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One of the highlights of the Michigan Policy & Prayer event was the testimony of Cal Zastrow, a pro-life advocate in Michigan. His simple focus is “hand to the plow, eyes on Jesus” as he peacefully prays and sings outside abortion clinics across the state. Cal’s joyfulness in the face of prosecution is remarkable. He speaks of counting it all as loss as compared to the mission to speak for the unborn, something God has asked him to do.

The FACE Act is a law that makes it illegal to impede entry to an abortion facility–a law passed during the Clinton administration. The prosecution of the FACE Act makes it consequential for Christians to sing, pray, protest, or counsel at clinics where abortions are performed. One charge from one incident can result in significant federal prison time and fines that can sink a family’s finances.

Zastrow, his daughter Eva, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Joel Curry, Justin Phillips, and Eva Edl are awaiting their fate as they face charges brought about by the Biden administration—the FACE Act charges and additional civil rights conspiracy charges. Because of these additional charges, they face up to 10 additional years in prison.

As Daily Wire reported from a gathering in Roseville, Michigan, “Zastrow prayed that the courts would “recognize the humanity, the personhood of all preborn children” and that the group could help and love others. He also said that the “DOJ had pulled out the big guns and the long knives” for the trial.”

Just days before, at the IFA Michigan Policy & Prayer event, Zastrow shared about the heartbreaking prison plight of fellow defendants Heather Idoni, age 61, and Eva Edl, age 89, both potentially facing what would amount to life in prison for these charges.

Jury selection for the trial began Tuesday at the Theodore Levin courthouse in Detroit. The defendants face not only the charges stemming from violation of the FACE Act, but the Biden Justice Department has also filed federal conspiracy charges. The defendants peacefully sat or stood outside the Northland Family Planning Clinic in Sterling, Michigan.  According to The Daily Wire report, it’s a “novel prosecution technique; the Biden administration has brought felony conspiracy charges against pro-lifers across the country from Tennessee to Washington, D.C. Sentences for the pro-lifers have ranged anywhere from six months to over five years in prison.”

Pray for these defendants, like Rosa Parks, who used civil disobedience in the era of segregation to call attention to the injustice. They are calling attention to the murder of the unborn.

Share your prayer of encouragement for Cal and the other pro-life advocates facing these charges by sharing in the comments below.