-I-G… We were joined by morning regulars Bill H., Anita, Isaac, Linda and her husband, and Sidewalk Advocate Virginia. Not much foot traffic during this shift and minimal “client” traffic entering those dreaded double-doors of 933.  Just a whole lotta praying and sharin’ going on! Thanks to the Mobile and staff making themselves available to all who were looking for “another way”, a “loving way”… Lastly, a special shout-out to our new Sidewalk Advocate Emeritus, Virgina – May God Bless You!!! – Joe

9-11 Shift Manager Sue Reports:

Co-shift-manager Sue D. and I arrived this morning to a large group of praying members of St. Paul of the Cross Parish which included Sidewalk Advocates Director Greg.  Bill H. and Charlie were already there, and Bernadette and Celine from Most Precious Blood of Jesus Parish joined us.  Jeannie, on her way to drop off some baby supplies at a local pregnancy care center, had in her car a portable crib and a baby walker, and she decided to set them up on the sidewalk for the duration she was there.  About 10 more folks arrived toward the end of my shift to join Dean for the next shift.  It was uplifting to be joined by so many praying folks on this busy morning at PP.  The Choices ultrasound van was there this morning, but once again, no one elected to take advantage of their excellent free services.  Please pray that the Lord will lead more PP-bound folks to avail themselves of this wonderful facility. A couple arrived to pray toward the end of my shift.  The woman told me she is a former director of an area pregnancy care center.  She shared a story of a former client who had ended up at her center after thinking that the praying people outside the abortion facility that she was going to enter were actually a line of people waiting to get into the facility, and that she had then left because ‘the line was too long’!  God can, does, and will work in any way He can to save lives! As Sue D. and I were preparing to hand the baton over to Dean for the next shift, I was told of an interaction that had just occurred, moments before, on the sidewalk between a vigil participant and a passerby.  The passerby, a woman who is pregnant and planning to have her baby, indicated she was in need of some help with her situation, and our participant arranged for her to get the assistance she needed.  Thank You, Lord, for sending her to us.  Praise God!!!! -Sue M.

From Jeannie: I was on the sidewalk in front of PP today with my parish when a gentleman who had been waiting for the bus crossed the street to talk to me. Since I was wearing a WE WILL HELP YOU 40 Days for Life sign, and he joked that he was pregnant and asked if I would help. Kidding aside, I said we have lots of great resources for moms and families and that we were there to make sure women knew their options. He said he thought we “looked bored” so he came over to chat. I told him — we were not bored – We were Praying! He said he used to pray but he didn’t really feel that God would listen to him. George (I learned later) confided that he felt like he was a “pretty good person” — he had been married for 32 years and he didn’t do anything “really bad” to others. The only problem he said, was that he and his wife had aborted 4 children — “3 of the abortions were right over there” he said as he pointed to 933 Liberty Avenue. “Another one was at Magee” he said. George continued on to say that looking back over his life the abortions were the only thing he “really regretted”. I comforted this dear man who had bravely shared his story with me and I confirmed to him the very real and abundant mercy of God, letting George know that God has already seen the sorrow in his heart and that our loving Lord was ready and waiting to have George back despite the past. Our chat was abruptly ended as he had to run across the street as he saw his bus approaching. I quickly offered a prayer card and I implored him to trust God’s goodness in all things — hoping this was a new day for him!

11-1 Shift Manager Dean Reports:

What a strong turnout there was from Word of God Parish today! About a dozen and a half showed up to be a voice for the voiceless. It was definitely needed as several women were at P.P. for an abortion. Pray for the lives that were taken and the souls that were damaged.
On a more positive and encouraging note: an anonymous donor gave $100 in cash during our vigil. They said they wanted the money to be used to fight abortion. Rest assured, it will be. – Dean

1-3 Shift Manager Kathy Reports:

Jim, Barb, Catalina, and Barbara began the shift with the rosary. We had many interesting encounters from a busy sidewalk. We talked to a dad with 3 yr old son as he entered PP . He took our info, pausing to talk and listen until Glen (security guard) got his attention and he went in. Later the Dad and 3 yr old came out! We offered help. The mom was inside for ultrasound — Dad did not think she would abort. They headed down Liberty and did not return during our shift. An passing family stood inside the circle studying the PP signs. Their town did not have a PP. They were asking for directions from us, so we moved them outside the circle. The mom explained she listens to Focus on the Family and said she had showed her teenagers her pregnancy ultrasounds. This Mom was encouraged to abort her now 11 yr old daughter. She refused, and the the older siblings helped the mom stay on bedrest to save their beautiful baby sister. God is good!

HOUR OF MERCY

Thank you to Fr. Joe Freedy for coming to the vigil to pray at the hour of mercy today! God bless you!

5-7 Shift Manager Billy Reports

Today’s shift was rather special. Katie her mother Janet and I were here along with Jason,  Charlie and his Knights, the church of Assumption and the church of St. Joseph’s I believe. We had prayer and I went back and forth with two sides of people seeing how everything was going. No negative comments I had seen or heard. Just a lot of love.