NATIONAL DAY OF REPENTANCE PRO-LIFE OUTREACHES

Metro Police delayed Christian Action marchers and sidelined the 12 th Anniversary funeral procession in Cape Town by refusing to allow pro-lifers to follow the normal route down Adderley Street.  Despite previous assurances, and confirmations, a heavy police presence demanded that the National Day of Repentance funeral procession avoid the centre of town.  After many delays by the Metro Police the procession arrived late at Parliament. 

On 1 February 1997 abortion-on-demand was legalised in South Africa. By 1 February 2009 well over 800 000 South African babies will have lost their lives through abortion - legally - with tax payers money. (Officially, according to admittedly incomplete statistics from the Department of Health, there have been 703 315 abortions since 1997).

Cape Town: Friday, 30 January 2009, a funeral procession was hosted by the Christian Action Network in memory of the thousands of babies, killed by abortion, who have never had a funeral.

Marchers carried miniature coffins and crosses and were led by a hearse. A six metre billboard trailer, with the words, “Abortion Kills Babies”, and “Speak Up For Those Who Cannot Speak For Themselves” (Proverbs 31:8) followed the marchers.

Over 55 Christians, including numerous pastors from different denominations took part in the procession and gathered afterwards to pray outside the main gates of Parliament in Cape Town.

Thousand of pro-life leaflets were distributed throughout Cape Town.  Over 100 large pro-life posters were placed on lampposts throughout the city.  Obituary notices were placed in numerous newspapers in memory of all babies killed by abortion since 1997.  Some newspapers, notably the Cape Times and the Argus, refused to accept obituary notices in memory of babies killed by abortion.

Errol Naidoo, president of the Family Policy Institute, lead a prayer at the Prayer Vigil, interceding for God's mercy on members of parliament who have unleashed a culture of death on South Africa by legalising abortion. He prayed that South Africans would "Choose Life."

Participants at the Prayer Vigil prayed a Scriptural Imprecatory Prayer, calling on the nation and government leaders to repent of the national sin of abortion and warning of God's judgement if they do not repent (The Scriptural Imprecatory Prayer follows).

 “Every abortion stops a beating heart. Every life is precious and should be protected,” says Taryn Hodgson, International Co-ordinator of the Christian Action Network. “We call the nation to prayer and repentance for this national sin of abortion.”

A Christian Action group in Scottburgh reported distributing over a thousands tracts and hundreds of pro-life balloons in the local shopping centre.  "We had an eye catching display on three boards, another table with a bunch of red flowers and a placard saying: 'In memory of the 800,000 innocent lives taken by abortion.'  I stuck the plastic 12-week-old baby on the placard.  Many were amazed and it initiated many conversations.  We had people handing our tracts on both sides of the display so no one could sidestep!  We engaged hundreds of people in conversation about abortion...Many said that they are against abortion and that they are glad that some people are standing up and saying so."

Numerous Christian activists around the country reported back on their congregations observing Sanctity Life Sunday with pro-life sermons and prayers of repentance. 

Pro-life demonstrations and outreaches also took place in Durban, Johannesburg, Phoenix and Bloemfontein.   

Taryn Hodgson