I once heard a talk about how abortion was legalised in St Lucia. The pro-life movement had organised a huge rally. Celebrities and singers and young speakers were ready to preach the pro-life message. They hoped to reach the young people especially and to influence them. On the day of the rally, there was a terrible storm. The rain poured down, bridges were broken, transport broke down and instead of the tens of thousands they had expected, about 2,500 people turned up. Although these people did make a sacrifice to attend, many thousands couldn't or didn't when the weather turned rough. The rally did not make the intended impact on the young, or on the government. Eventually abortion was legalised in St Lucia.
It reminded me of a discussion I had a few years ago with a pro-family campaigner on the anti-divorce side in Ireland. On the day of the divorce referendum, he said, what mattered was that people from the rural areas (generally more moral) went out and voted. If the weather was good, the rural people would come out, but if it was bad they would stay at home, whereas the Dublin folk and other "townies" (generally more liberal) would probably come out to vote good or bad weather. The percentage of rural people voting was seen as a key issue in getting a "No" to divorce in the vote. The day of the vote was a bad day- wet, wild and windy. The country people stayed at home. Divorce was legalised.
Are you getting the picture?
Back a couple of years ago we held a 9 day novena of prayer outside Bedford Square BPAS abortuary. In December. Bearing in mind the above stories, we made a commitment that if it rained or the weather turned bad we would send out some of our staff to cover the Vigil, so that if it rained we would actually have more people there than if it didn't. The vigil was cold but was blessed with dry weather, except for two short periods of fine misty rain.
Now we are holding a vigil four days a week at marie stopes abortuary, Whitfield St. It's December, it's freezing. it's snowing! But unborn babies are still being killed daily there. Their mothers and the abortuary staff are dilligent enough to get to the abortuary even in the snow. Can you join us in being as dilligent?
It would be hard to one day have to say to God "Well the weather was just too bad..."
If you do come, please wear a hat, a VERY warm coat or two, good gloves and thick soled shoes or boots with warm socks or two pairs. Several people have had to go home to get shoes, hats or gloves this week. The picture above shows some hardy volunteers just as it started to snow.
But don't be put off. The weather may be a trial, but it is supposed to be!
It reminded me of a discussion I had a few years ago with a pro-family campaigner on the anti-divorce side in Ireland. On the day of the divorce referendum, he said, what mattered was that people from the rural areas (generally more moral) went out and voted. If the weather was good, the rural people would come out, but if it was bad they would stay at home, whereas the Dublin folk and other "townies" (generally more liberal) would probably come out to vote good or bad weather. The percentage of rural people voting was seen as a key issue in getting a "No" to divorce in the vote. The day of the vote was a bad day- wet, wild and windy. The country people stayed at home. Divorce was legalised.
Are you getting the picture?
Back a couple of years ago we held a 9 day novena of prayer outside Bedford Square BPAS abortuary. In December. Bearing in mind the above stories, we made a commitment that if it rained or the weather turned bad we would send out some of our staff to cover the Vigil, so that if it rained we would actually have more people there than if it didn't. The vigil was cold but was blessed with dry weather, except for two short periods of fine misty rain.
Now we are holding a vigil four days a week at marie stopes abortuary, Whitfield St. It's December, it's freezing. it's snowing! But unborn babies are still being killed daily there. Their mothers and the abortuary staff are dilligent enough to get to the abortuary even in the snow. Can you join us in being as dilligent?
It would be hard to one day have to say to God "Well the weather was just too bad..."
If you do come, please wear a hat, a VERY warm coat or two, good gloves and thick soled shoes or boots with warm socks or two pairs. Several people have had to go home to get shoes, hats or gloves this week. The picture above shows some hardy volunteers just as it started to snow.
But don't be put off. The weather may be a trial, but it is supposed to be!
Clare McCullough
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