They closed for the day!

A message from Shawn Carney, the National Campaign Director of 40 Days for Life:

"They closed for the day!"

It was a note from Elizabeth in Austin, Texas...

"The abortion clinic closed its doors Sunday," she said, "and didn't accept any clients for an entire
business day! This is the kind of clinic that does abortions on Sunday -- the Lord's day. But not this past weekend! Not only was the gate closed, but it was chained shut. Praise God!"

She added, "We are so evidently seeing the hand of God reaching down and acting through us as his peaceful instruments to help bring about the end of abortion."

Elizabeth says Austin is one of the most pro-abortion cities in Texas. "If the Holy Spirit can breathe life into such a pro-abortion community as Austin, there truly is hope for countless other cities across the country," she said. "Like Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, keep pushing on to the end!"

Pam in Lincoln, Nebraska had similar good news. "For the first time this 40 Days for Life, Planned Parenthood was closed when we arrived this past Friday," she said. "They've been doing abortions three days a week, so this was a most welcome break. Praise God!"

As Elizabeth noted, "40 Days for Life is not just creating ripples in the pond, but huge waves!"

Those huge waves are extending far beyond the official 40-day vigils.

If you've followed 40 Days for Life, you may have read stories about Eddie and Teresa and the wonderful things that have happened in their community of Monterey, California during past campaigns.

Two of their Monterey volunteers, Shelby and Sandee, have been praying at a clinic in Salinas, which is about 20 minutes away. Though they're not conducting a full 40 Days for Life campaign, they've organized a weekday vigil there in parallel with 40 Days for Life and were prepared to continue every Monday through Friday until Easter.

But something happened -- something wonderful! A man walked up to Shelby at the prayer vigil. He said he was a doctor and was moving into that office. He said the abortion clinic had shut down.

"Wow! Oh my goodness!" said Teresa. "That facility has been open for 15 years. What a wonderful gift from God!" The prayer vigil will be moving to a new location, a nearby Planned Parenthood office where abortions are being performed.

This is what 40 Days for Life is all about.

People see the need. They feel the urgency. They get involved. And they give God the glory!

While this closure did not occur at the site of an official 40 Days for Life campaign, it serves as an example of what this effort can lead to in many other places -- and it gives us great hope!

Today's e-mail started with the sentence, "They closed for the day!"

With God's grace, we pray that a future e-mail will be about YOUR town, and will say, "They closed forever!"

please email angelarubang@gmail.com if you would like to help in any way.

Lenten Almsgiving Opportunity

Brothers and Sisters,

We are almost at the halfway point of Lent, and I present you with a wonderful almsgiving opportunity.

Allow me to introduce a friend of mine, and an awesome woman of God: Cecilia Marie Flores.

She's the slightly older and darker woman of God.

Currently she is living the life of a missionary, being the hands and feet of Christ in Honduras. What most people don't know is that missionaries usually have to pay to do mission work. What?! that's crazy, they are volunteering their time and work - their lives - and they have to raise the money themselves. Yes, indeed! Cece needs help raising some funds, and as she says, "As cliché as it sounds, every little bit truly helps and will bring me one step closer to my fundraising goal. I know in my heart of hearts that God is calling me to be here, I trust that He will provide."

Hit the jump to hear from Cece herself, and for more information on the work she is doing in honduras , and how you can donate.




Hello Family & Friends!

May the Great God bring blessings upon all of you during this awesomely intense time of preparation for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

My first two months of life here in the mission have been filled with blessings. I’m totally getting a glimpse into the Psalm 23 cup overflowing J. My Spanish has improved immensely, which I definitely consider a confirmation from the Lord that He is calling me to be here, because there is no way I could have become fluent in Spanish (without taking a single class, or going to language school!) but by His Graces. I thoroughly enjoy living in a community of young adults who are on fire for the Lord and who long to serve Him with their lives.

I’m also settling in well to my ministries. I am currently coordinator of Worship ministry, which is the music ministry of our community. This has been one of my greatest joys, as I get to spend a significant amount of time doing one of the things I love most, which is to praise God using the gifts I’ve been given. In addition to music, I have just finished a 3 week intense training for teaching Catechesis using the Montessori method, which is known as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. I will be teaching two classes of our girl’s formation classes using this form of Catechesis. In addition to these two wonderful ministries, I am also the short-term mission coordinator. This I am very excited about, because it will utilize a lot of the skills I acquired during my time in youth ministry, and because I’ll get to be involved with the mission groups that come from the US. These are my three main areas of ministry leadership, though we also put on events as a community, as well.

Needless to say, God is definitely keeping me busy and active, which I consider a great blessing. There are honestly times that I wake up and realize that I am living the life that I had dreamed of – one completely given in service to He who gave His Life in order to save me. Please continue to keep me in prayer! Though I am living my dream, the dream entails uniting myself to His Passion and Cross, and I’ve definitely been carrying a number of crosses around with me.

And now, here comes the part that I hate to do, but need to do (God is definitely helping me grow in humility). Of the money I was to fundraise to cover my living expenses for the next two years, I am still short about $1,700 of the required amount. The Missioners have given me a few extra weeks to try and raise the required amount, so I am currently praying and searching for people willing to make donations toward my work here in Honduras. As cliché as it sounds, every little bit truly helps and will bring me one step closer to my fundraising goal. I know in my heart of hearts that God is calling me to be here, I trust that He will provide.

...If you are unable to make a financial donation, I would love for you to join me in prayer, particularly for strength as I continue along in the path He has revealed to me.

For more information about the Missioners of Christ, please visit our website: www.missioners.org

Also, stay up to date with my work by visiting my blog: lukeninetwentyfour.wordpress.com

In Christ through His Most Blessed Mother,

Cecilia Marie Flores




She is definitely an inspiring woman! And she is doing amazing work! A few other cymers have had the pleasure of meeting and working with her, and I am sure she has made an impact on them, too. Again, every little bit helps, even if it is just change in your pocket, or one day's lunch money.

To make a donation, remember "almsgiving", you can e-mail me at rajderivera@gmail.com and I will email you some forms and you can then mail it in yourself, oooor you can give your donation to me this weekend, or give it to someone who will see me this weekend, and I will include it in the donation I send.

All contributions are tax-deductible.