?Oh, my goodness, what a week!? said Patti, the 40 Days for Life leader in the San Fernando Valley.

?Four lives saved in just one week ? wow! And seven total for this campaign. And those are just the ones we know of! ?

Patti spoke to a man who saw two women walk into Family Planning Associates in Mission Hills ? women who were planning to have abortions. But they walked out a short time later with teary eyes and changed hearts ? just because of the prayerful presence on the sidewalk outside.

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Days later, two more women rejected abortion at the last moment. One of them did speak briefly with a counselor before she entered the building, quietly saying that she didn?t need any help and her mind was made up.

But as she approached the door, a priest who was praying with the 40 Days for Life group walked up to her and gave her a fetal model.

She stopped.

For several moments, she looked at the small baby in her hand ? and then went inside.

She was there for less than 15 minutes.

Before she went in, her mind was made up. When she came out, she told volunteers she had changed her mind.

?Over the years,? Patti said, ?we have had literally dozens of women and men come back to us, thanking us for being there because they were headed for an abortion, saw someone silently praying on the corner ? and consequently changed their minds!?

She said these people often return months or even years later ? with their babies ? tearfully thanking the prayer teams for being there.

?That is the power of our peaceful, prayerful witnessing,? Patti said. ?We pray and witness -- and God does the rest. There?s no screaming, no arguing, no threatening, no condemnation ? just peaceful prayer and witnessing.?

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David Brandao, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

With 40 Days for Life, David wears many hats. Prior to joining the 40 Days for Life team, he was an award-winning radio and TV journalist. He has also served as a board member for a pregnancy help center and as publications director for a major national pro-life organization.