Contact: Amber Dolle, 40 Days for Life, 325-513-5857

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- More than 130 cities in the United States and Canada - as well as locations in Australia and Northern Ireland, which are participating for the first time - are kicking off a 40-day campaign seeking an end to abortion. 40 Days for Life begins tomorrow and runs through April 5.

40 Days for Life, which coincides with the start of the Christian season of Lent, is an intensive 40-day program of prayer and fasting, community outreach, and constant vigil outside abortion facilities, Planned Parenthood offices and other public locations. The communities taking part in these simultaneous campaigns are listed online at http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm.

"The economy is weak and the political landscape is challenging," said Shawn Carney, spring campaign director for 40 Days for Life, "but people recognize they can make a life-saving difference by going to pray outside the places where women and children are at risk - abortion facilities in their local towns. Prayer and peaceful action works, and as a result, record numbers of people are joining 40 Days for Life. With 130-plus cities, that's more than double the number that took part in the spring of 2008."

This is the fourth coordinated, simultaneous 40 Days for Life campaign. Thus far, more than 175,000 people in 204 cities have participated. Three abortion facilities have shut their doors following 40 Days for Life events; thirteen employees have left the abortion business, and 1,128 babies have been saved from abortion through the prayerful presence of people peacefully standing outside the clinics.

"This is clearly making an impact when it comes to showing people, on a city-by-city basis, the negative impact that abortion has on their communities," said Carney. "Many people think about abortion in abstract terms. But 40 Days for Life shows that abortion is real, it's in their neighborhoods, and it has devastating results - not only for the babies, but for mothers, fathers and many others."

Men and women with abortion experiences have sought healing because of the 40 Days for Life activities. "We know of many people who were involved in abortions years ago who have come to see that their 'choice' was a poor one," said Carney. "We've been able to connect them with groups who specifically minister to those with post-abortion issues. Those ministries help these people find healing and get their lives back in order. This is yet another blessing seen through 40 Days for Life.

"To focus on the United States for a moment," he added, "the 2008 election results do not show that America is pro-choice. Not at all. America is increasingly pro-life. All the momentum is on the side of life. People do indeed want change - and the change that people are praying and fasting for is an end to the culture of death and the establishment of a culture of life. We believe - we know - that this is a change that will happen. We can't say when, but it will happen."