40 days of prayer planned outside clinic that offers abortions

LIMA — Abortion foes are organizing a 40-day prayer vigil outside a Lima pregnancy clinic that includes nonsurgical abortions among its services.

Called 40 Days for Life, the campaign is part of a nationwide anti-abortion campaign of prayer, fasting and community education. In Lima, the group hopes to have at least one person pacing the sidewalk and praying in front of Capital Care Network starting today and going through Palm Sunday, April 17.

“We find it very powerful and it is really addressing the issue of abortion in a way that is positive, peaceful and totally different from what it used to be,” said Jan Kahle, Protect Life coordinator for Catholic Charities in Toledo. “Prayer's the focus of the event.”

Years ago, anti-abortion groups cranked up the volume on their messages, getting louder and louder. That worked against them, Kahle said Now, they will simply want to show their love and ask God to help them end abortions, she said.

About 50 people — some Catholic, some Protestant — gathered Tuesday at a meeting at the Knights of Columbus hall on North Cable Road to inform and organize those who wished to participate.

“Prayer is powerful and in a group it's especially powerful. If we're able to get a lot of people together to join in prayer, anything can happen,” Deb Cross said. The Ottoville woman said she thinks abortion is wrong and wanted to pray for those who are in need.

Organizers stressed they wanted no hateful signs or confrontation.

“We don't want them to feel threatened by our presence, but we want them to feel pulled in by the love of Jesus,” Sheri Ketner said.

The 40 Days for Life movement started seven years ago in Bryan, Texas, outside a Planned Parenthood office. Kahle said it was the same Planned Parenthood from which Abby Johnson quit as director to join the anti-abortion movement — a testament to what prayer can accomplish.

The group brought the prayer vigil to Lima this year in response to Capital Care opening in late 2010. Capital Care offers many services to women, including emergency contraception, counseling and adoption services. Nonsurgical abortions are preformed there. Surgical abortions are not performed in the Lima office, but are available to women at other locations.

“There's a real support from the community saying this is wrong and it should not be here,” Kahle said.

In early February, Bishop Leonard Blair, who heads the Toledo Diocese, led a group of high school students in prayer across from Capital Care.

Kahle said those praying would not lobby anyone entering the facility to change her mind, but would be ready to refer them to Heartbeat of Lima if asked for help.

People can sign up pray at http://bit.ly/40lima.

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