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40 Days for Life group hopes message is heard
Published October 29, 2009
LAKE JACKSON — Forty days is a common time span in the Bible.
God used 40 days to transform the world, Noah’s ark survived 40 days and nights of rain, Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and Jesus fasted for 40 days before his crucifixion.
Volunteers are hoping the 40 Days for Life will lead to another pivotal change in the world, said Shannon Hunt, a coordinator of the local prayer vigil aiming to bring attention to the pro-life cause.
At least one person has stood at Oyster Creek and Oak drives holding a sign saying something like “Smile! Your mother chose life” every day for the past month.
It’s not a protest, Hunt said. Instead the group meets from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day for prayer and fasting. Volunteer Bill Behr said the group hopes “to raise awareness for the importance of life.”
The effort started a few years ago in College Station and has spread to more than 200 communities all over the United States, Behr said. Though typically staged in front of abortion clinics, Lake Jackson’s spot was chosen because it is frequently traveled, Behr said.
St. Michael’s Catholic Church of Lake Jackson brought the program to the area this year, but many denominations are participating in the prayer vigil. About 150 people have volunteered for the Lake Jackson vigil, Hunt said.
“I think this is a really good thing to do,” said volunteer Robbe Sebesta, pro-life chairman at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Angleton, who has participated in the prayer vigil several times.
“I just don’t agree with abortion,” Sebesta said. “If you stay silent on an issue, that’s like giving consent. … If you can do something, you should.”
Not everyone agrees with the vigil’s high profile or message, Behr said.
“A lot of people wave,” he said. “Some aren’t supportive, and they give a different kind of signal.”
Lake Jackson City Hall received several complaints about the vigil when it started more than a month ago, City Manager Bill Yenne said. Some were concerned about its location near Lake Jackson Intermediate School and others just didn’t like the message.
“But they have the right to be out there,” he said.
Their location is on public property, and as long as the volunteers do not harass anyone, block the sidewalk or tie their signs to a tree or stake them to the ground, they can stay there, he said.
The prayer vigil has provided parents with the opportunity to talk to their children about abortion, something they might not have done before, Hunt said.
The 40th day of the vigil is Sunday, and coordinators expect many volunteers to stand together at the intersection for a final time from 6 to 7 p.m. that day.
“It really comes down to one thing,” Hunt said. “Saving the lives of the unborn.”
Katlynn Lanham is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150.
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