Reports from the Front: 40 days for Life on Long Island

This is from John and Joan Peters, the Respect Life Coordinators of my parent's parish.

We went to Hempstead this morning, and prayed our Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplet from before 9 until 11 AM. Joan & John Peters, and Mary Ann Lovrich from our Northport, St. Philip Neri Parish Respect Life group. Only the "usual" witnesses, 5 men (K of C ?) with sandwich boards were there when we arrived, and remained after we left. We introduced ourselves to them but didn't engage in chit chat because we wanted to pray in front of this place of death.

There were always two Planned Parenthood escorts in orange vests in the parking lot, but they stayed way from the fence and just talked to one another the whole time. As the morning progressed, more cars arrived and parked in their parking lot away from the street. A few cars had Rosary beads hung from their rear view mirrors! Most of the drivers seemed to be doctors, technicians, and maybe administrative help. Later, a few father/ mother types with teen girls, some younger couples, individual young women arrived, and a few left shortly. Perhaps some were stopping by to pick up perscriptions eg morning after pills or chemical abortifacents or contaceptives.

Praying in front of an abortion facility is always a thought- provoking, sometimes wrenching experience; traffic is busy on Hempstead Turnpike, and there's sidewalk traffic too, mostly couples and women with young children, a few individuals. There's a 7-11 across the street, the Life Center "Abortion Alternatives" building nearby, and some low rise apartment houses, so the abortions are performed in the midst of normal day- to- day living experiences. And eight of us praying that the girls would turn around and let their babies live. How sad we didn't have dozens of witnesses, and some young counselors to try to reach the girls.