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Activists dedicate 40 days

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by Bridget Roby

Monday, May 7, 2007

Local anti-abortion activists prepare to pray outside the Madison Abortion Clinic for 40 consecutive days in an effort to bring awareness to the issue of abortion and pray for mothers and their unborn children at the same time.

The prayer vigil, called 40 Days for Life, is planned for May 6 through June 15.

"The purpose is essentially to pray for the women who enter the abortion clinic and their children who they are about to destroy," said Barbara Lyons, the executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, an organization helping to manage the event. "We are asking people to come and be a silent witness."

According to Lyons, the event is not meant to be a protest, as it will be silent and without any verbal component. The organizers hope to have people praying outside the clinic in two-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday throughout the 40 days.

Lyons said the event will be taking place at this time because of its proximity to both Mother's and Father's Day, but that the specific length of the vigil is insignificant.

"This is just a way to honor mothers and fathers," Lyons said.

However, the 40 Days for Life website cites the length of the vigil in reference to many 40-day time periods in the Bible that God has used to bring about change.

The website also advertises that these 40 days of prayer, fasting and vigil will begin Sunday with a rally at Reindahl Park at 4:30 p.m.

"We'll just call people to action, explain the purpose of what is going on, and then we will walk over to the abortion clinic and pray," Lyons said.

The Madison Abortion Clinic, 3706 Orin Rd., is located next door to Planned Parenthood.

According to Nicole Safar, the legal and policy analyst for Planned Parenthood, events such as this vigil often have a backfiring effect.

"It's kind of ironic because the effect that really visible anti-abortion protests have is that they really increase our visibility," Safar said. "They're actually a great fundraising tool for us."

Safar stated that when people see protests, their typical reaction is to get upset and want to help Planned Parenthood, which is usually expressed through donating money.

In terms of the number of patients Planned Parenthood receives during this time, however, Safar does not foresee any change due to the event.

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