40 Days for Life Responds to 40th Year of Legal Abortion with Campaigns in 251 Cities
Contact: Shawn Carney, 40 Days for Life, 979-574-8711
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — “With the January 22 anniversary of the Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling, the United States began its 40th year of legal abortion,” said Shawn Carney, campaign director of 40 Days for Life. “This is a critical year in terms of the sanctity of human life — a year in which people from across America and beyond are preparing to take a public stand on behalf of innocent lives at risk.” Carney said that in this 40th year, pro-life advocates in 251 locations reaching from coast to coast in the United States as well as Canada, England, Australia and Spain will be hosting local 40 Days for Life campaigns simultaneously. The coordinated international campaign begins February 22 and runs through April 1. Carney pointed out that the number 40 shows up frequently in the Bible. “Noah in the flood, Moses on the mountain, Christ in the desert — those were all 40-day challenges. But the number also shows up in terms of years, as in the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness,” he said. “They were kept away from the promised land because they disobeyed God. Forty years represented a generation in biblical terms, and only a new generation was allowed to enter the new land. Forty years has spiritual significance in the struggle against abortion here in America, as we pray and work for our land to be free of abortion.” With 251 locations, this will be the largest springtime 40 Days for Life campaign in history. 40 Days for Life consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion, 40 days of constant, peaceful vigil outside abortion centers and Planned Parenthood offices and 40 days of pro-life community outreach. The list of participating communities is posted online at: www.40daysforlife.com/location. “The public vigil is the most visible part of the campaign and it has a tremendous impact,” said Carney. “Many people simply do not realize that there is a facility in their own towns where abortions take place. They are shocked to find out what is going on — often in their own neighborhoods. When abortion is out of sight and out of mind, it can be easy to ignore. Once you know what’s going on locally, abortion — as well as the damage it causes — becomes real. It becomes clear that abortion that brings death and despair. It cannot be ignored any longer.” 40 Days for Life continues to grow. Nine coordinated, international 40 Days for Life campaigns have been completed, beginning in the fall of 2007. More than 500,000 people in some 422 cities have taken part. Twenty-one abortion centers have closed following 40 Days for Life prayer vigils and at least 61 abortion industry employees have quit their jobs. “The most significant impact,” Carney said, “is that there are 5,045 babies that we know of — and their mothers — who were spared from the tragedy of abortion.”
CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Julie Fairchild 214-536-0037 Julie@Lovell-Fairchild.com
Nancy Lovell 214-536-2329 Nancy@Lovell-Fairchild.com
Monique Sondag 214-536-4319 Monique@Lovell-Fairchild.com
‘OCTOBER BABY’ SETS (CITY) PREMIERE
Life-Affirming, Coming-of-Age Story Debuts (DATE) in (CITY)
OctoberBabyMovie.net
CITY – MONTH XX, 2012 – OCTOBER BABY, an award-winning, life-affirming movie, premieres DATE in CITY NAME. From acclaimed directors Jon and Andrew Erwin, OCTOBER BABY is distributed by Provident Films—known for its association with the movies COURAGEOUS and FIREPROOF—and Samuel Goldwyn Films—distributor of such hit faith films as FIREPROOF, AMAZING GRACE and FACING THE GIANTS.
“OCTOBER BABY is the story of 19-year-old Hannah, who finds out she is adopted and is the survivor of an attempted abortion,” said co-director and co-writer Jon Erwin. “So, she goes on a road trip to find answers, locate her birth mother and, ultimately, discover how powerful forgiveness can be.”
Locally, OCTOBER BABY is drawing support from a variety of organizations including (PERTINENT ORGANIZATIONS) working together to (PERTINENT ACTIVITY).
“OCTOBER BABY tackles a challenging subject with gentleness and power,” said (NAME NAME, TITLE). “The film not only brings a vital, thought-provoking message, it entertains as well. We’re proud to be among those supporting OCTOBER BABY in (CITY).”
A production of the Erwin Brothers and American Family Studios, OCTOBER BABY offers viewers an enjoyable, entertaining, intensely human film about friends hitting the road together and finding more than they bargained for: adventure, romance, truth . . . and the power to forgive. But, the film is more than that—it tells the story of one young woman’s journey based on hundreds of stories of abortion survivors. OCTOBER BABY honestly and evenhandedly invites audiences to explore their own views of life’s value and the importance of their choices.
Starring newcomer Rachel Hendrix as Hannah, OCTOBER BABY features John Schneider (Smallville, The Dukes of Hazzard) and Jasmine Guy (A Different World), along with Jason Burkey and American Idol finalist Chris Sligh in his feature film debut.
OCTOBER BABY marks the feature film debut of the Erwin Brothers, multiple Dove Award winners for music videos featuring hit contemporary Christian artists such as Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith and Francesca Battistelli.
In support of the film’s life-affirming theme, the producers of OCTOBER BABY have assigned 10 percent of the profits of the film to the Every Life is Beautiful Fund. The money will be distributed to frontline organizations helping women face crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies and those caring for orphans.
“We feel like it’s very important to use OCTOBER BABY as an opportunity to serve, give back and save lives,” Jon Erwin said. “That’s what we want the Every Life Is Beautiful Fund to be about.”
OCTOBER BABY has already drawn wide praise from advance screenings.
Mark Hall of Casting Crowns
“I am now an OCTOBER BABY activist. This is something I have to be a part of.”
Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor, national speaker
“I laughed so hard, cried so hard, and healed. Thank you!”
The Dove Foundation
“We urge you to see this movie. It might just change your life.”
One mother’s story shared on Facebook
“My 14-year-old daughter watched the movie with me . . . at the end, my daughter said, ‘Mom, OCTOBER BABY is my favorite movie ever.’ OCTOBER BABY gave me an opportunity to discuss many issues with her—forgiveness, healing, abortion and more. Thank you, thank you, thank you again!”
To learn more, visit: OctoberBabyMovie.net
And visit Lovell-Fairchild.com/pressroom for:
n OCTOBER BABY Synopsis
n OCTOBER BABY Backgrounder
n OCTOBER BABY Fact Sheet
n OCTOBER BABY Bios
For interviews, contact: Monique Sondag Monique@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-536-4319.
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Jorge Lazaro Diaz gave a presentation by this name at the Morningstar Renewal Center the evening of October 13, 2010. Click here to download the presentation slides used that evening.
