Featured on the 40 Days For Life Blog

Here at EMC we were very proud to be featured on the official 40 Days for Life blog! They wrote a great piece about the work that we do everyday to save lives in NYC, they even quoted from a blog that I wrote! Check out this beautiful story!

"A few days ago, I mentioned that Shawn Carney, our 40 Days for Life campaign director, was headed to New York City. Shawn made a short video account of his visit to the 40 Days for Life campaign in the city labeled “the abortion capital of America.”

If you only watch one video during this 40 Days for Life, it HAS to be this amazing clip.

During the brief video — which was filmed right on the street in Queens — you will:

Hear from a volunteer who puts in 6-10 hours EVERY DAY outside of two of the largest abortion centers in the United States
See hundreds of passers-by receiving a pro-life education on the street
Discover the challenges of holding a campaign in a crime and drug infested area — on the spot where a murder took place right before 40 Days for Life
Meet a sidewalk counselor who shares how they are saving lives in the midst of the hustle and bustle
Learn JUST HOW MANY lives have been saved in the Big Apple due to 40 Days for Life campaigns over the last two years — prepare to be amazed in the last 20 seconds of the video!
The video is loud. Everything’s in motion. It’s got attitude. But hey — it’s New York City!

Watch this video now. You’ll be glad you did!


By the way, Shawn is going to be on international TV tomorrow night! The third installment of the Being Human series makes its broadcast debut at 6:30 PM Eastern time on the EWTN network (5:30 Central, 4:30 Mountain, 3:30 Pacific). This episode interviews a physician, former abortion providers, and philosophy professor Peter Kreeft. They answer the question of when life begins and what personhood means.

EWTN is available on many cable and satellite TV services. The program may also be seen online at http://www.ewtn.com where you can click on “television,” then on “watch live.”

Chris Slattery, who is featured in Shawn’s video clip above, not only coordinates the 40 Days for Life campaigns in Queens and The Bronx; he also directs Expectant Mother Care Frontline Pregnancy Centers.

This organization offers internships for young people to learn first-hand about various aspects of pro-life ministry.

The interns’ blog tells a story of life on the sidewalk at Dr. Emily’s Women’s Health Center, the 40 Days for Life vigil location in The Bronx.

It was 11:30 in the morning, and the interns were going to a pro-life conference. As they were leaving, they watched two young women leave the clinic. Once they reached the sidewalk, one of the 40 Days for Life volunteers handed one of them a brochure.

One intern saw this, walked up beside them, and started asking questions. “Have you had an abortion? How far along are you? Have you been allowed to see a sonogram?”

She learned that the women had only been inside the clinic for a short time — it was already too late in the day to schedule an abortion. The two were sisters, she learned. The older sister was there for the abortion, the younger one for support.

The intern saw an opportunity.

“I offered her a free sonogram appointment and began to tell her about fetal development. She was so surprised to find out that her baby’s heart started to beat at 17 to 21 days,” the intern said. “She thought that wouldn’t happen until the sixth month. I asked her what she knew about the abortion procedure, what had they told her in the clinic? She knew nothing, so I started to explain.”

The woman who had tried to schedule the abortion said she wasn’t feeling very well, so the intern offered to treat her and her sister to lunch.

As they walked to the burger shop, the intern and the younger sister had to steady the older sister.

About that time, some clinic escorts walked towards them — and then walked right past. “They saw a girl in obvious distress who had just come out of the clinic,” said the intern. “They just didn’t seem to care!”

The pro-life people on the sidewalk tell the women going into the clinic that they are there to help them. “Of course, the ‘clinic escorts’ scoff at the idea,” the intern said, “but when it counts, the proof is in the pudding.”

They sat in that restaurant talking for a long time — “almost two hours,” said the intern. “She started to feel better. In the end, she decided not to abort her baby!”

By the time lunch was over, this young woman knew that even if she faced hardships or had to make sacrifices, it would all be worth it for the life of her child.

God bless pro-lifers in the Big Apple — and all around the world!" - http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=468 - October 27, 2009

Painting 4 Life

We are so excited to be opening a new office in Queens, NY just 100 feet from Abortion Row, the location of one of our 40 Days for Life sites. Abortion Row is a very unique location because it consists of two abortion clinics side by side separated only by a Dunkin Doughnuts! We have worked in this area for many years, but never before have we had an office in such close proximity to the abortion clinics. We will be able to serve more women and save more lives!

This past Monday I had the opportunity to paint the new Queens office. It was hard work, but when you are thinking of the fruits of your labor, it makes it that much sweeter. The idea of working on a place where lives will be saved and changed forever, that is enough to make you work with all of your heart! We were just painting a room in an office, but in actuality that room will be an amazing place of healing, that changes a simple job of painting an office into something you can be really proud of. After painting for hours, doing the same thing all day can be tiring, but the hope of making the office a place where a girl is going to be comfortable to talk and have the courage to choose life for her child, gave us strength to continue painting. We were painting for life.

Life is more than strong!

Wednesday, November 11th 2009: the weather is colder than yesterday, but I enjoy the winter weather in NY, even though I don't like their subway system. Today we went to the EMC center in Brooklyn where there are miracles every minute, everyday. The director, Linda, whose work I admire very much, has warm charisma based on "Love". She is helping many girls and their unborn babies, and, at the same time, teaching me about prolife work - what I am most impressed by is her sympathy for the smallest and the neediest, mother and child.

As I mentioned, there are many miracles in this center; today we had an amazing one which I want to share here. The last patient at the center today was a very special young woman. Actually her mom called the office wanting her to keep the baby. But the daughter had already taken the abortion pills twice with this pregnancy. Linda asked her mom to have her daughter come to the office as soon as possible.

She did come to the office - Her belly was already big, and she looked very tired, and sick. We were all worried about her condition, and no one was sure whether or not the baby was OK. Linda suggested a sonogram to find out.

After the sonogram, Linda cried out, "The baby is alive!" and everybody clapped and shouted with joy and happiness. I went to the sonogram room and saw the picture myself. The baby was really strongly moving and was quite big.

Today I learned that human life is stronger than we thought, and we can not do whatever we want to. Life is a gift which belongs to God. The sonogram showed us life is very precious, something to protect, not something to get rid of.

I see this kind of extraordinary story all the time here.

Great Day

Last week when we were at Dr. Emily´s I handed out pamphlets. Monday, Chris asked me if I would video tape Julie while she was sidewalk counseling. He wanted this so that we would have proof that none of us is breaking the law, in case we are falsely accused by the abortion clinic workers of harassing the girls, as happened last week.
We were at the clinic´s back entrance when a girl came out of the abortion mill. As usual, the indefatigable Julie talked to the girl. I couldn’t video tape that conversation, because it is illegal to do so without having the person´s permission, and it is risky asking for their permission because it could frighten them away and then we would lose the opportunity to speak with them – “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”, as the saying goes.
There were a lot of policeman taking notes during this, but we didn´t get in trouble. Even with this new law that tries to hinder our work for Life, we are able to save babies. We thank Our Lord for this day and pray for protection in the future.

My First Day on the Sidewalk

My name is Tomás, I am from Bilbao (Northern region of Spain, the Basque country). I came to New York City on Monday with my friend Javier, who was here two years ago. Tuesday was my first day volunteering with EMC. I arrived outside the clinic early in the morning and I didn’t know what to say, what to do, how to react. I felt helpless watching girls going inside to get an abortion; it touched me deeply. But the idea that their babies were not going to have a chance to live freaked me out, so I had to do something. There was one guy, whose girlfriend was aborting, but I waited with him outside, talking. After a while he told me that they won’t abort the next child (we all hope so). That was what I wanted to hear, that he is thinking differently, so in the future we won’t need to talk to him, he will be a father, he will be a daddy to his children.

One Girl Changed Her Mind in Front of the Abortion Clinic.

On Tuesday, November 3rd, at 7:30 a.m., EMC interns were at Dr. Emily's in the Bronx passing out our pamphlets to people walking on the street. Our group was divided, some of the interns were standing at the back entrance, and some at the front entrance on Southern Boulevard.
With sidewalk counseling we mostly hope to reach the women who want to have an abortion. On Tuesday, most of those passing by had their hands in their pockets due to the cold weather. Of course, that makes more difficult to hand out the pro-life materials to the people. However, we were able to talk a few people and we had time to pray. About mid morning, a young 21 years old was walking into Dr. Emily's, and I said "If you want any help, we will help you." She came to me and said, "I don't want to have an abortion, but I had a caesarian and the doctor who removed my staples three months ago said it would be very dangerous if I got pregnant too soon. So, I have to do an abortion even though I don't want to."

I said "You should have a second opinion from another doctor, and an abortion is also very bad for your body anyway. Also they don't care about your body condition, and they may not even explain the procedure. She went into the office and later she came to me again. She said, "I want to keep my baby, you are right." She said that they only asked her two things - Do you have a money for this? Do you have insurance? She also said that the clinic only really cares about her money, not her. Then she invited me to be there when she delivers the baby!
I was so happy and promised to keep in touch and I encouraged her to go to an EMC center to get a referral for a different doctor.

That was the most fulfilling day for me as an intern of EMC.

Breaking a Fatal Pattern

It was a cold, Autumn morning in New York City. I was standing on the sidewalk at the back intrance to Dr. Emily´s Abortion Clinic. They walked swiftly down the street in an attempt to rush past me, on their way in. Later I found out that they had been told on the phone to avoid the pro-life people outside. She was in the parking lot leading the way, and halfway to the Clinic Door when her boyfriend stopped to talk to me. I asked him if she was pregnant and going in for an abortion. He said yes, and I motioned for her to come over and chat with us. He wanted to keep the baby and said he would be there for her. She was post-abortive and was ready to repeat the fatal pattern. We talked about fetal development, the abortion procedure, and the humanity and dignity of her unborn child. We talked about the struggles that would lay ahead if she kept her baby and the fear that she harbored within her heart. She cried, and we hugged. She had alot to think about. I invited her to accompany me to our nearest Crisis Pregnancy Center because she no longer wished to be at the clinic, but she wanted to go home. We parted with an exchange of phone numbers and her promise to call me later in the day to visit the center. I could only pray that she would contact me. Imagine my relief when my phone rang and I heard her voice on the other end! We met that afternoon at our Center in the South Bronx and spent hours talking about the different options available to her. In the end she left with a free sonogram appointment and a new outlook on life and her pregnancy. She was leaning much more towards parenting than she had been that morning as she rushed past me so quickly.

Richer than the Common Life

I have returned to New York City for a second internship wth EMC. I felt as if an ordinary life wasn´t enough for me, I felt compelled to do this work in saving lives. I still don´t know what I´m looking for but what I know is that here I feel satisified with life, as if life didn't make sense without saving babies and helping women in need.

It is hard for me to counsel these women but even this sacrifice, when given to God gives my life new meaning. In working with EMC, something I can't explain is going on within my spirit, making changes for the better. Life is changing it´s perspective and showing me a different part which is richer than the common life; the kind of life filled with purpose and a mission. .

This time I am staying for 3 months, let´s see if I change lives... maybe even my own.

Our visit to the Korean community in Flushing, Queens.

On October 25th, we went to Sunday mass at St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang Roman Catholic Church in Flushing. We wanted to meet a Korean priest and introduce him to EMC's work. Fortunately, there was a fund-raising bazaar at the back of the church, so we hoped to be able to speak with him there. Unfortunately, so many people wanted to see the Korean priest, we were afraid we wouldn't get to speak to him. They were selling Korean food which made us very happy and did some shopping!

Then we headed over to him, and introduced ourselves. I felt a little shy to talk about myself and my work to a stranger, even though he was a priest, but we did it as our mission. We were finally able to speak with him. I felt my face blush, but I didn't stop talking about the beautiful work of EMC.

It became evident that it wasn't the right time to go into detail, since a large of group of people approached and he had to welcome them, and so our conversation ended for the time being.
Then we talked to a Korean nun who took our pamphlet and said she would share with other people because this is really important work. Father came back and we continued talking to him about EMC's work and goals for this Asian community. I gave him some materials and we ended our mission happy that we had made a contact in the community.

We hope that he remembers us and our work which for life.


It was a beautiful day for all of us.

Weighing the Choices

They were on their way into the abortion clinic when I spoke with them. A beautiful young couple, both of them just 17 years old. They were in a tough situation, she was pregnant, and she was scared. They hadn't even spoken of it to their parents. What would she tell her mom? Would they kick her out of the house? She had a toddler at home, how would she be able to handle two children? The thought of another child was enough to make her run for the nearest abortion clinic! This would be the answer to her problem, or so she thought.

She was eight weeks pregnant, her baby’s heart was already beating and brain waves were already detectable. I showed her the fetal development model of a tiny child just eight weeks from conception. She was surprised, her baby had a face, feet, hands, fingers and toes, her baby was already formed! We talked about the procedure and the behavior that the clinic workers would exhibit if she were to enter. We spoke of the women, lined up for abortions and it was not a pleasant thought. We weighed the choices. Would life be easier after the abortion or harder? Was the sacrifice of the impending struggle worth it for the life of another human being, the life of her baby? Most importantly we talked about the risks and complications involved with the surgery and we talked about the humanity and dignity of her tiny child.
It was very important for her to know that the abortion would not make the baby go away and it would not stop her from being a mother, or he a father. All it would do, would be to make them the parents of a dead baby. A mother never forgets when she loses a child. She could be ninety years old and even after she is finished mourning, she will still remember. There is an added pain when it comes to abortion, not only does the mother have to deal with the fact that her child died, but she feels guilt because she chose for her child to die, and in many instances she paid for her child to die. Needless to say, we also spoke about Post Abortion Syndrome as well.
We hugged a lot. She really needed a hug. I invited them to accompany me to the nearest EMC Pregnancy Center where we spoke for 2 more hours. The end result was the choice of life!

The Proof is in the Pudding

The Time was 11:30 am, the scene was Dr. Emily Women's Health Pavilion in New York City... the South Bronx. It was time for the interns to leave the abortion clinic and head over to Cardinal Hayes Highschool for the Viva La Vida Pro-life Conference. As we prepared to leave, two young ladies from inside the clinic, quickly walked out of the parking lot, past the 'clinic escorts' and down the sidewalk. A 40 Days for Life Volunteer who was right behind them on her way out, handed them a brochure. I walked up and joined the conversation, asking the girl a couple of questions. Had she gotten an abortion? How far along was she? Had she had a sonogram? Had she been allowed to see her sonogram? They had just been in the clinic very briefly and were told that it was to late in the day for the doctor to perform the abortion. Praise the Lord!

I offered her a free sonogram appointment and began to tell her about fetal development. She was so surprised to find out that her babies heart started to beat at 17 to 21 days! She thought that would’nt happen until the 6th month! I asked her what she knew about the abortion procedure, what had they told her in the clinic? She knew nothing, and so I started to explain the Suction and Curettage Abortion.

The next few minuets went by so fast! She said she was not feeling well, entered a nearby store for something to drink and when she returned I suggested that I buy the girls lunch at the hamburger joint across the street, where she could sit down. As we made our way down the sidewalk, the younger sister and I holding her up as she walked, a funny thing happened. The ‘clinic escorts', on their way to the front entrance of the abortion clinic, passed us! They saw what was going on, they saw a girl in obvious distress who had just come out of the clinic, the same clinic where they volunteered to ‘escort women’ in other words, keep them from talking to what they call ‘anti choice’ people. They just didn’t seem to care! If they were there to help women, why were they just walking by and doing nothing? Why didn’t they stop to help? They offered no help! When she was throwing up on the sidewalk, where were they? You see, we tell the women going into the clinic that we are there to help them, and of course the 'clinic escorts' scoff at the idea, but when it counts the proof is in the pudding. You can believe that you help women, but when a woman is right in front of you and she needs your help, what course will you take? I chose to help her because I am pro-woman, I am pro-life.

Needless to say I didn't make it to the pro-life conference that day. We sat in that restaurant talking for a long time, almost two hours. She started to feel better. In the end, she decided not to abort her baby! She knew that any hardships or sacrifice that she would have to make, would wholeheartedly be worth the life of her child.

Viva la Vida Pro-life Conference in the Bronx

This past Saturday we were given the opportunity as EMC Interns, to meet many Spanish Speaking Pro-lifers at the Viva La Vida Pro-life Conference in the Bronx. Joy seemed to fill the air during the whole event as people danced and gave praise to God! There were so many different speakers giving testimony and talks about the pro-life cause. In the early afternoon Archbishop Timothy Dolan Concelebrated Holy Mass with many other priests, and the people prayed fervently. we were so impressed by the care that he showed for the many people in his Archdiocese and the sight of how much they loved him was so beautiful!


Our primary reasons for attending the conference were to promote Expectant Mothers Care as well as 40 Days for Life. We manned a booth alongside other pro-life and pro-family groups. It was very exciting for me to be in New York City of all places and among such great pro-life people, and the best part was being able to explain the many different aspects of what we do every day in the Bronx with EMC and 40 Days For Life. In the end there was a lot of interest for both programs! What really surprised me was that there were so many different pro-life organizations in NYC, all concentrating on different parts of the movement but all fighting the good fight. Everyday is a new adventure for me, an adventure to learn something about LIFE.

EMC Interns Honor 50th Ordination Anniversary of Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Sunday October the 18th Fr. Benedict Groeschel CFR celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, with a beautiful Mass at Holy Family Church in Nutley, NJ! The mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations and Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, New Jersey, Diocesan priests and many Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Three EMC Interns, myself included, were given the opportunity to attending the Mass.

Fr. Groeshal is well known for his work as the host of popular television show, 'Sunday Night Live with Fr. Benedict Groeshal' on EWTN and as a prolific author of books like 'Why Do We Believe' and 'There Are No Accidents'. He is also the co-founder of Good Counsel Homes. "Good Counsel is a private Catholic agency whose primary mission is to help homeless pregnant women by providing a loving family environment in a safe and secure shelter. Begun in 1985 by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Chris Bell, both leaders in the pro-life movement, Good Counsel has grown to five homes in the New York greater metropolitan area." says their website.




With all of this under his belt, Fr. Groeshal is perhaps most well known by his role as one of the founders of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, a vibrant and quickly growing religious congregation dedicated to the renewal of the church and Christian communities.

We were truly honored to attend this beautiful mass!

The Pro-life Mission

Marcela Soriano and I are visitors from Mexico City. We see the great values that this nation is founded upon, and that God’s hand is placed upon it.

The defense of life is an example of how this nation put all it´s soul and it´s whole heart to fight for what the Founding Fathers of this Country believed.

Seeing the hard work of interns like Heather and Philip has inspired us, to keep working hard in this mission to which God has called us.

The Pro-life mission requires that we give of the soul and the heart.

EMC Interns Participate in Silent No More Awareness Event

This past Tuesday, the EMC interns had the privilege of taking part in a 'Silent No More Awareness' event. "Silent No More Awareness is a Campaign whereby Christians make the public aware of the devastation abortion brings to women and men. The campaign seeks to expose and heal the secrecy and silence surrounding the emotional and physical pain of abortion." says their website.



With this great organization, women who have had abortions find a vehicle to let their experiences, be known. They proclaim "I regret my abortion". Many post-abortive women gave testimonies about their abortion experiences and the subsequent effects that they had on their lives. The event was led by Janet Morana, Executive Director of Priests for Life and the Co-Founder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign and Dr. Alveda King, Director of African American Outreach and niece of the late civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Members and leaders of many different groups were in attendance including the Sisters of Life, Fr. Juniper Mary Sistare, C.F.R , Chris Slattey, President l and Founder of EMC Frontline Crisis Pregnancy Centers and Patrick Langrell, Director of Young Adult Outreach for the Catholic Archdiocese of New York. All of this took place in midtown Manhattan in front of Fox News' Cable Studios. Businessmen and businesswomen, tourists and executives alike were given the opportunity, so often denied by the media and their own culture. The opportunity was a glimpse at the truth, the truth that abortion hurts women.

Post Abortion Counseling at 40 Days For Life

We are on the sidewalk everyday for 40 Days for Life, counseling girls and giving them options, so that they don't feel like they have to choose abortion. It is true we save many lives, and save many women from the possible emotional and physical, and psychological traumas of abortion. But we also have the great privilege of helping women to heal from Post Abortion Syndrome.

Last Thursday a young lady with two friends approached our table and were handed information about the truth concerning abortion. She looked for a long time, and asked many questions. I invited them into the Sonogram Bus where we could talk with more privacy. I answered her questions and described the two most common abortion procedures to her as well as the morning after pill. Then her eyes caught my attention, there was a pain in them. After asking her male friend to give me a few minutes with the girls, I quietly asked her if she had taken the morning after pill. As tears rolled down her face she told me of her experience, how she had been so sad and depressed after taking it, and how her boyfriend was giving her no emotional support. I gave her a long hug. We spoke about post abortion healing, she thanked me for caring and promised to come back the next day to see me and talk some more.

Day 16 an Update on 40 Days For Life in the Abortion Capitol

On Wednesday September 23, the EMC Interns pulled out of the Crisis Pregnancy Centers and moved on to the side walk, for the 40 Days For Life Fall 2009 Campaign! Normally splitting their time between the two, the interns are focusing all of their attention for these forty days, on praying for an end to abortion. This year 40 Days in NYC is taking place at two sites; Dr, Emily's Women's Health Pavilion in the South Bronx and Abortion Row in Queens,Ny.

"Dr. Emily's": Don't be fooled by the name, there is no Dr. Emily. In fact, from what I understand, all of the abortionists are men that usually come form out of state to perform these deadly surgeries! We are present at this site on 'killing days' Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. On Saturdays, Pro-choice protesters under the guise of 'Clinic Escorts' chant slogans ("Hay Hay Ho Ho 40 Days has Got To Go" and "Not the Church, not the State, Women must decide their fate" or "Bigots go home, bigots go home!"), they taunt us, mock our prayers, and interrupt our conversations with women going into the clinic.

We have had a good turnout for our Peaceful Prayer Vigil, especially on Saturdays with many religious as well as lay people in attendance. Most recently the Sisters of Life and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal came to pray with us! We have even had media attention, last Saturday News12 the Bronx did a story on us, capturing video of peaceful prayer amidst loud chants of "Bigots go home, bigots go home".

Abortion Row: This site gets it's name from the travesty that is two abortion clinics almost side by side, separated only by a Dunkin Doughnuts restaurant! This unique neighborhood allows us the opportunity to take a much more educational approach to our presence. We set up a table on the sidewalk with Fetal Development Models, brochures, and a television playing educational videos about abortion and fetal development! We hand out pro-life literature and have taken part in many good conversations! Twice a week our Mobile Sonogram Unit is present and we are able to show abortion vulnerable women their child in utero and allow them to hear the heartbeat!

So many great things have taken place while we have been on the sidewalk! From praying for an end to abortion, to counseling post-abortion and abortion minded women, to comforting women in need of emotional support to choose life, to meeting the fruit of our hard work in the form of a beautiful baby boy saved by one of our sidewalk counselors! Our 40 Days For Life is successful already... and we are only on Day 16!

Protesting our Peaceful Prayer Vigil at Dr. Emily's Abortion Clinic

40 Days For Life in Photos

40 Days for Life in Queens, NY!



Marcela explaining a Dialation and Evacuation Abortion to a crowd of passers by at 40 Days for Life in Queens




Wadiya and Carmen in the Sonogram Bus!



With the Sisters Of Life at 40 Days For Life in the Bronx!

Pro-Abortion Violence

Today was the fourth day of our campaign. As every saturday we went to Dr. Emily´s to pray and try to counseil some girls. I need to say that today was a terrible day, more than 60 people pro-abortion stand up in the clinic, screaming, laughing at us, jelling. To be honest I felt terrible, some how my heart was a little broke, I felt so sadnes about this people holding this posters saying that "Abortion is Health Care", saying all these lies.
I think that Violence produce more violence, Abortion is a terrible violent act against the women and the child, and that has a reflection in the society, abortion broke the hope into the people make us believe that because the abortion is allowed is coz there is not another way, and that´s a big lie, but the sadnest part is that people believe that, nobady wants to effort nobady wants to fight for a better life. And the worst part, people say that they believe in God, but they don´t believe int what God tells to us.

God Bless You

Mar

FORTY DAYS FOR LIFE

Last wednesday "The Forty Days for life" prayer Campaign just started in all Unites States, and we weren´t the exception.
As every wednesday we went to Dr. Emily´s located in the Bronx and after that instead of going to our centers to give counseiling to the girls we went to another clinic in Queens, and we started to educate the comunity about abortion. It´s easy to see how is important to show the truth about the abortion to the people on the street, coz many people they don´t know how the baby looks like in the womb, or they don´t know anything about the abortion procedures, and when that you tought them, things become clear and it´s easy to support the prolife movement.

God Bless you, and pray for us during this important campaign for life.


Mar

Not Just a Blob of Tissue

In an age when our society has become so visual, we have lost sight of what it means to know... without seeing. At EMC we have found Fetal Development Models to be a great tool in this life saving work. With these, tiny, lifelike, babies, woman are able to visualize their child in the womb.

On the sidewalk outside of Dr. Emily's Woman's Health Center, people who would normally walk right by us, instead approach out of curiosity. They are trying to get a better look at the fetal models. This gives us the precious time that we need to educate abortion minded clients, about fetal development. The babies are also making an impact on the people who live and work in the neighborhood. They are always quite surprised to find out that a fetus is indeed not just a blob of tissue.

Counseling Couples

At times, working with couples can be tough especially when one or both of them want to have an abortion.
Today, one of the couples that we counseled both came in very sure about having an abortion but after a long talk with the girl she was very open to better things for her and her child.
When her boyfriend came into the room to watch the videos that we show about abortion procedures, he was very closed minded to the idea of keeping the child. By the end of the last video he was very upset and he was not listening to anything we were trying to say. Also, by that time I was upset too. At some point I wasn´t as polite as I should have been, and the guy started yelling at me and cursing at me in retaliation. However, for some reason God gave me the strength to stand up to him and ask for respect for me and the place. The funny thing is that the guy is big, but I for some reason wasn´t afraid, and I think that the reason was that God was there the whole time.
Anyway, I learned that as a counseler, we should try to be polite at all times and to also ask for respect in return.

They Didn't Think That Such A Place Exsisted.

Last Saturday three girls in their early teens visited our South Bronx office. Two fifteen year old best friends, and a thirteen year old little sister just tagging along. The two older girls were afraid that they might be pregnant, and it didn't take much time to find out that the thirteen year old was sexually active as well. While it was to early to tell if they were in fact pregnant, I took the oppertunity to have a talk with them.

I started out by asking them a few questions, "What do you like to do in your spare time?" followed by, "What are your hobbies?". These girls had talents ranging from cooking to dancing to swimming to organizing and singing! But the very first answer that I got was, "I like to chill with my boyfriend and my friends."

You may wonder why I would ask such seemingly trivial questions, when I could have been talking about Abstinence and Chastity. The answer is simply that, if a girl doesn't understand that she has more to offer in a relationship than her body, if she doesn't know her own self worth, than it is pretty hard to get her to wrap her mind around saving sex for marriage. For to long girls have been fed the lie, that the best thing about them is their body. My first task was to get them to believe the truth, that they are unique, talented, loving, giving and compassionate, young women that are capable of really and truly loving. I wanted to introduce to them the concept that to be loved by them is a gift indeed, and that the best things about them are their spirits and their minds.

Once we built this foundation of self worth, it no longer seemed so foriegn for a young man to love one of them without having access, to the precious gifts of her body. We talked about what it meant to be respected by the men in our lives. I watched beautiful tears fall from their eyes, as I told them stories of young women recieving respect from their boyfriends. The girls thought that good guys didn't exsist anymore. Well, I could vouch for it because the stories that I told were of my friends! We also touched on the true meaning of love, and what it would be like to be in a relationship with someone who, "willed the good of the other". We looked at the vast difference between being loved and being used.

Many more things were said, to numerous to write about while keeping your interest. But I will tell you this, these girls were hungering for someone to teach them. Over and over again, as I gave them theological, scientific, and practical reasons to save sex for marriage, one of them just kept repeating, "That's deep, that's deep."

We spent two hours laughing and crying, learning and growing, and singing! In the end we bonded. When it came down to it, they said that they didn't even think that there was such a place where they could go and get a pregnancy test, and have someone sit down and talk with them. I'm glad I could be there.

Coincidence? I think not.

Last week a lovely young woman walked into our office with both her grandmother and her five-month old son in tow. As they waited in the front room, she confided in me that she wanted an abortion for the six-week old pregnancy she currently carried.

We started filling out the intake form, and as I went through the questions I also asked others, wanting to get to know her this woman and her story. ¨How old is your baby?¨ I said, as I calculated her due date from the last question she had answered. ¨Five months,¨ she answered, ¨He was born on March 30.¨

¨Excuse me?¨ I said, ¨Did you just say March 30?¨

She nods yes.

¨Because that's the due date of this baby too.¨

Not too many minutes later, she´s beaming out in the front room as grandma cradles the five-month old and triumphantly calls the rest of the family concerning baby-to-be.

Protesters to the "Protesters"

Dr. Emily's in the South Bronx is an abortion clinic that supposedly helps women in a jam. Of course, they don't actually tell them what's going to happnen, after they've been put under for the procedure.

Over there summer there have been people that show up to escort these women in for abortions. Personally, I don't understand how they think their helping these women in the first place. I just wish these people were willing to weigh all of the evidence and then decide whether their really helping these women. Your never going to see one of them leave saying, thank you, in any form, nor will they be happy and the reason why is because they know they have just done something very wrong.

What a Surprise, What an Honor!

They had driven for two hours when they appeared in my office, late Monday morning. They came all the way from New Jersey to the Bronx. They came, seeking an abortion. What proceeded was an education in fetal development, the abortion procedure, and the risks and complication that it entailed.

Mom was 5 months pregnant! (Babies at this stage are fully formed and big, with a heartbeat, unique fingerprints, his or her own blood type, and well developed ears that can hear mom speak.) I showed her Fetal Development Models and pointed her to the one replicating a baby at 5 months gestation. She started to understand a little better, the gravity of her decision. As we watched a non-graphic, computer animated video of the abortion procedure, it became all the more clear to her.

Mom shuddered as she realized the facts. The baby was so far developed that it would be to big to remove the child from her womb whole and intact. It would have to be dismembered and taken out piece by piece. The thought was too much!

Mom and Dad: We're keeping it! We're not gonna do that!
Me: You think that is bad? You haven't even seen the real stuff.
Dad: What!?! You have a video of a real one?!
Me: Yes, I have a video of an actual abortion happening.
Mom: I want to see it, to make my decision stronger!

As I prepared the video called Harder Truth, I told them the story of Eduardo Verastegui, the movie Bella, and Dura Realidad (the Spanish version of Harder Truth). The star of Bella visited an abortion clinic while doing research for the movie, only to be asked by sidewalk counselors to talk with a Spanish speaking couple about to enter the clinic. As he spoke with them and showed them the video they decided to keep their child and didn't enter the clinic. Months later Eduardo was asked if he would mind them naming their son after him.

Needless to say the couple that walked into my office was very effected by this same video. It only solidified their decision to save their child's life. As we said our goodbyes, amidst hugs and promises of phone calls, they said something that I will remember for the rest of my life, "If it's a girl, we're gonna name her Heather!" What a surprise, what and honor!


Heather Nicole Keevers

Obama at Martha's Vineyard

First of all it's always hard to tell what your going to get whenever you deal with Obama. But then there are people that think we should just leave him alone on his vacation. Perhaps these same people are not aware that Obama held a press conference while on this vacation or that he continues to support Planned Parenthood and NARAL while on his vacation. While Obama may have spent time away from the Whitehouse, as a future Presidential hopeful I can tell you that the President of the United States of America never truly takes a vacation while he is the President.
Well never fear there were eight of us that let Obama know that "life begins in the womb" by holding up banners a quarter of a mile from where Obama's family was staying on the Blue Heron Farm.

Not Many Words Were Needed

A 19 years old girl came to our office last week, with her mind set on abortion. But as she had an open mind and heart, she was able to clearly see the facts, how abortion destroys an inocent human life, as soon as she realised it was a baby , involved in the decision, immediately turned around and decided to keep it. Her problems still there, but she realised that abortion is by no means the easy "solution" she thought..., and now we are helping her to work out a plan where her baby is part of it!

First Week

I just came here almost two weeks ago, and I had never done pregnancy counseiling. At the begining I was nervious and I didn´t know how be strong showing the videos, or even being tough with the girls because sometime is needed it. I was afraid of stand up outside of thi clinics (well I am still coz you never know how the reactions can be), but suddenly I´ve learn to trust completely in God, how HE is providing the strength and the wise to have the right words to change girl´s mind and that open their hearts.