Can you spare three and a half minutes today?

June 2, 2016

The three sidewalk counselors had finished their morning prayers. The young man who came religiously every week to pray an hour in front of the abortion facility waved as he drove off to work. Three women dressed in hot pink “Clinic Support” vests stood on the porch of the abortion facility.

Watching them, one of the sidewalk counselors said, “We need prayer support.” Another answered, “Linda should be here in about ten minutes.”

When contemporary armies fight battles with troops on the ground, they will call for air support to protect and help their soldiers. When sidewalk counselors stand at the gates of hell, they call for prayer support, and our God is always faithful.

Praying woman

As anticipated, Linda soon arrived to provide critical prayer support, followed by another prayer volunteer who wasn’t on the schedule. Then a mom with her two middle-school kids, after that three additional prayer warriors, and then Maria with her newborn and her toddler in a stroller. Eleven women and children stood witness to the beauty and value of life!

Maria wanted to sing the Divine Mercy Chaplet, so several prayer partners sang with her, with the sidewalk counselors stopping to join in when they could.

The “Clinic Support” became very agitated at the solemn singing. The young children being there clearly bothered them. As Maria sang the Chaplet, she held her baby close. She was a mother standing watch at a place where children are brought to die. Her gratitude for her own children and sorrow for the women going in for their appointments mingled with her prayer for Christ’s mercy. Love and sorrow overflowed, and tears ran down her face.

You too can join in the battle even if you aren’t on the front lines. Just take three minutes out of your day to pray for our sidewalk counselors and prayer partners -- for them to be protected against spiritual warfare, guided by the Holy Spirit as they speak to abortion-minded women and men, and that the words they are given will change hearts and minds. And please, take an extra thirty seconds to pray that God in his Mercy will end abortion.

By Susan Platt, CPLC Sidewalk Counselor

To learn more about the Catholic Pro-Life Committee's frontline ministry, visit www.prolifedallas.org/sidewalk