EVERETT, Wash. — Half a century after a woman's right to an abortion was guaranteed in the Constitution, the United States Supreme Court struck it down on Friday.
"It's kind of a surreal sense," said Pastor Daniel Parks. "It's amazing that it actually happened, but it wasn't the Supreme Court. It was the work of God."
Parks flew to Washington from North Carolina to organize churches here in his battle against abortion. He held a prayer vigil with about two dozen pastors and church-goers outside the Everett Planned Parenthood clinic.
"Every human being is precious to the Lord and should be precious to us as a society," he told them.
Parks is part of an anti-abortion group called Love Life.
Friday, they prayed for the women, workers and fetuses inside the clinic.
He said the church needs to do a better job of supporting women seeking abortions, and hold men more accountable for their part in pregnancies.
He also compared what happens in abortion clinics to school shootings.
"If we knew where a school shooting was going to happen tomorrow, wouldn't we be there?" he asked. "I'm just kind of equating when we see human lives that have been destroyed we should grieve over that. These are all human beings made in the image of God that are dying. We need to speak out and do something."
It didn't take long for the group's presence to attract opponents. Some drove by and hurled obscenities. One man parked his car in the middle of the road to debate one of the pastors on hand, peppering him with questions.
"They just want to live their lives," he said. "Whose right is it for you to come in somebody's bedroom? Would you feel alright with somebody telling your daughter that she had to raise a child that you put into her as her father who is supposed to protect her that she now has to carry to full term, or even raise?"
But the members remained resolute, praying that women on their way to the clinic would experience the "supernatural" and "get a phone call or see a billboard" that would change their minds about the procedure.
"God, we need you to intervene in these lives of these women," said one person.
"Lord, show her your love for her child," prayed another.
Among those gathered were many women -- mothers and daughters -- but none expressed feeling the least bit conflicted.
"Women's rights are important, but they're not more important than men's rights, they're not more important than children's rights," said Beth Burns, executive director of Abundant Life Washington. "We want to see equality for all. I rejoice because there are little babies that are women that are going to live now because there is hope."