THEY’VE received death threats and been victims of vandalism but Christian groups assisting women in crisis pregnancies and advocating for an end to abortion with prayer vigils at a section of Ivy Green Crescent in St Andrew say these attacks will not stop their mission of saving lives.

In fact, the reported assaults have tripled this year during their 40 Days for Life campaign when compared to the same period last year. Media liaison for the campaign, Philippa Davies said that last year this time there was only one reported incident of assault, with a total of four attacks recorded throughout the entire 40 days of Lent.

However, since the start of the campaign this year there have been three reported attacks on volunteers participating in the prayer vigils in just nine days.

Davies told the Jamaica Observer that the latest incident took place last week Thursday when a volunteer was pushed. She added that a death threat was also made against the campaign leader and founder of the Love March Movement, Dr Daniel Thomas, last week Monday.

“On this particular [Monday] afternoon a man came out and gun-fingered Daniel, touching him on his body — on his chest and in his head — and threatening him; threatening his life if he doesn’t desist or cease from the prayer vigil,” she said.

Chantelle Francis McKenzie, a volunteer who was reportedly on the scene when the threat was made, shared that three men emerged from a vehicle and one of them approached Thomas. She recalled that Thomas and two other volunteers were praying at the time.

“They appeared to be hostile from observing, so I started to be keen in terms of what is happening. A tall, dark guy threatened Daniel that he should stop what he’s doing so Daniel said to him, ‘I am not doing anything, I’m just praying.’ And he pointed at his forehead and said to him, ‘You’re going to get a bullet if you don’t stop what you’re doing,’ ” she recounted.

The incident was reported to the police.

Davies added that the group has also been met with “hostile reactions” from individuals thought to be associated with a medical facility that does abortion procedures.

“Persons have come out and have torn up posters, torn up flyers. Last year we had somebody come and actually steal away some of the bigger posters and take them down the road, and we never saw them again,” the media liaison for the campaign shared.

Davies said there have also been promises of arrests.

“I was there [last week Wednesday] night, and two men came out of the facility and also warned us that the next time, there will be arrests. I asked the person under what grounds would we be arrested if we are on the public walkway, not harassing anybody, and praying. That person couldn’t say why, but they said if they tell us to stop, we must stop because we are interfering with business. I said, ‘We are not. We are not blocking anybody, we’re standing to the side, we are walking up and down, and we’re praying,’ ” she recalled.

These and other incidents, regardless of the nature, have been reported to the police, Davies told the Sunday Observer.

“We take threats seriously, and we take assaults on our persons seriously, so all are reported to the police. And our understanding is that after the incident on Monday, that the police did drive by and they said they would circle the area from time to time,” she said.

Despite the growing number of reported attacks Davies said the group will continue with the mission that God has placed on their hearts.

The international movement 40 Days For Life was brought to Jamaica last year, partnering with the Love March Movement and other stakeholders in the hope of safeguarding the lives of the unborn and providing support for women in crisis pregnancies.

The group provides a holistic approach to assisting women in crisis pregnancies by offering them financial support, housing, and any other resources needed to assist with child-rearing.

“We are going full speed ahead because life matters and life has value…We have rescued, so far, 22 women who were considering abortion, and 22 women who were in crisis for various reasons. Twenty-two women have been rescued and 23 babies — because there were a set of twins who have been saved. The women say, ‘I am so glad I chose life,’ ” she told the Sunday Observer.

She added that they are not daunted because “we are not coming out in our own name. We are Christian believers, and God who created heaven and Earth is the one who made every single human being in his image. He is the giver and the sustainer of life, so every baby’s life matters to Him, and He has called all of us to do our utmost, in the highest duty of care, to preserve life — and especially of the most vulnerable”.

“We’re not serving ourselves, we’re serving the women and their babies, but it’s because this is what the Lord God requires of us as Christian believers in Jamaica,” insisted Davies.

She added that locally and internationally there have been claims that making abortion legal will make the procedure safer for women, but argued that the process of aborting a child, no matter if it is through a skilled professional or not, is dangerous. Davies countered that, instead of aborting a child, the approach should be to support women in crisis pregnancies, arguing that many would choose life if they felt supported.

According to the Caribbean Policy Research Institute, up to 22,000 abortions are performed in Jamaica each year, despite the procedure being illegal.

“Boys and girls, men and women, we have a crisis in not valuing the life of our fellow citizens so we need to be on board with this mindset, with this idea, this world view of valuing the life of everyone — and we can participate in supporting the value of life of a mother, a pregnant woman and her unborn child,” urged Davies.

In a message to their alleged attackers she encouraged them to seek Jesus and change their perspective.

“Whoever those persons are, we would just want them to think and reconsider: ‘What exactly are you defending? Because if you’re coming to threaten people who are peaceful, and praying, and rescuing mommies and babies, what are you defending?’

“It is an affirmation that women, given real choices, will choose life. It is an affirmation of the whole purpose of the initiative, and it’s a blessing,” she said.