Rain hasn't dampened spirits at 40-day vigil
Snow swirled around Kayla Yeager as she adjusted her umbrella to block the biting wind on Tuesday.
Carol Freeman had the hood of her thick winter jacket pulled tight around her face. Both women stood on a wood pallet to lift them out of the mud in front of the Planned Parenthood office.
Pro-life supporters are in the final stretch of their 40 Days for Life campaign, part of a national effort to bring attention to a message of choosing life over abortion. And here in Kalispell, the winterlike weather perhaps has been the biggest challenge for the more than 500 pro-lifers spending time in shifts at a round-the-clock peaceful vigil.
"We've been very tested," said Karen Trierweiler, director of the Kalispell area effort, "but things have gone tremendously well."
The weather was so bad the first night of the vigil - Ash Wednesday - that Yeager didn't make it home to Columbia Falls and had to stay with a woman in Evergreen. She has been spending time at the vigil twice a week, for about an hour at a time after she attends the noon Mass at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, and refused to let the weather get the best of her.
"Every snowflake is a kiss from God," Yeager said. "It's just a sacrifice we have to make."
Barb Robbins, who was finished with her shift and headed home to warm up, said it's been an "awesome" experience for her and fellow pro-life supporters.
"It's a blessing to those who've been out here," she said.
Freeman agreed, adding that the foul weather "is nothing compared to what babies [who are aborted] go through."
Freeman has been encouraged by the wide-ranging support the vigil has gotten. Several church youth groups have sent brigades of teenagers to spend time at the site along U.S. 93. Another time, a lone high-school boy came and spent time because his mother told him "this is the right thing to do." One high-school girl has been coming almost every day before school.
Men take the nighttime shifts, Trierweiler said. Getting volunteers hasn't been a problem.
"It's actually been easier to get people for 2 a.m. than for 2 in the afternoon," she said.
A woman who had an abortion at age 16 and now is unable to have more children joined the vigil recently.
"We have had post-abortive women come forward," Trierweiler said, noting that one woman was inspired by the vigil to attend a Rachel's Vineyard retreat for women experiencing post-abortion trauma.
"She's been on a journey of healing for some time," Trierweiler said. "It's been totally humbling to see the greatness of the movement of what's happened here."
The 40 Days for Life event began four years ago in College Station, Texas, and this year is being held in more than 125 cities in America. In Montana, pro-life groups in Helena and Livingston staged vigils similar to Kalispell's event.
According to the event's Web site, www.40daysforlife.com, some locations have reported as much as a 28 percent drop in the number of abortions.
James Compton, the campaign's communications coordinator, said that this year's event, which ends April 5, has had tangible results. More than 250 mothers nationwide have decided to keep their babies in the last 30 days, he said.
"A powerful impact has been made, and we look forward to a very strong finish," Compton said in a prepared statement last week.
The Kalispell vigil will have a closing prayer ceremony at 6 p.m. on Monday at the vigil site. A victory rally is planned for 6 p.m. April 13, but the location is still pending. It will be a potluck supper and fellowship time with an open forum for people to share their experiences.
Stacey Anderson, director of public affairs for Montana Planned Parenthood, said the picketers have had no impact on the Kalispell office's operation.
"We had no drop in patient numbers," Anderson said. "In fact, they saw an increase in donations and more support from the community."
She said supporters of Planned Parenthood called to offer support and some well-wishers even stopped by to bring lunch to the Kalispell clinic staff.
According to the Kalispell office's Web site, the agency offers abortion pills, known as medication abortions, pre- and post-abortion patient education, post-abortion follow-up examinations, referrals for abortion services and referrals for abortion-related counseling.
The Web site further states that several other services are available at the office at 795 Sunset Boulevard off U.S. 93, including testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, women's and men's health services, pregnancy testing and hormonal treatments and service referrals for transgender clients.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com
Rebel Rouser
Just wanted to point out, these same religious fanatics were out in front of the local movie rental shop protesting pornography, again sticking their pious noses into others lives. They are against sex [except for the whole little boy thing]. If they believe GOD made us, that must includes sex and the sex drive. NO SEX, NO masturbation, No looking at beautiful women in the nude? Get real, you religious nut cakes are the problem.
mtboat
Crude and disgusting . Rebel Rouser someday you will regret that. Along with many other comments about God. You a baby killer? Make your stand...would you cut up and ****** out a life that feels the pain of the murder, and toss that torn body in the trash? Are you into partial birth abortion too?
swl
Rebel Rouser. If your concept of truth comes down to the participants of 40 Days for Life being a bunch of incestous homosexuals and childmolestors, your concept of truth is not only erroneous, it is also defamatory and your code of honour in the way you are expressing yourself is lacking completely. Pro-abortionists tend to lack this code of honour, how can it be otherwise when such a person can defend the legality of killing the most defenseless and innocent person we know: the baby in its mother's womb? It seems that chevalry and honour have long time ago been forgotten by these pro-abortionists as the devil's lies, manipulations and tongue have been accepted instead as their own.
swl
The director of public affairs for Montana Planned Parenthood, Stacey Anderson, said the 40 Days of Life campaign has had no impact on the Kalispell office's operation. How come then that the Kalispell abortion clinic has cut down from 5 to 3 opening days a week?
naturalresources
Rebelrouser, are'nt you glad that your mother decided to bring you into this world so you could live and breath and feel happiness and pain and every other aspect of life? You would'nt even be here commenting if you were a victim of planned parenthoods polices of today. if possible, I recommend you go and hug the people responsible for you being here.
Pete
MSJONZ...Does an unborn child have the same DNA as the mother?
carrie
This is totally ridiculous. These people should be using all of this time and ebergy for ehlping our community, not standing there like abunch of bozos and "praying" to end abortion. And furthermore, I thought newspapers were supposed to be neutral...
cuzican
Do they honestly think anybody cares about their little protest? Its every womans right to choose and every situation is different. I truely feel sorry for these people if the biggest problem they can see in todays world is abortion. Honestly...put your efforts into something that will be worthwhile. Each time I drive past these morons I feel the urge to drift off the side of the road and take a couple of them out.
kimberprincess
well a COMPETENT newspaper should be neutral but clearly this reporter couldn't find her butt with 2 hands and a working party when it comes to journalism.Hey how 'bout TALKING to staff at PP to find out details about those "other services" rather than mentioning them in the last paragraph? No do NOT expect anything of journalistic quality from a reporter like this. Of course if those idiots out there were actually committed to life they'd be doing something useful for the living rather than standing around drinking coffee harassing those seeking medical treatment.
Skydiver
what kind of person criticizes someone who tries to save a life. You are right about a woman should have a right to choose, choose whether or not to have sex, whether or not to use birth control, whether or not to use the morning after pill, but not whether to take a life!
daredevil
I guess you have to admire their effort. Too bad all that energy couldn't go to something more useful like volunteering time somewhere. Instead they simply sit on their butts and cause a distraction to drivers on a busy highway.
JT
When will pro-infanticide people give up on the tired argument of "keep your laws of my body"? When you chose to take actions which produce a new and unique human life, you no longer have a moral or ethical right to destroy that life. You are committing a terrible act when you slaughter an unborn child. As for your rights to your body...You have the right to wait for marriage to have sex. You have the right to use reliable birth control. You have the right to give a child to a loving home. You do not have the right to destroy a life because you want free sex but no consequences. You never will. All the misguided voices and flawed laws in the world can advocate for it, but killing an unborn child will always be an atrocity. Sorry, there are higher truths than your ego-centric world view.
momof4
This display has sparked a lot of communication in my family. For that, I am grateful. My children and I have had more than a few conversations about abortion and sex just because we have driven by these picketers. We have all come to the conclusion that these picketers could be doing something to help the children that HAVE been born. They could be volunteering at a school to help children learn to read. I am sure planned parenthood or the nurturing center has many ideas of where help is needed. Instead of focusing so much on the fetuses that have been aborted, let's focus on the children who live in the valley and need our help. They truly are not going to change someone's mind just because they're holding signs on the side of the road.
cellestial
How about quality of life instead of quantity of life? What most of these comments are saying is focus on the living that are here now, instead of on fetuses. If they care about life, they should be protesting the wars that young people fight and die in. When is the fetus a viable life, anyway. The best way to avoid even having to decide upon an abortion is birth control. That's where these people need to put their focus. Look at the horrendous suffering of the children in 3rd world countries because of lack of birth control and culture. (The Hispanic culture believes in having lots and lots of babies, whether they can provide for them or not--thanks Catholic church.)
hopeisnotlost
Reading some of these comments is so hard. I do not understand what the name calling benefits.. "bozos, morons, idiots, etc." These protestors were also accused of "harrassing those seeking medical treatment" and "shoving that crap down the communities throat". I have driven past these protestors many times and I have never seen of them harrass anyone, or even talk to anyone who was going into Planned Parenthood for "medical treatment", so I don't undertand how this qualifies as "harassment" or "shoving" anything down the communities throat. I have seen a quiet protest, no yelling or even loud talking,while they stand there praying. I am not sure what else these people are involved with, but they are possibly very involved with other activities in support of their community, because it is usually people like this that are the "doers" and not just the "complainers". There is nothing more important than standing for the Right to Life, supporting those and standing up for thoses who cannot stand up for themselves... the unborn. I appreciate the effort that these people have made in doing this.
Bronco
The Torah (Jewish Bible) says that for the first 40-days the collection of cells in the womb are "merely water." With an estimated 100 million spontaneous abortion a year, a natural biological event, it would seem that this God fellow is the biggest abortionist of all. Take your placards to church and take it up with him. Facts trump beliefs. Science rules over dogma.
Montana_Tom
Is it just me or does it really seem like people that protest this kinda stuff are packin' around all sorts of guilt and other mental baggage that they feel the need to make us feel too? That or they're trying to win a spot back in heaven that they feel they lost or something? Wow! I guess it's part of what makes this America though so whatever! I would also rather see them helping the food bank or veterans or something constructive with all of that time instead of telling everyone else how to live their lives and what choices they should make!
Al Steiner
Birth Control is the MOTHER of abortion.
nausicaa
It's a relief to read that the majority of these comments are opposed to this ridiculous "vigil". There is a greater need to utilize this time by giving back to the community instead of standing around getting kisses from God. After all it's called Planned Parenthood not Planned Abortion and maybe the folks involved in the Pro-Life picket should actually allow Planned Parenthood the opportunity to speak at their various churches etc about the multitude of resources they provide. But that may mean opening the mind to new ideas and that is a scary thought!
cellestial
What sensationalistic writing. Should have been entitled "Martyrs for Life."
prusfam
d
prusfam
As a part time resident of the Flathead Valley I am both pleased and surprised that so many people are pro choice. I thought I would be a lonely dissenter telling these people to get a life and do something more productive with their time
carrie
I really wish these people would do something that actually benefits the community, instead of standing around like martyrs accomplishing nothing.
kimberprincess
cuzican, you'd be doing the community a huge favor if you did, and yes, there are lots of pro-choice folk up here but we are not out sipping coffee, holding up placards or giving "interviews" to useless reporters. If your faith forbits someone from having a certain medical procedure then they shouldn't do it rather than telling other people what to do. And I do wish this reporter had bothered to discuss the other services PP provides-exams, pap smears, birth control and so on, and how important these are.
Read Rushdoony
If abortion is not murder, what is it? If it is not a human being in the womb, what is it?
Read Rushdoony
Al Steiner Rocks!
april gaede
Most women who find themselves "accidentally" pregnant have already made a "choice". A choice to have sex. You cant convince me that most of these women had sex without the understanding of the consequences. They couldnt be all that dense. The vast majority of abortions are selfish acts by women who have been convinced by our society that having children is a negative thing.
pammie154
I have to agree the people involved in picketing could do something better with their time. I also agree that this article could have covered all sides-not just the reporters opinion. Planned Parenthood and other low or no cost clinics are becoming increasing more important as our economy continues to flounder. According to MSN (4/4/09) Planned Parenthood services prevent nearly 2 million unwanted pregnancies and 810,000 abortions each year. Many women using Planned Parenthood get their yearly exams and screenings at reduced fees or no cost to them. Something most low income and uninsured women would otherwise go without. It would be a shame to loose such a vital health care link in our community because of a few uniformed individuals.
april gaede
"But nobody has the right to say what's okay to do with another's body." mrs.jonz, if you believe this then why should a woman have the right to cut up the body and end the life of the child inside her? Isnt it effecting the child's body? Pro abortionists are hypocrites.
patg
You know what gets me about so many of these comments? The ASSUMPTION that people aren't doing anything to help others! Nothing could be further from the truth! Many of these people have spent many hours helping women, or being involved in community activities. Many of us have adopted children. We adopted two, and raised them to adulthood. I work daily online to reach out to hurting women, and if you heard the things women tell me, you'd understand that not only do these prayer vigils help babies, but they help women, too. And they're not in vain. Hundreds of parents have chosen life. Many of them didn't want an abortion, but felt they had no other choice. It's not about the right to choose, folks! Most women are coerced or compelled. They're not choosing. We women deserve better.
patg
Oh, and by the way. We didn't adopt because we "needed" to. We already had two children at the time, and we adopted hard-to-place children, children of color, one of whom was disabled. And so it is with many who go and pray.