CEC For Life is currently in Paris, France, preparing for the first of two Life & Leadership Conferences with our European brothers and sisters. We just found out yesterday that we will have nearly 50 participants in the Paris conference — almost double of what we were expecting!
This entire trip has been full of God’s providence, and we are so ready for this opportunity to speak into the lives of young leaders, as well as our devoted clergy. In a culture largely dominated by death, we need, more than ever, leaders that can bring Life with both wisdom and compassion. This week, our aim is to impart that calling to each and every person joining in this conference.
Last week, we spent a great deal of time in prayer as we walked along the Way of Saint James, also known as the Camino. We prayed about these conferences, we prayed for the healing of those we know are suffering, including Baby Charlie Gard in London. As that situation developed into an international concern last week, a small contingency of prayer warriors walking toward Santiago de Compostela continued to lift up Charlie and his parents in daily prayer.
Pro-life leaders who are dear friends of ours, including Rev. Pat Mahoney, attorney Catherine Glenn Foster, and activist Bobby Schindler (brother of Terri Schiavo) have all been in London fighting for the life of Baby Charlie and advocating for the rights of his parents. We were blessed to receive daily updates from this courageous group, which helped us to better know how to pray as we walked the Camino.
Though our pilgrimage was short in comparison to others walking the Camino, God used that time exponentially, as He always does, to strengthen the body of Christ and to move on behalf of Baby Charlie Gard, who is still alive today because of the prayers and efforts of God’s people.
There will be a hearing in London tomorrow regarding whether or not Charlie will be allowed to travel from the U.K. and be evaluated for treatment by expert doctors that the U.K. simply cannot offer. Please pray for this little child! For his healing, for his parents, and for those who are on the ground fighting for the sanctity of Baby Charlie’s life.
Please also pray for us! Though any trip like this is full of fellowship and joy (God so graciously blesses His people!) it is also full of hard work and intense spiritual warfare. We want, more than anything, for these conferences to bring about real leadership and to raise up a generation that will change the world they live in. That is the goal, and the enemy would do anything in his power to stop it. Join us, in prayer and in one spirit, as we begin these conferences.
“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5