The Road Goes Ever on and on

Even today, New Years Eve, when we should all be home, writing our resolutions, drinking our hot cocoa, enjoying the last few hours of 2009: women, girls will seek abortions.

I only spoke with one girl today, a fourteen year-old in a pregnancy scare. I couldn’t help thinking, my little sister is 14. My little sister is a freshman in high school. She’s my kid sister. She loves drawing and painting and dragons and cats and plays trumpet and goes to sleep by 9 o’clock. How strikingly different is this young lady. At fourteen, experiencing a pregnancy scare. We spoke about abstinence, second virginity, recommitting to purity. We discussed abortion and all that entails. She left with the results of her pregnancy test, negative, and a better understanding of her worth. She was thoroughly convinced abortion is something she will never seek.

Education, information, caring, consulting, sharing, this is an endless circle that is begun anew each time a woman comes to call at the EMC Center. So each day, a fresh, smiling face is needed to greet whatever comes our way: only God can give reasons for such smiles.

Today at Linda's

Today, a girl came in wanting a pregnancy test. Linda automatically said,"Ok Jennie, shes yours, handle it." I asked God to help me since I didn't know where to start. So the first question I asked her was, "So, where do you go to school?" She answered only for me to realize that we had the same circle of friends! I was quite suprised about what she knew. Right then and there I knew that was what I needed to feel comfortable. I told her about the different procedures and everything she shuld know. She started crying and said I was very understanding, and that I was the person she needed to convince her. I'm proud to say that she will not be having the abortion. I end this with, "You never know who you run into, you might just make a big difference in one's life." In this case, it was a HUGE DIFFERENCE.

The Power of the Mind

Today I was in the Bronx office, the others were doing some counseling with a couple.

The man was reacting to what was said, but the woman was unresponsive. She seemed unmoved, no sound, no word, she sat as if frozen, only occasionally glancing at her man..I admit, it made my blood boil to see this behavior, so I began to quietly talk to her, and she started to answer my questions, and show some emotion. In the end she realized what was my purpose and was open to continuing the session.

It is amazing how humans can block their feelings and behave as if it were nothing to get an abortion..

Of Course

The day dawned dark, lightning and thunder broke across the sky! Well, the weather wasn’t that ominous…but the air was cold and unforgiving. The wind snuck into the small gaps between my gloves and jacket, nipping my wrists ruthlessly. I walked out of the subway station, across the street and into the Pregnancy Center. ‘It will be a busy day,’ I thought.

One young lady came in who seemed to know everything I or Liz would say, “Have you thought of baby names?” “Of course.” “Abortion is unsafe and dangerous for women and children.” “Of course.” She was a chorus of “Yes, I know”s and “Of course”s…she knew it all. We had nothing to teach her. Her heart was hard and her mind closed. I was disheartened by conversation with her.

And then God sent a little angel wrapped in the womb of her scared mother. This mother was a caring woman, with a daughter at home and two in heaven, victims of previous abortions. She herself, was intent on getting another. The mother spoke for a time, and gradually God opened her eyes to the love and opportunity for her child in the womb. She recounted a dream she had had a week before: snarling abortionists at the mill dangling an aborted fetus above the receptionist desk and gleefully smiling at her, beckoning her forward for her abortion. God brought her to the Pregnancy Center for a reason.

Does God love her?

Did she decide for life?

Of course.

Christmas Parties

The interns and I spent last week preparing for three major parties; one in Queens, one in Brooklyn, and one in the Bronx. We spent time wrapping presents and preparing for these parties. The first party was held in Queens. The party started off with food being served. Then a lovely musician entertained us with music in Spanish. The night was full of smiles, picture taking and laughter. I even got to meet some of the babies that were saved from abortion. It’s a blessing to know that these beautiful babies were saved from the knife of the doctor. Later on presents were given out and I was pleased and satisfied to see the smiles of the kids. They are such humble kids. They really loved their presents.
The second party was held in Brooklyn which was the biggest of all the partie being thrown. There was music, food courtesy of Court Order, and lots of presents. Once again I looked forward to present time because the smiles of the kids gave me joy. That was all I needed to see that night.
The third party was on Monday night in the Bronx. The Franciscan Friars gave us the use of their hall at St Crispin´s friary. Again we had many happy moms and kids and great fried chicken, too! And, of course, Santa made an appearance to give presents to the delighted children (the basketballs were a big hit with the older boys!)
I am happy to that all parties were a success. Teamwork was what we need to make the parties a success.

The wonder of twins

A woman of the age of 18 came to our Brooklyn Center in hopes for an abortion. She was bent on getting the abortion when Linda offered to give her a free sonogram. The girl found out that she was having twins, boys I might add. I could see one sucking his thumb and the other moving around. Linda quickly asked, “Do you want to see a miracle?” the woman answered “yes”. So Linda asked her to put her had on her belly and both babies reached for the mothers had. The mother started crying and said, “NO! I can’t kill these babies, not these ones. They know I’m here!” I myself was amazed at what I saw. I quickly thanked God for saving those babies from the knife of the doctor.

Watch Your Step!

It’s a bit chilly outside, and a bit rainy. It’s the day after Christmas and the abortion mill is open and we’re there. We’re there. Pacing, praying, helping, A beautiful rosary said, and continuous prayer throughout the morning. And I notice something.

Among the sloshy snow, the wet ground and the damp sky- there’s a few messes on the line of the fence of the abortion mill. A few messes left by four-footed passerby. Little presents for the mill. Little, very appropriate presents. It struck me as ironically humorous that little dogs know what to think of an abortion mill and people do not. Little dogs know the proper regard to give the mill and people defend and even cherish its existence.

Compared to people, dogs are simple creatures. Simple needs. Simple minds. And they’ve got abortion mills figured out. When are people going to regard the abortion facility the same way?

The Best Christmas Gift

While one may think that society is casting aside its religious values because of materialism, counseling abortion-minded women shows me that Christmas is not merely about consumerism, but still has a strong spiritual foundation. Most mothers honor this holy season and will strive toward the union of their families and, at least by my experience in EMC’s offices, feel uncomfortable planning abortions at Christmas time.

It is notable that people who could arrange for an abortion at any other time of the year are reluctant to do so during the Christmas season. This attitude can be explained by the spiritual dimension of life still actively present in humanity. Although there are many attempts to belittle it, Christmas is another example of the importance of faith in our lives; its meaning goes far deeper than the gifts, the Christmas tree, the Santa Claus. This celebration represents unity, hope, and peace. Regardless of the cultural or historical aspects of Christmas, the deepest meaning is very much alive.

Most people welcome this yearly opportunity to hold family gatherings and give presents to their loved ones, making themselves “present” in their gifts. The usefulness of the gift is not what matters, the authentic value of a gift is the measure of presence of the giver that it provides to the receipent. This gives sense to the useless gift, like the ring that the husband gives to her wife. Whatever the value of a gift, the best present that anyone can receive for Christmas is life; and we should be very happy to know that many mothers at this time are giving that present, preferring life over death.

A Bit of Information Brings Awareness

Last Friday, while witnessing on the street near one of the abortion clinics in the Bronx, I watched as a woman walked uncertainly toward the entrance. Her face was flushed from the cold, and she already wore an expression of grief and loss.

I approached to speak with her. She told me that she was there to get an abortion; she did not know what else she could do since her economic situation was not good, and the father did not want to have the baby. We talked a while and I explained about the risks and consequences of an abortion, what the abortionist would do to her body and her baby. She was surprised and concerned by all physical and psychological risks that could occur; she thought it was “just a simple operation”.

Before she entered the clinic, I offered all the help of our organization and gave her the contact information for our centers. I saw in her eyes that something had changed. She said goodbye tearfully, and I was deeply touched by her emotion. I pray that it was genuine and sustained her in making a decision for life.

A Man Acknowledges his Child in the Womb

It is common to see men dragging in their girlfriends. I see it all the time, in fact, every time I go out to the abortion mill I witness to that. It's sad when men do not acknowledge their child's existence in the womb. It's even sadder when he thinks he had nothing to do with the child while biology proves that he had half of everything to do with that child. Although this is common, it is not entirely true for with all men who come in to the abortion mill with their girlfriend.

I particularly remember speaking to a young man whom at first tried to justify abortion in his case. "She's sick, the baby might have autism or something, and you know... having the baby is not healthy for her, and plus... economy is bad" is what he repeatedly told me. After giving him some time to justify the decision to abort, I begin to inquire a series of questions. "Doesn't it suck, to know that we have to make a decision to kill our child when it comes to money? Is money worth any value, when people are dying because of it? It doesn't make sense, and that's something to think about. If you are going to let economy and our society be the decider of your child's life, than you are not doing your job as a father and a man," are some of the things I would say to him. Of course, I didn't ask these questions one after the other, but I asked these questions to help guide his thoughts and decisions. In the end, I learned that he did desire to play a role as man, a provider and protector, but giving his girlfriend "support" in abortion does not entitle his role as a man at all. When he realized this, he also realized that abortion was not what he really wanted. He only felt that it was the best thing to do, but it's not at all what he wanted. As our conversation came to an end, I offered him the services we provide, and we said our goodbyes.

I left the abortion mill, and prayed for him. While waiting at the metro bus, I receive a phone call from a sidewalk counselor that stayed behind. I heard his voice over the phone, and he told me "Tina, I tried. I came back and told her everything you told me. I even told her to put our child up for adoption, but she made up her mind. I don't know what to do..." My heart broke for him, for his girlfriend, and most importantly, for that unborn child.

Although that innocent unborn baby did not get the chance to be born, I do not feel as if all of the time I spent with this young man was a waste. Though it hurts, he can no longer justify abortion, because he knows the truth.

"True love causes pain.
Jesus, in order to give us the proof of his love, died on the cross.
A mother, in order to give birth to her baby, has to suffer.
If you really love one another, you will not be able to avoid making sacrifices." -Mother Teresa

Happy Faces at Christmas Time

During this past week we've had Christmas celebrations in our centers. Women and their children whom we have been blessed to help were invited to come to the parties.
All the children had happy faces. They lunched, played and waited patiently for Santa to arrive. When he appeared, the children's faces lit up with a great expression of joy. All received Christmas presents, but we, the staff and volunteers, got the best gift of all, in seeing the result of our daily effort. To see these children fills us with pride and give us greater desire to fight for the lives of the unborn for the coming year when we will have many more children in our party.
At this season of Christmas, we give thanks to God and ask him to continue to guide us in our daily tasks.

What Most Surprised Me About Abortion

I have been Pro-life for as long as I can remember. I was blessed to have parents that taught me a sense of right and wrong and taught me to think logically from an early age. When I think back to my childhood, I can remember many a Saturday afternoon spent with one of my parents praying the Rosary outside of the local abortion clinic. In the past I've given pro-life presentations and even been involved in grassroots efforts to pass legislature that would protect young girls from being prayed upon by the big buisness of the Abortion Industry coupled with statutory rapist boyfriends. Even after all of these experiences, the thing that most surprised me once I came to do this pro-life work with EMC, is exactly how many women submit to abortions under pressure.
Quite often it happens that her boyfriend has told her that she has to get an abortion, sometimes threatening to leave her, telling her that she is selfish is she doesn't abort, or using other emotionally manipulative behavior. If he doesn't directly tell her to have an abortion, he may apply a more indirect pressure by telling her that it's up to her. The heart of a woman however would rather hear the man that she loves, profess his love and support for her than put everything on her shoulders. When a woman hears "It's up to you." she feels alone, and that is the last thing that she needs when facing a crisis pregnancy. A man is meant to protect and support his family, forsaking his wants and desires for the safety and well being of his loved ones. She is pregnant, therefore she is a mother and he is a father and this child is their family. There is a sense of violation involved when she is pressured into ending the life of her baby. This is just another reason why women deserve better than abortion.

Honoring the Miracle Babies

Many of our clients came to us considering abortion. Often they felt trapped because of tough financial circumstances. During this season, when money can get even tighter, parents start to worry about just how to make their children’s Christmas special. The heart of the Christmas season is spending time with the people whom you love, and giving back to those that are less fortunate than you, and honoring God for the miracle that was the baby Jesus.

Here at EMC, we are fortunate to maintain lasting relationships with the women that we counsel. Quite often our past clients will bring their children by the Pregnancy Center on a whim, just to visit and show us how much the kids have grown! We receive pictures in the mail and invitations to baby showers, and often see the moms when they come to the center for resources like winter coats for the kids! Every year at this time we host our Annual Christmas Parties, the guests of honor are the mothers and their children! Over the next few days the other interns and I will spend our free time wrapping gifts for these miracle babies. Hoping to make theIr Chistmas, that much brighter.

¨Good Job!¨

We were standing near the abortion clinic on Southern Boulevard when two young Latina women arrived, one, it turns out, was there for an abortion; the other was post-abortive. Right away, Heather began to talk with them and they spoke together for quite a while. Than a third woman came along, Julie took over for Heather. She spoke with the two girls and convinced them to go to our office in the Bronx. I accompanied them to the center; while we rode in the taxi, I also had a chance to speak with them.

Liz, the office director, began to talk with the woman who was seeking an abortion and I with the other woman who had an abortion just last month. After they both watched a non-graphic computer animated video about the abortion procedure, we continued our conversation.

Thank God for Heather, Julie, and Liz. I know the women were touched and realized their mistakes, because they were moved to tears.

I just wanted to acknowledge the great work done by Heather, Julie, and Liz, and say, ¨Good job!¨

Hard Reality

Today a Mexican woman came into the office. She was very poor and desperate, and had had horrific experiences which she shared with me. She has 3 children, but they were left behind in Mexico. She was 11 weeks pregnant and seeking an abortion; her rationale was that she is alone and her partner has left her, telling her he already has a family in the U.S.!
I felt so sorry for her, and yet could not comprehend how a woman who has gone through such hell could think of adding to that by aborting her own child. I let her know what help was available for her various problems, and scheduled her for a sonogram. God bless her and keep her close.

Innocent Blood

Something happened last night in the South Bronx. We don´t know exactly what, but the evidence was there this morning. In front of the façade door of Dr. Emily’s Abortion Clinic was a puddle of blood. I don’t know what that blood was coming from. But that made me think. Of course that blood was coming from someone else but in my head that blood was the blood of the children that are killed by abortion. Are these murders legal? Yes they are. On the contrary, if we put a foot over the line for sure we will be six month in jail. What’s wrong here? But that’s not my point; my point is how many babies are going to be killed before we stop this, before we make abortion illegal? When are we going to realise that we can´t be indifferent when the life of a child hangs in the balance? Come on, guys! we have to change this, and we have to change it now.

The Power of Prayer

This time I am not telling you a story about a specific person, but about the women that we see in general.

When we go to the abortion mill and we try to talk to the women that are going in, sometimes they don´t listen to us. Or if they do, they don't have the time to understand what are we trying to say. In these moments, prayer is the only means we can rely on.

Well , SOMEHOW some of these girls that don´t want to talk to us end up come out of the abortion clinic keeping their baby. Why? Yes, they changed their minds about having the abortion, but, the real question is, what changed their minds when we can't reach them and no one is else trying to help them as we do?

The only answer is that God touches them through our prayers; He can reach what we can´t, the inside of the clinic and the inside of their hearts. When our words and presence fail to help them choose life, God makes a way and somehow our prayers and yours play a part in this.

Lives Saved and Hearts Changed

Looking back on our time here with EMC, we are filled with great memories.
We have been blessed to work along side many wonderful pro-life people from a variety of different backgrounds. We have forged lifelong friendships with people who have greatly encouraged us on our prolife mission.

My fellow interns come from many different cultures, but we all have the same goal in mind; to save the lives of children and help women in need. Seeing this goal come to fruition has been the most rewarding experience of our stay in New York City.
To see lives saved and hearts changed, how beautiful!

The Pro-lifers of Tomorrow

Ray and I were invited to speak to a group of High School students at St. Raymond´s school for boys in the Bronx. I was very impressed with these young, dedicated pro-lifers. There was a basketball game being played in the gym at the same time as our talk. These boys could have easily been enjoying the game, but instead they chose to help tackle the issue of abortion and its assault on human dignity.



Ray spoke about his calling from God to switch from Real Estate Agent to full time Pro-life Activist. He also told us about the many ways that the Lord has blessed him for answering this call. I brought Fetal Development Models to share with the students, and told them about my experiences in the Pro-life movement, but especially about my work with EMC. We talked about the mindset of an abortion-minded girl, as well as the many pressures she is under. The whole evening culminated in a beautiful prayer vigil at Dr. Emily’s Abortion Clinic. As we stood in the cold, our rosaries in hand and prayers on our lips, the candles flickering in the wind, I thanked God for the courage of these young men. These students are the pro-lifers of tomorrow.

When a Child Lives

We love talking with many people. This aspect of our work here comes naturally. Consulting with a woman in a crisis pregnancy, on the other hand, is a different matter, because it is so difficult and important. It is not easy at all. They are most often in the middle of a serious situation, such as an unexpected pregnancy, feeling unprepared for parenthood, or being pressured by a boyfriend or family member to abort her baby. Many are already suffering from a previous abortion.

We have learned here how to approach and talk with these troubled women. Yes, it is difficult, but it is so incredibly rewarding when a child lives because of something we said, it makes the long hours and disappointments fade in comparison. That is why it is so important to listen to the woman and pray and ask God to speak through us. There is so much at stake.

We are very grateful to have had this opportunity to come to New York city, to learn how to share the truth about abortion and help women make a better choice.

Encouraged to Keep Up the Fight

This past week, I have been counseling women in crisis pregnancy. The first of these was a woman from Santo Domingo. I was assigned to advise her since she did not speak English. At first she was a little hesitant about talking to a man, but gradually a very positive connection was made between us as she grew confident and opened her heart to me.

Her situation was very difficult; she gave birth to a son 6 months ago, and there were a series of medical problems during her pregnancy that nearly caused her to miscarry. She told me with tears in her eyes that she could not have another baby at this time. We talked for a while about the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of abortion, and,gradually, she realized that what she was planning to do was not the right answer. Already she was suffering thinking about what she had intended to do, knowing it was against her beliefs. She felt this separated her from the Lord. We spoke about God´s love and mercy, and after our conversation she knew she had to resume her relationship with God, asking His forgiveness.

It was a deeply emotional experience for me when she decided to change her mind and not have an abortion. I felt great inner satisfaction and I am even more encouraged to continue fighting for the unborn and their precious mothers.

Satisfaction in My Soul

Never in my life have I been so proud of my work as I have been over these past four and a half months! I won’t lie, it´s a tough job. Everyday I know that there will be a young lady sitting in my office, basically telling me that she wants to kill her child. However, the good far outweighs the bad. The joy that comes from helping a mother to choose LIFE for her unborn child is almost beyond belief! The knowledge that I have helped a woman walk from the emotional trauma that comes with an abortion, gives me a satisfaction that I think will never go away.

Yesterday while following up with some of my clients I received some fantastic news!!! I couldn´t help but smile! Two of my girls have decided to keep their children! To get this news that not just one but two of these beautiful young ladies are keeping, and all in the same day was great! Only one more thing could add to the joy, and it happened! A girl who weeks earlier abortion minded, returned with a sonogram picture for me and the gift of life for her child.

A Mother and Daughter

Today I went to do sidewalk counseling at the abortion mill. It was busy, and we helped a girl keep her baby.

She was 17 years old and was there with her mother. The girl didn´t want an abortion, but the mother was pressuring her to have it.

I asked her if she regretted having her daughter and she started talking about the usual justifications: she is so young, she is not prepared, etc…

I listen to her for a while and tried to convince her to let her daughter keep the baby, but it is so difficult to convince a mother not to tell her daughter to have an abortion.

So I finally got a little angry and said firmly, ¨A mom should take care of her family and what you are doing is pushing your daughter to do something she will regret forever! Forever!¨

Her eyes started to tear up, then she started crying and said, ¨Help me, help me please. I don´t know what I am doing.¨ So I talked for an hour with her after that and she finally decided to let her daughter keep the baby.

Divided Decision, Divided Heart

Everyday as a prolife person I learn something new. Today I realised how the decision of having an abortion affects not only the baby and mother, but the mom and dad as a couple.

On the one hand, there was a dad pushing a stroller outside the clinic, giving his born child a ride. But inside was the mother having an abortion. We stopped the guy and started talking to him about that. Did he want this? No, he didn’t. This was his girlfriend´s choice. And that was when I realised that the father is affected by the abortion decision as much as a woman is. I saw him broken, he was glum. I felt sorry for him. The girl didn’t think about his wanting the baby, she just thought of herself.

On the other hand, there was a couple that passed by and went inside the clinic not stopping to listen to us. They just said that they made a decision and that was it. But the surprise was when we saw them coming out the clinic door saying that they are having the baby after all. Coincidence? I don´t think so. God worked through us, just by us being there as witnesses.

Teaching a lesson

Today I went to our center in Brooklyn. It was my first time there and I didn't know how they work there because (although they do pretty much the same job) there are little differences between the offices. I walked into the office and there she was: Linda, the woman in charge of the office. The minute I went in she was giving instructions to everybody and going from one room to another.

She told me to go into one the sonogram room to see a miracle. She asked a pregnant woman to hold her baby´s hand. So the woman, trying to understand what that ment, put her hand on her own belly and told her preborn baby several times, "Hold mommy´s hand".

We saw in the sonogram how the baby, instead of putting his hand up to meet the mother´s hand, raised his foot and held his foot against her hand! We all thought that was funny and we started laughing. The mom was so happy and she said her baby was going to be a soccer player :)

After a whole day of work at the Brooklyn office I could say that Linda is a strong woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. A good leader I thought. As good leaders do, she shared her enthusiasm with me and I learned a new lesson: the only way to touch the hearts of women is to have empathy for their pain and troubles; then you can talk to them heart to heart.

The Last Hope

It’s cold. We arrive at the sidewalk. We´re sleepy. Another day of work. What can mark the difference between today and yesterday? Babies, they are always the difference. The difference of a life. The difference of a decision, the difference between a yes or a no.
It’s cold. ‘Can I speak with you for a sec Mami? We can help you’. She walks away. We are still outside. It’s cold. A guy comes to me and says: “You are the babies´ hope. Keep doing it”.
‘Thank you’, I think to myself. We are the babies´ hope. We are their last hope. We are the hope between them and the clinic. Let’s keep doing this. Let’s be the difference.
It’s cold. But all we know is that this is what we have to do, be HOPE.

Why I Came to NYC to Volunteer

Hello, my name is Santiago. I'm from Spain and learned about the pro-life movement through my daughter, Tatiana, who was here this past August as an intern. She told me about this organization and the great work they do on behalf of the unborn and their parents,and the wonderful experiences that she had everyday here in NYC.

I was impressed by her enthusiasm for both the organization and the entire team - Chris, Julie, Liz, Trisha, Heather and other colleagues. I felt that I wanted to have the same experience in volunteering and personally meeting this team.

I travelled from Madrid to New York with great excitement and here I have been received by all with open arms. I am thankful for the warm reception - only a few days here and already it seems like family. I am also thankful for this great opportunity which gives me the chance to help pregnant women and their unborn babies; I hope with God's help to become a part of the team.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Today is Thanksgiving day in America and we didn´t go to work. We had a lot of fun.

We woke up early in the morning and went so see the Thanksgiving parade in Manhattan. To those who don´t know what that is, it is a parade of floats and big balloons, gigantic balloons! There are also famous singers like Carly Simon and Andrea Boccelli. It is put on by Macy´s and they´ve been doing for 77 years. Those balloons were amazing and we took a lot of pictures. It is a review of the pop culture over the past 77 years. Sponge Bob, Mickey Mouse, Spiderman and more.

After that exciting experience, around 1:00 pm we went to have a snack before going to the best show I´ve ever been. We went to see the “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Hall. The famous Rockettes were performing. It was awesome.

Then we went to mass at Saint Patricks and afterwards to see some decorated store windows on fifth avenue, until we got hungry. Even though we didn´t have the traditional turkey dinner we had a great meal in Chinatown.

It was a really nice day for all of us. As Chris (our boss) says, if you work hard, play hard.

Pressured by her Boyfriend to Abort

The morning air was filled with mist and fog. Girl after girl walked right past me ignoring my offers of help. I turned around and there she was, I didn´t even see her get out of the cab.

I introduced myself and asked her if she had an appointment for an abortion. She said she didn´t, but that she was 5 months pregnant and didn´t want the baby. She already had one at home. I asked her if she really wanted to have an abortion, and that´s when she told me that her boyfriend was the one that wanted her to get it. She didn´t know much about the surgery so I started to tell her about it. At 5 months the likely procedure was a Dilation and Evacuation. She was unaware that this meant that her tiny child would be dismembered, literally torn limb from limb inside her womb.

As I told her about Post Abortion Syndrome she seemed all to familiar with the symptoms. I knew that if I didn´t address her past abortion, than I would lose her. ¨Did you have an abortion before?¨ ¨Yes.¨ she said. ¨How did you feel afterwards?¨ I asked, ¨Sad, depressed…¨ she said as tears filled her eyes. We hugged. ¨You don´t want to feel that way again!¨ ¨I know, I know. But it´s the only way, I have no choice. I almost aborted my son too. I didn´t want to, but my boyfriend was pressuring me.¨ She said that she lied and told him she had the abortion. She carried her son to term. In the beginning he wasn´t happy about it, but he loved his son.

Now she was pregnant again and faced with the same situation, but this time she had me on her side. We talked for many hours and I offered time and time again for her to accompany me to our nearby Crisis Pregnancy Center. She didnt want to come, so in the end I treated her lunch at a nearby pizza place and we came up with a plan. She would bring her boyfriend into our center in about a week to meet with me and I would let him know exactly what he wanted his girlfriend to do. If he really loved her than there would be no way that he would ask her to go through with the abortion. We wanted him to know the risks and complications involved, as well as some simple facts about fetal development. She and I exchanged phone numbers and it is my hope that I can help her to regain her power and self confidence so that never again will she be willing to go through such an ordeal just because someone else wants her to. Pray for this young family please.

One Rainy Day in November

On a rainy day in Brooklyn, a young lady and a young man came into our office. We gave her a sonogram; she was 18 weeks pregnant. At 18 weeks a baby can hear her mommy's voice. Linda talked to the girl's mother on the phone, because the girl was afraid to tell her mother. At first she yelled at Linda saying she wanted her daughter to get an abortion, but eventually she broke down and cried. (Actually, this kind of things happen all the time here.)

Linda didn't give up talking with the mother - she kept trying to help the mother understand and change her mind. What really surprised us was that Linda and the mother became friends after talking quite a while.

In the end the young lady was going to keep her baby and her mother is supportive and is looking forward to holding her grandchild. She is going to do her prenatal care at our office. Linda is going to do what she can do help find the baby's father a job. She also put them in touch with the Sisters of Life for ongoing support.

What a happy ending.

Standing in the Face of Adversity

I saw her exit the abortion clinic through the back door; she was perhaps 16 or 17 years old. I motioned for her to come over to talk. She left her mother´s side and approached me. I asked if she would like to keep her baby. She replied, "Yeah; the problem is it´s (the baby) my cousin´s." The look on her face told me that she really wanted the baby. She went back to her mother who was standing with a couple. I could see them trying to persuade her to go back into the abortion place, but she -I'll call her "Rosa" - was refusing to budge.

After a good half hour of their taking turns trying to convince her, a car suddenly pulled into the lot and a couple got out and headed toward the small group. I waved and they came over to see me, but as soon as they realized I was a "pro-lifer", the man stalked off saying, "I'll take care of this!" He grabbed Rosa by the arm and started dragging her toward the clinic door. Meanwhile, the woman was telling me she was the aunt and had come to "save Rosa from her mother", but I knew she was lying and also thought the girl should terminate the new life growing within her.

Rosa was able to pull free of the man´s grasp and retreated. At this point, he decided on a different approach, gently touching her arm and trying to coax her into the clinic. Rosa stood, looking down, arms folded, as if hugging herself, and shook her head "No". Then the adults, in between hurling insults at me, started on her again; all the while Rosa was crying, yet somehow fighting off their attempts to weaken her resolve. Eventually, they all left.

I do not know what will happen to Rosa and her unborn baby, she may in the end give way under such unrelenting pressure; I can only pray for her now. But I was deeply touched by this immense display of courage from such a young woman. This is the heart of true motherly love, that, whatever the circumstances or difficulties, she stands strong and defends her child, not considering the sacrifice or struggle involved.

What a day!!

Today was very busy at Dr. Emily´s abortion office in the Bronx, and we were short one helper. There were just 3 of us to be there for the women: two at the front door and me at the backdoor, alone.

Thirty girls went into the abortion clinic today!! You’ve got to be paying attention 200% to every girl that comes along next. We felt as if someone had thrown five balls at one time and we had to catch them all. There were times I had to watch a girl pass by on her way into the clinic as I spoke with another one.

But wait, this is not a bad story. I don’t know how, but at the end of the day, there had been five women who made a choice for life! FIVE! We couldn’t believe it. I said to Julie, one of the other counselors, “What did you say? That girl leaving is not having an abortion.” and she said, “Nothing, I just handed her a brochure as she passed by.” And then Julie asked me, “what about her? she just told me that she is keeping her baby, too!” I replied, “Well, I talked with her, but I thought for sure she was having the abortion…”

So there were we, amazed, trying to understand why these girls today were keeping their babies.

What I learned from this experience is that one word, helped by prayer, will make a difference in the life of a young woman, if you have faith and don't give up.

We will be there for the women every morning; please be there for us in your prayers.

Little Lives Bring Happiness to the People.

Today was such a busy day at our clinic in Brooklyn, NY. Many young women visited us. It is always an exciting occasion, as was today, when mothers bring their babies into meet us, especially when she was previously considering abortion.

Many girls come to our office undecided about what to do with their pregnancy, very often they are considering abortion. Often times they look very gloomy. However, today, a young woman brought her newborn baby in to the clinic. He brought such joy to the faces of the clients and workers! Everyone smiled! The baby was just 8 days old, so tiny and so cute. Everytime this adorable little child frowned his face, everybody Oohed and Ahhed, everybody wanted to hold him. The young girls who were considering abortion smiled a lot, looking at the baby. The baby just made everybody happy and brought such love in that center. Watching all of this I thought to myself, ¨This little child is like a King! Everyone wants to be around him!¨ He brought to my mind the Baby Jesus. The baby changed whole atomosphere of the clinic.

The other day another woman brought her child in to visit. This beautiful little girl with big, pretty, dark, eyes was once in danger of being aborted! The baby is so beautiful and she is a survivor. Now Mom wants to have another baby so she came to the center to be help.

Eeverybody in the center, was so happy to meet these little survivors of abortion. They are just lovely, and cute. They have a power to make poeple smile even though they don't really say anything.

With the two babies visiting, it gave me an even stronger conviction, that we must offer women options to abortion, life hangs in the balance.

A Change of Heart

It was cold when we left the Lifehouse early that morning, and by the time we arrived at the abortion mill we were freezing and sleepy.

We didn´t have time to eat breakfast before leaving the house and we started thinking about the rumbling in our stomachs. We´re not supposed to leave the entrances without counselors, but when you´re starving and you´re cold it can be very tempting to disregard directions. However, we stayed there knowing that directions are given for a reason.

That reason came walking up to the clinic door: A couple came five seconds after we decided to stay and not give into the temptation of breakfast. We spoke to the woman, but she passed by uninterested. The guy however, stopped and spoke to us for just two minuets, and we knew in that short time that he didn´t want his girlfriend to have the abortion. Then he followed her into the clinic.

They came out of the abortion mill 5 minutes later and left. I walked behind them, speeding up to catch them because they were pretty far away. The guy listened to me again, but he didn´t say a word. What was going on?

About an hour later the couple came back again, and they went inside. The guy looked at me with helplessness in his eyes as he followed his girlfriend in. Within twenty minutes they were back outside again. We needed to know what was going on. We were not going to go home without an answer. This time the couple motioned to us to come over. ¨We know Mom, that you don´t want to talk to us, we just want to help. This is not the way, this is not the answer to your problems.¨ ¨I already have a son, I can´t take care of a new one.¨ she said. So we asked the boyfriend if he would help her with the son and he said “Yes” in a quiet voice. So we thought, ¨Let´s make this guy say that a little louder, she needs to know that she has his support, she could use the encouragement.¨ As he said it, she looked at him and started to cry. It was a different kind of crying, a peace-filled crying. They got in the car, smiled at us, and left.

We don´t know what happened next, we did our best and something changed in their hearts, we could tell.

Her Child Had a Price on it´s Head; Mommy Are You Going to Kill My Little Brother or Sister? Part 2

¨I asked her what her family thought about her pregnancy and what they thought she should do. Her mother was against abortion and wanted her to keep the baby. Just the emotional support she needed! Her three year old daughter just hours earlier had said, ¨Mommy, are you going to have an abortion? Are you going to kill my baby brother or sister?¨

Oh my goodness, Mama are you serious?¨ I said. ¨What does your three year old know about abortion? Have you ever mentioned it to her before? Have you spoken of it in front of her?¨I asked. She told me that never in her life had she told her daughter about abortion. ¨You know that´s God, right?!? Sometimes he speaks through the smallest and most innocent.¨ I asked her what her daughter wanted her to do? Did she want her mom to have an abortion? We talked about what it would be like to have to face her daughter one day and tell her that her little brother or sister was dead because of a choice that she made.

By this time it was getting late and I should have closed up the office at least an hour before, but I knew that this was to important to go home. Her child´s life and her happiness were hanging in the balance. So we continued. I told her what would happen if she had an abortion, how she would be treated by the staff, how they would turn the sonogram screen away from her to hide her child´s humanity, and how much money her baby was worth to the clinic. To the Clinic Staff her child had a price on it´s head.

We talked about the abortion procedure itself and all of the risks and complications that it would expose her body to, not to mention what it would do to the tiny body of her baby. She didn´t know, and when I told her it was almost too much to believe. She had never been told about the havoc that this surgery could reap on her uterus, or that abortion gives a woman a higher risk of Ectopic Pregnancy, and she had never even heard of an Abortion Induced Embolism before. She started to weigh the risks. Could she put herself in such danger? After all, she had two small children at home that needed their mom.

At about this time her boyfriend returned from his walk. He sat down and she asked me to tell him about some of the things we had just spoken of. We talked for a long time. Before we said goodbye, I told them that there was something that they needed to see. It was hard to see, it was graphic, it was a video of abortion. If they were considering abortion, than they should know exactly what it is, what it does, and what it looks like so that they could make an informed decision. They said they wanted to see it. As they watched the video, it became apparent that abortion was not for he! ¨They´re gonna do that to me? Ï can´t do that to my baby!¨ He was not pleased. I made an appointment for her for a free sonogram and we hugged and said goodbye. Before they left I told him, ¨You´re angry that she met me aren´t you?¨ ¨No.¨ he said and they left my office. I closed up and made my way to the bus stop in the dark. As I sat on that bus, I was tired but happy, a satisfaction deep down in my spirit. I had stayed late, but in doing so I helped to change a woman´s mind and save her child´s life.


To be Continued......

Worst Atmosphere Leads to Prayer to God

We went to the Dr. Emily abortion clinic the other day as usual. It was raining and cold outside. Our feet were wet, freezing and sore. However, it was important that we be there; many babies die in that place because their mothers do not know the truth about the abortion procedure or even about fetal development.

Sadly, even though we tried to talk with the girls to help them, most of them were unwilling to talk with us that day. They would hurry past or make angry remarks or shake their heads as they walked by. The young women who come to the offices for a pregnancy test are often confused and undecided, but the ones who walk into the clinic have generally already made up their minds to abort. But even so, it is worth being there for the ones who will listen.

Whenever we stand outside of the building, we have a sense of emptiness and darkness as if it were a prison or abandoned factory. So we have to keep in mind that we are fighting against the evil that is influencing these people.

Only prayer enables us to stand outside in all kinds of weather and do what we do.

Mommy Are You Going to Kill My Little Brother or Sister?

It was getting late and my 4 pm appointment seemed to be a no show. The day was over and it was time for me to head home for a well deserved rest. As I packed up my belongings to leave, I heard a ¨Knock! Knock! ¨ on the door. I opened it and there they were. They took seats in my office as I welcomed them in. I filled out her intake form and it didn´t take much time for her story to come out and her tears to flow.
She had two young children a home, a son with her boyfriend and a daughter from a previous relationship; both were the light in her eyes. This couple was young, in their early twenties. She was a stay at home mom who took care of the kids and the house, and he was the bread winner, their sole source of support. Money was tight, very tight.
When she stepped out of the room to take a pregnancy test, I had a chance to speak with him one on one. I asked him what he really wanted her to do, since his previous answer seemed less than honest. (At this point you may be asking yourself what his prerogative has to do with her decision; you may be thinking that this is her choice. You would be surprised to find out how many women submit to abortions simply because they are being pressured into it.) That´s when the truth came out, he wanted the abortion. He said it was because he wasn´t ready to have another child. I asked him what it meant to be a man, and shortly thereafter told him that a man was meant to selflessly protect his family, and that this child was just that, his family. What does it mean to love? Love means to will the best for the other, not just to want what is best, but to do what is best. Would abortion really be what was best for his girlfriend? What about his child?
Within a few minuets she returned and he decided to take a walk. This gave me the opportunity to speak with her, and find out what was going through her mind.
To say that she was undecided would be an understatement, because she was being pressured to choose abortion by a lack of emotional support. You would think that the issue of money or a lack thereof would be the driving force, for this couple to consider abortion. When it comes down to it though, with emotional support a woman can find courage to face the unknown. She thought that she had to get an abortion, because it would be too hard and they didn´t have enough money. How could she to afford to clothe this baby? Not to worry! I told her about one of our Centers that housed a large stock of resources for mothers facing Crisis Pregnancy! I asked her what her family thought about her pregnancy and what they thought she should do. Her mother was against abortion and wanted her to keep the baby. Just the emotional support she needed! Her three year old daughter just hours earlier had said, ¨Mommy, are you going to have an abortion? Are you going to kill my baby brother or sister?¨

...to be continued...

New EMC Office in Queens Open for Life Saving

Over the past week we have been working very hard to open our new EMC Crisis Pregnancy Center in Queens. We were asked to have everything ready for the first appointment on Thursday morning and we didn´t know if we were going to make it in time.



To say that we worked hard would be an understatement. We painted a whole room in two days, transported a sonogram machine, cleaned, moved furniture and cleaned some more! All in preparation for the first appointment! Thursday morning came and went and thanks be to God we got the job finished in time! We made it!

A very nice couple came in at 11 am, and everything was prepared and ready to go. Since we had such a short amount of time to work, we were a bit worried, but in the end everything worked out well. After a pregnancy test, consultation, and an ultrasound, the couple left with an appointment to return in 3 weeks. When that moment came, at the end of a successful appointment, we were all very happy, it made all of our hard work worth it.
We can now say that the new center is up and running, ready to save the lives of mother´s and their children from the horrors of abortion. This great pro-life organization is growing, and so are the needs. Thanks to all the volunteers, workers and last but most certainly not least, our donors without whom none of this would have been possible.

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.

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 from 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-abortive 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.