For 40 days this September and October, Biola students will be praying nonstop outside the Planned Parenthood office in Whittier, Calif.
The goal of the peaceful vigil is to pray 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all 40 days, according to 40daysforlife.com.
40 Days for Life
The project is a part of the “40 Days for Life” campaign, which will occur Sept. 22 to Oct. 31 worldwide in 238 locations. Biola students interning at the Whittier Pregnancy Care Clinic, along with students who are a part of social justice groups on campus, brought the campaign to Biola. Involved students set up a booth outside the Caf last week, and are still looking for volunteers.
960 Hours of Prayer
“[It involves] standing in front of Planned Parenthood continuously through the 40 days in one hour shifts,” junior Natalie Musial said. “Biola students can commit to these one hour shifts either alone or with a friend. Everything adds up to 960 hours over 40 days. It’s a huge goal. Well over 1,000 people will need to be involved. We’re excited for how many Biola students want to get involved.”
Students interested in signing up to pray in front of a Planned Parenthood office can go to www.40daysforlife.com/whittier.
Different Ways to be Involved
Musial said this is just one of three aspects of the campaign. Biola students can also get involved through prayer and fasting and community outreach.
Senior Joel Farbman, an intern at Whittier Pregnancy Care Clinic, said he hopes Biola students will get involved.
“It is very easy to do,” Farbman said. “It just takes an hour of our time. It’s a missions field without having to go far.”
The peaceful vigil is “very legal,” according to Farbman. It has been cleared with all of the appropriate departments in Whittier such as the Whittier Police Department. Although the vigil is legal, Farbman said there is likely to be negative reactions.
“I’m sure there will be reactions from Planned Parenthood and people walking on the streets,” Farbman said.
History of the Campaign
According to the campaign’s website, there have been definite positive impacts of this campaign since its start in 2007. At least 2,811 lives have been spared from abortion while 35 abortion workers quit their jobs and have left the abortion industry. Six abortion facilities completely shut down. Many people who have had an abortion have also started the healing process.
Bringing “40 Days” to Whittier
Jeanette Kuiphof, Whittier’s campaign director and the president of the Whittier Pregnancy Care Clinic, said this is the first time the clinic will be involved in this program. The clinic has been working on the campaign for the last two months.
Kuiphof said she was hesitant at first to get involved in the program, yet she felt God pushing her to participate. She said she feels there is a deeper purpose to the vigil. “I think God could totally eliminate abortion in a moment,” Kuiphof said. “God uses things like this to change us as Christians. That’s true with anything, with any cause. I think God wants to see us become active and dependent upon Him. He wants us to see that He is God and He is in control.”
