Midpoint Rally: A Huge Success

40 Days for Life Vigilers in Ottawa attended a midpoint rally today at Ground Zero between 2-3pm. Enjoying a brisk and bright October Sunday afternoon and properly supplied with Tim Horton's coffee and timbits, over 150 attendees heard from various leaders and participants of what God is doing to break down the wall of death surrounding the abortion mill at 65 Bank Street.

This was an important day because most of the vigilers don't personally know each other. By the time it's all said and done, there will probably be over 1000 participants in the campaign. Even when we see one another, rarely do we introduce ourselves when we arrive. We just get down to the business and the battle. There's no time for chit, chat. We're not there to talk. We're there to make spiritual war. So, it was good for us to congregate and get to know one another, to listen to the amazing stories that have occurred thusfar, and to draw encouragement and confidence as we enter the final two weeks of the campaign which will end on Sunday November 2 at midnight.

We will have a closing event and end the Campaign at the Abortion Mill at midnight two Sundays from today. Details will be forthcoming in the final week of the campaign.

Christians are a people of hope. If you were at the rally today, you could probably sense it. The Holy Spirit is moving boldly among the body of Christ, and when the Spirit moves, thing start to shake. And when things shake, cracks begin to appear, and where there are cracks, walls start to come down. That's what this 40 days is about: bringing down the walls of Abortion Jericho.

As I strolled around the crowd today and took some pictures and video footage, I would occasionally glance over across the street to see the pedestrians. Many stopped to listen to the speeches. There was one man who was yelling some kind of pro-abort rhetoric in the middle of one of the speeches. Near the end of the rally, I saw him talking to Nicole Campbell, our remarkable and fearless pro-life heroin. She said he told her that his mother had aborted her first child. Some of us on this side of the aisle sometimes don't realize that if people have been personally touched by abortion, sometimes the evil has a way of keeping them from opposing it. In this man's case, he had preferred to justify abortion rather than to confront his mother's tragic choice, and grieve his lost brother. This is why we must take on the cloak of humility and understanding when dealing with our opponents. More times than not, there's always heavy baggage that they are dealing with. Please pray for that young man, that God's love and grace will heal and sustain him, and give him the courage and fortitude to bring healing to his mother and his whole family.

Here is the some video footage of the rally:




Here are some pictures:

Nicole Campbell, the 40 Days for Life Ottawa Director, giving a passionate and compelling speech:

Susan Laroche sharing her story about Bishop Reynald Rouleau from the Diocese of Churchill Hudson Bay who was moved to tears by the Vigilers presence at Ground Zero:

Father Galen Bank, our Spiritual Shepherd, offered a few encouraging words to the faithful assembled. He shares a light hearted moment with the crowd in this shot.

Here are a couple of pictures of the banners that were held during the rally...

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy being prayed as the rally ended at 3 PM. The Chaplet was amplified with speakers. Come Monday morning, the spiritual battle will be a hornet's nest.

A picture of some of the pedestrians taking an interest in what we were saying....

The new faces of feminism, three of the Pacheco girls, will give Canada a new direction and a new appreciation for Life! Below that, a young devotee to the Rosary!

The vigilers mingle, sharing their stories and getting to know one another....

Tim Horton's Coffee and Timbits sent from on high to refresh and reinvigorate the troops!

We'll be back. Count on it.

Just a friendly reminder....I count too!

Life Site Report of the Rally