Showing Love with Pig Vigils - Eder Lopez (vegan) and the Animal Alliance Network

October 2nd of every year has been designated “World Farm Animals Day” or “World Day for Farmed Animals.” It is not a day to commemorate the happy life of animals on farms, but to call for their rescue as animals there are severely exploited for various purposes. In today’s program, it is our privilege to interview a compassionate American vegan animal rights activist who exemplifies the spirit of the day, Mr. Eder Lopez. Eder is the vice president of the non-profit Animal Alliance Network, one of the 700 chapters of a global organization called the Animal Save Movement that conducts vigils outside of slaughterhouses. Animal Alliance Network’s mission is to “educate, take action, do outreach, and spread awareness of the daily atrocities animals endure due to human practices.” Eder organizes pig vigils every Wednesday night that stop trucks full of baby pigs to give water and show love to them before they head to slaughter. Through this movement, he hopes to raise the public’s awareness of animal cruelty and exploitation in hopes that one day people will stop eating meat and allow farm animals to be free to live their lives. “We call them pig vigils. We’re here to bear witness, meaning, where we see suffering, like these pigs are suffering, and we don’t run away. We get as close as possible, because if we were in that position, if we were in their shoes, we would want help, like the activists that are here today. Put yourself in a cage. It’s all about perspective. Put yourself in the victim’s role, and then you’ll understand why we do this. Because it’s about them. They’re the ones suffering. And even though we’re here only giving them two minutes, that two minutes is the only love that they’ve ever received. And at least they go out feeling some type of love before they go to their death.” “I want everybody to live a happy life. And the best way to do that is by what you choose to eat. And choose the compassionate one, because we live in a world of choices. Why do you choose to be cruel? That’s not a good thing. It’s 2020. It’s about peace and love. So, choose compassion. Choose love right now.” The pig vigils organized by Eder Lopez and the Animal Alliance Network are powerful wake-up calls for us all to be plant-based and end animal slaughter immediately. May his honorable and loving project reach many more hearts, in Heaven’s grace.