40 Days for Life came to Winnipeg in the spring of 2009 and organizers managed to cover the hours with only 60 participants. Since that first campaign, Winnipeg has had Fall campaigns in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 and the number of participants has grown to over 400!
On Day 38, Friday, November 2nd, Winnipeg received a special visitor. Abby Johnson had been invited to speak at a pro life banquet yet she asked to be taken to the 40 Days for Life location as soon as her flight arrived. She stayed for an hour on this cold afternoon with temperatures hovering around the freezing point. She spoke to the vigil volunteers who had gathered to meet her and joined them in prayer in front of the Women’s Hospital where abortions are committed.
Winnipeg participants have noticed that on days of adverse weather conditions, God gives the most graces and shows them what the Holy Spirit can do. One particularly cold, windy, rainy day, two religious sisters, praying at the 40 Days for Life site, were approached by a mother who brought coffee for them and told them she had been able to adopt a child because his young mother had chosen life for him when she saw people praying at this location.
On Day 40, as Winnipeg closed the 2012 40 Days for Life event, approximately 75 vigilers were in attendance. Roses were laid on the steps of the hospital in remembrance of the preborn babies who had died there. Pink and blue balloons, representing the souls of aborted children, were released into the air by children who had come out with their parents.
After witnessing tremendous success by the 40 Days For Life program in the United States, The National office of Campaign Life Coalition brought 40 Days for Life into Canada for the first time in 2007 , holding our nation's first 40 day vigils in Ottawa, ON and Halifax, NS. Since then, there have been 40 Days For Life campaigns in over a dozen cities across Canada. Campaign Life Coalition MB mobilized people since Spring 2008. This will be Winnipeg's fifth 40 Days for Life Campaign.
DONATIONS:
We are doing our best to keep the campaign very simple and the costs low. However, there is a substantial cost for printing signs, letters, flyers and posters, etc... To continue this life-saving work, we count on your financial support. Please give generously.
Make cheques payable to: Campaign Life Coalition, MB indicating on the bottom of the cheque that it is for 40 Days for Life Campaign and send to:
Maria Slykerman
c/o 40 Days for Life
1306 Edderton Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3T 0X8 Thank you for your support!
