PHOTOS/VIDEO: Closing Rally for The 40 Days for Life Closing Rally -- Assemblée de Clôture de 40 Jours pour la Vie

Report from Wanda....

We are now winding down with our last week of the 2015 Fall campaign. Don’t let that stop you from coming down to pray at the vigil site. We need to keep up the momentum. No church or group is signed up for Wednesday, so come then if you possibly can.

Join us on Sunday, November 1st at the Closing Rally, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Please remember that the time changes this weekend and we need to set our clocks back one hour.

 We are gathering at the Vigil Site on Bank Street, Sunday evening at 7:00 pm. There we will have some closing remarks and music from NET Ministries. At about 7:30 we will take our candles and have a procession to St. Patrick’s Basilica, where there will be a reception in the basement Scavi.

There were no major incidents at the vigil this past week. One thing I will comment on is the support of pro-lifers who see us faithfully praying. I arrived one day to find coffee that was dropped off for the vigilers and one was left, so it must have been meant for me. Another time I was praying with another lady and I noticed a gentleman across the street slowly walking and reading our signs. He then crossed the street and said, “You ladies deserve a nice warm coffee for what you are doing” and he passed us the money to buy some.

If you get the daily emails from the main organizers of the 40 Days for Life campaign, you will have noticed that last Saturday, October 24, they did a story on Ottawa and our counter protestors.

I, personally, have had so many mishaps these last few weeks – that I know they were meant to prevent me from taking part in the 40 Days for Life campaign. This reaffirms to me that something is stirring in the spiritual world. God is working! We don’t see it, but something great is happening.


So be faithful and keep up the prayers and hours at the vigil site.

Report on the Mid-Point Rally

Last Sunday, over 50 people gathered to acknowledge that we have passed the mid-point of our 40 Days for Life campaign. We were blessed to have Rev. John Counsell speak and encourage us onward. He spoke about the historical biblical times of Daniel, and how God's people, who were living among a culture which did not honour God, resembles our own, and how God used his faithful followers to work within an alien culture to bringing about positive changes.

Mike Travo, from NET Ministries, led the crowd in a modern version of Amazing Grace. His second song, 10,000 Reasons, appropriately blended in with news from the key organizers of the 40 Days for Life campaign, that over 10,000 babies have been saved from abortion since the beginnings in 2007.

Doris Gagnon gave us an update of her experiences at the site as a sidewalk counselor and she related stories of three different expectant moms. Everyone was moved by Linda Rangango's testimony as she spoke of abortions during her teens. And Deacon Chuck wrapped it up, urging us on to continue to the end.

A collection was taken up to purchase some new French signs and we collected enough money to buy 10 new signs. They are being produced locally and they should be ready soon.

Our closing rally will take place at the vigil site on Sunday November 1st. at 7:00 pm.

Please remember that we still need your prayers and your presence at the Bank Street vigil until the conclusion of the campaign. There are gaps: on Saturday October 24, no one is scheduled for the afternoon and there is no group vigil scheduled on Wednesday October 28.

See you there, Wanda

Doris Gagnon

Linda Rangongo

Mike Travo

John Counsell speaking to the Crowd

Report from Wanda

We are making an impression!

Last Wednesday we had a group of counter protesters picket our vigil. Then on Saturday morning a by-law enforcement officer stopper his car in front of the vigil site and, without any warning, proceeded to take the total number of our remaining French signs, which were hanging on the fence around the tree, and throw them in his vehicle. It seems we are breaking a city by-law by tethering signs to city property. When the people who were praying at the vigil, came to find out what was going on, the by-law officer said we were breaking a city by-law and the signs were being impounded. In order to retrieve them, we will have to pay a fee of $50 for each sign.

This came as a total surprise! The 40 Days for Life vigil has been held on this spot since 2008, and never before have we been told that we cannot hang our signs on the tree guard.  It’s too pricey for us to get the signs back, at $50 each, so we are now in the process of ordering new French signs. In the meantime we have no French signs, only English ones. All the English signs are being kept in the bin and we are asking everyone to put their sign back in the bin before leaving. We don’t want to lose any more.

Thank you for helping to fill up the unassigned vigil days last week. This week we need people to come out and pray, every day of course, but especially on Wednesday and Friday.

Remember to join us at the mid-point rally on Sunday October 18 at 7 pm at the vigil site, across from 65 Bank Street. Rev. John Counsell, CFRA radio host and pastor of the Biker’s church, will be our speaker.

Keep up the good work. When we see the other side working to suppress our prayer vigil, we know that we are doing greater things than we realize.

Wanda

(Désolée, je suis grippée dans le moment donc, pas de traduction mot-à-mot. Mais en somme: Mercredi passé, nous avons eu une contre-manif et samedi, un agent de la ville est venu prendre les pancartes en français qui étaient accrochées sur la cage d'arbre. Il a dit que c'était contre la loi de les accrocher là et que ça couterait $50 chaque pour les retirer. Alors, comme c'est trop dispendieux de les repêcher, on va commander des nouvelles.

Le ralliement pour le mi-temps aura lieu le 18 octobre à 19h00 devant 65 rue Bank (l'autre bord de la rue.) Le pasteur John Counsell de CFRA y sera.)

Counter-Protest at 40 Days - Contre-Manif à 40 Jour pour la Vie

Yesterday a small group of young ladies who work in the downtown area decided to protest the Bank Street prayer vigil. They showed up on their lunch break with homemade signs to vocalize their objection to our presence. The vigilers called the Campaign Life Ottawa office and Paul quickly responded by coming down to the site to see what was happening and to reassure those taking part in the prayer vigil.

The brazenness of the young ladies was contradicted by the fact that they hid their faces and turned their backs as they were being photographed. Later, one of them asked me about the 40 Days for Life campaign – said she had never heard of it before and she questioned our right to be there. I told her we are here for 40 days and we have a permit from the city.

Although we come daily to pray and witness silently, and it seems that most people don’t even acknowledge that we are there, when we raise the ire of those who see us and they put together a counter protest, we know that we are having an impact.

Wanda Hartlin Co-ordinator 40 Days for Life Ottawa

Voici la traduction du compte rendu de Wanda:

Hier, un petit group de jeunes dames qui travaillent au centre-ville ont décidé de contre-manifester la vigile sur la rue Bank. Elles se sont présentées pendant leur heure du dîner avec des pancartes faites à la main pour communiquer leur objection à notre présence. Les veilleurs ont appelé Campaign-Life Ottawa et Paul est venu au site pour voir ce qui se passait et pour rassurer ceux qui prenaient part au vigile.

Les jeunes dames se sont montrées le dos et ont caché leur face pendant qu'elles se faisaient photographier, en contraste avec leur audace. Plus tard, une d'entre elles m'a interrogée sur la campagne 40 Jours pour la vie. Elle a dit qu'elle n'y avait jamais entendu parler et elle contestait notre droit d'être là. Je lui ai répondu que nous sommes là pour 40 jours et que nous avons un permis de la ville.

Bien que nous venons quotidiennement pour témoigner et prier silencieusement, il semble que la plupart des gens ne reconnaissent pas que nous sommes là. Lorsque nous choquons ceux qui nous reconnaissent et ils s'organisent une contra-manifestation, nous savons que nous avons eu un impact.

Report from Wanda

to me

The blustery weather has set in. This past week we saw two days of rain and more strong winds towards the end of the week. Remember to dress warmly.

Thank you to the faithful prayer warriors who come to pray for God’s protection on the unborn, and who also pray for a change of heart for those who promote abortion.

The churches and groups who have undertaken to host a vigil day are doing a great job … but don’t let that deter you from coming down to Bank Street to pray at the vigil site. The more people we have praying, the stronger the witness of our belief that human life is sacred. Come as often as you can.

This week we need extra manpower on Thursday, Oct. 8 and Friday Oct. 9, since no group has claimed those days. Monday Oct. 12 is Thanksgiving Day and, because most families are gathering for Thanksgiving, we always have a shortage of prayerful people at the vigil on that day.

Let us remember that when we come to our judgement day, God will ask us what we did, out of love for one another. When we stand in defence of another human being, it touches the tender heart of God. 

Some notes on parking:

-          Paid parking, on the street and in the underground parking at the 240 Sparks building (entrance on Queen St.) is applicable Monday to Friday in the daytime.

-          Monday to Friday, after 5:30 pm, street parking is free. Underground parking rates are reduced

-          Free on-street parking Saturday and Sunday

-          Underground parking at 240 Sparks is free all day Saturday (8 am to 11 pm) and Sunday (11 am to 11 pm)

-          Parking is allowed at the school across from St. Patrick’s Basilica, on Nepean St., weekday afternoons and evenings, with a parking pass. Parking passes are available in the bin at the vigil site or by emailingwanda40daysforlife@clife.ca

-          Parking is allowed in the school yard across from the basilica for free all weekend

-          West of the basilica, in the Percy St. area, free two-hour on-street parking is allowed. Check the street signs before you park

-          Wednesdays, travel free on OC Transpo for seniors

PHOTOS 29/09/2015

Paroisse Annunciation of the Lord Parish....

Report on the First Week

The first week of the 40 Days for Life campaign has gone well. The weather has been good, with no rain. Early on, our microphone gave out during the proclamation of the word, but that problem was easily resolved. Of course we had the occasional middle finger and obscene comment, but we’ve also had words of encouragement.

Sunday, an annual Memorial Service for our police was held downtown. Streets were blocked off and the prayer vigil was in eyesight of the parade as 2,000 police officers marched from the Supreme Court Building to Parliament Hill. This was done to commemorate officers who died in the line of duty. These officers know too well how abortion traumatizes people’s lives, they see it in their every day police work. And we pay tribute to them for standing against the evils in society.

Bank Street has a continuous flow of buses. As I stood praying, one bus driver who stopped for the red light opened her door and gave me a big smile. It reminded me of the first day of the vigil when another bus driver gave us the thumbs up as he passed by.

Today, my former boss, Karen, came to pray with us, along with her husband and youngest son, John. John has angelman’s syndrome, a type of cerebral palsy that effects his walking and his speech. As he sat in his wheel chair, he happily waved at people passing by, especially the children. I was surprised at the number of people who waved back at him – whether or not they were pro-life, I don’t know, but he had an impact on them.

This coming week we have a couple of days where we need extra prayer warriors. Both Wednesday Sept. 30th and Friday Oct. 2nd are in need of having time slots filled. Please come and join us at the Bank Street vigil, if you can spare an hour.

Wanda

Wanda Hartlin

Co-ordinator

40 Days for Life Ottawa

Photos from September 23rd -- Photos du 23 septembre

Ground Zero Report September 23rd /Rapport de Ground Zéro le 23 septembre

Proclamation of the Word read to some construction workers /
Proclamation de la Parole lue à des travailleurs de construction

Français à suivre...

Today I spent three hours at Ground Zero. During that time there was about 5-8 of us.  I was the first to read the Proclamation of the Word. My reading was Psalms 1-14.  I read the readings with my strong voice so that people could hear me down the street. One line from Psalm 10: 17-18 struck me:

O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;

    you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

    so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Is there anyone more fatherless than a child about to be aborted?

The sidewalk counselor told me that before I’d arrived, she had given some pro-life pamphlets to women going in, but the janitor took them out of their hands. He explained that women get told off in the clinic if they walk in with the literature. He made it seem like he was doing them a favor.

A young man spoke to some vigilers. He said that while he respected freedom of speech, we were harassing women (although we are on the other side of the street from the clinic) and that he would call the police. We do have a permit to be there, so there’s no point.

At one point, there was a couple who was hesitant to go into the clinic. I had seen the woman look at our signs. They went to Sparks street and hung around. They really didn’t seem like they wanted to go. I told the group so we could pray for them. They finally went into the clinic. It was very sad. It made me cry. I thought to myself: maybe I should have said something.

I had a very sad conversation with an elderly man who clearly had some serious issues. He said that he supported abortion and that it would have been better for him to have been aborted because when he was born, he had been abandoned by his mother and he was beaten in the orphanage. He never got a formal education so he was never able to make anything of himself and now he lived a life of survival and nobody loved him. At first I answered some of his arguments, but I realized that I shouldn’t push the conversation further. His issue went far beyond that of abortion.

Français:

Aujourd’hui, j’ai passé trois heures à Ground Zero. J’étais la première à lire la Proclamation de la Parole. Ma lecture s’agissait des Psaumes 1-14. J’ai lu avec ma voix forte pour que les gens m’entendent au bas de la rue.  Il y avait plusieurs passages pertinents dans les Psaumes. Comme :

Tu entends les vœux de ceux qui souffrent, ô Eternel!

Tu affermis leur cœur; tu prêtes l’oreille

Pour rendre justice à l’orphelin et à l’opprimé,

Afin que l’homme tiré de la terre cesse d’inspirer l’effroi.

(Psaumes 10 :17-18)

Il n’y a personne de plus orphelin que l’enfant destiné à être avorté.

La conseillère m’avait racconté qu’avant mon arrivé, elle avait donné des pamphlets à deux madames, mais le concierge de la clinique les a enlevés. Il a expliqué que les clientes se font disputer si elles entrent avec la littérature. Donc, il faisait semblant de leur faire un bon coup.

Un jeune homme s’est adressé à quelques veilleuses. Il a dit qu’il respectait la liberté d’expression, mais les dames harcelaient les clients et il a menacé d’appeler la police. C’est complètement inutile, puisque nous avons un permis pour être là.

À un moment donné, il y avait un couple qui hésitait à entrer dans la clinique. J’avais remarqué que la fille avait regardé nous pancartes de près. Ils ont flâné sur la rue Sparks. C’était clair que ça ne leur tenter pas d’y aller. J’ai dit au groupe de prier pour eux. Finalement ils ont entré. C’était très triste. Ça m’a fait pleurer. Je me suis dit : peut-être j’aurai dû intervenir.

J’ai eu une conversation triste avec un homme âgé qui manifestement avait des problèmes mentaux. Il a dit qu’il appuyait l’avortement et que ça aurait été mieux si sa mère l’avait avorté parce que quand il était né, sa mère l’a abandonné. Il n’a pas été éduqué et n’a pas pu se bâtir une vie et maintenant il essayait simplement de survivre et  que personne ne l’aimait. Au début, je répondais à ses arguments, mais finalement je n’ai pas trop poussé parce que son problème était beaucoup plus profond que l’avortement.

Kick-Off Rally, Sunday September 20

Here is 40 Days Co-ordinator Wanda Hartlin's account about the Kick-Off rally held last night on Sept. 20th.

The Ottawa 40 Days for Life had a good start with the kick-off rally, on the Sunday preceding the 2015 Fall campaign. The evening began with candle lighting as Paul, a staff member of Campaign Life Coalition, welcomed over 80 people to the 9th Ottawa, 40 Days for Life.

Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ottawa, greeted everyone with some words of encouragement in both English and French. Archbishop Prendergast has been a steady supporter of the prayer campaign, often attending the downtown vigil to pray alongside the prayer warriors. His talk was followed by two minutes of silence in commemoration of the aborted babies.

Gary broke the silence with a moving rendition of the song, Alleluia. Deacon Chuck followed by explaining the new direction that the Proclamation of the Word is taking; it will be concentrating this year more on the New Testament. He also explained a new on-line prayer project to pray for the success of the 40-day campaign. Bernard welcomed our French counterparts with his bilingual talk and he went on to tell us about the bilingual Facebook page and blog. Helena answered questions about the church and group vigil days and encouraged everyone to register their participation on the vigil calendar.

Wanda wrapped it up with some local statistics and updates on the campaign, concluding with a heart wrenching story about a woman named Cliona. This young mother had the challenge of carrying a child, diagnosed with anencephaly. This is a fatal disease, and although it was recommended that she abort her baby, she chose to complete her pregnancy and give birth to her child. He was named John Paul and he lived for 17 minutes after birth. Cliona told about the impact his young life on her and on her family.

Everyone is invited to join the prayer warriors at the Bank Street vigil, located across from Ottawa’s main abortion facility at 65 Bank Street. We are gathering for prayer, daily from 7 am to 7 pm, from Sept. 23 to Nov. 1, 2015. Please come, your prayers make a difference.

Proclamation of the Word Daily scripture reading that takes place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Volunteers are welcomed. To sign up contact Deacon Chuck, deaconcfink@gmail.com

on-line prayer Prayer support for the 40 Days for Life campaign. People gather on-line for half an hour. To participate contact Deacon Chuck, deaconcfink@gmail.com

Dates include: October 15 and October 29 at 9:00 pm

Facebook www.facebook.com/40days4lifeottawa

Photos of the Kick-Off Rally 40 Days for Life - Photos du Lancement de 40 Jours pour la Vie

You can find them here. Vous pouvez les voir ici.

Welcome to Forty Days for Life 2015 -- Bienvenue à 40 Jours pour la Vie 2015

Français à suivre.

This year's 40 Days for Life Campaign in Ottawa will be held from September 23rd to November 1.

Please check out the calendar to know which time slots are free. 

When you've chosen a time slot, please fill out the form to register.

Drop-ins are also welcome. If you find yourself with some time to spare and you're at Ground Zero, feel free to come on by and say a few prayers.

Please also consider signing up for The Proclamation of the Word. This year, there was a bit of a format change. We will only be reading the Psalms and the New Testament.

Don't forget to like the Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter.

Thank you for participation and please spread the word.

----

La campagne de 40 Jours pour la Vie aura lieu cette année du 23 septembre jusqu'au 1er novembre.

Consultez le calendrier pour connaître les périodes libres.

Ensuite, remplissez la formule pour compléter l'inscription.

Si vous vous trouvez au Centre-Ville et vous avez un peu de temps à votre disposition, vous êtes les bienvenues. L'inscription nous permet d'assurer qu'il y a toujours quelqu'un de présent, mais ce n'est pas absolument nécessaire.  

Pensez aussi à vous inscrire à la Proclamation de la Parole.  Cette année il y a eu un changement. Nous allons réciter les Psaumes et le Nouveau Testament.

N'oubliez pas d'aimer la page Facebook et de nous suivre sur Twitter. 

Merci de votre participation et veuillez passer le mot!