Time Flies...

Today marks the last week of working as an intern at EMC for me. It's rather amazing how time has flown by. When I first got here, we were digging out of blizzards and now they are calling for 70s this weekend.

Working at the Life House and with EMC has allowed me to meet and work with some wonderful people. This is a ministry that takes a lot of work. At the end of the day, sometimes I don't even want to get on the train, I just want to fall asleep in the office.

The joy that comes from working with God to save babies is something impossible to describe. It makes it all worth it. I've been talking with women and most of the time, I really don't have a clue what it was that started turning them away from abortion. Presenting them with the Truth is all that we can do, for the Truth is Christ's and with Christ there is victory.

So, in this final week (the week of Our Lord's passion and victory over death) more babies to save!

Abortion Escorts Get a Little on the Fail Side

Yesterday I went to the abortion clinic in the Bronx,NY from 7:30 to 11:30 to tell the girls that went in about our Center where we can give them all their options as well as free sonograms and pregnancy tests. Well, I had some company....
There were 8 adults that stood outside the doors like I did and counteracted everything that I was trying to do. They were "escorts" for the girls going inside. They held the door open for the girl to walk through. They welcomed death. This was nothing compared to all the things they tried to say.
Everytime I opened my mouth there was a short woman who consistently spoke when I was speaking.
For example,I would say to the girl "hey mommy, are you going to the doctor?....ok,are you pregnant?" And usually the girl would answer yes or no. Then if it was yes I would ask "oh God bless you.Do you know how far along you are?" And they would either say they didn't know or they would tell me.
While I would be saying all this,the woman would be saying OVER me "don't listen to her.You don't have to listen to her. She doesn't know what she is saying......" Until the girl was out of my reach and went inside.
The woman made fun and mocked me. I was trained to say "hey mommy" cause that is something people say in general in the Bronx. Plus it gets the girl thinking "oh yeah,I am a mommy".
Well,these 8 people joked and said to me things like, "you're calling these girls mommy? Isn't that disrespectful? Why do you even say that? Do you know what you're even talking about ? hahahahaa"
After this happened one of their guys walked past the entrance and I thought it was a girl, so I turned my head. Then the short lady yelled at me, "yeah hun,that's one of OUR people. I just thought I would let you know since you keep harassing these girls and probably wanted to talk to him....hey! (towards the man) hey, DADDY! hahahah".....then they all laugh. They were making fun of me for saying mommy.
Then, after I make my way to the back entrance, I was able to get a girl's attention who was coming out. She was interested and walked towards me to receive one of our pamphlets. I asked her "do you know how far along you are?" She said, "2months". I said to her "oh mommy! That is so exciting! Did you know that the baby has a heartbeat at 3weeks which is only 21 days after conception?"
By this time, the escort lady came over along with her other buddies and interrupted me to say, "hey listen, she's not allowed to tell you that. She's not a doctor. She is lying to you."
So what I said to that was , "you know what mommy? These people make excellent points. Don't just listen to me, research this for yourself. Actually, thank you! That brings up a very good point! Go google this stuff for yourself and see if what I am saying to you is true".
This made the woman very,very angry.
Another time, I was telling a girl about our M.D. Dr. Iskander in Brooklyn. And she said "they don't have real doctors. They are fake doctors."
I told this girl the same thing. I said "hey you know what? You can call this number and see for yourself if our MD is fake or not mommy,ok?"
After a while, they started to leave me alone. I baffled them. I was really annoying them, to the point where they didn't even want to come around when I was talking to a girl.
So basically I took what they said and used it to continue to talk to the girls. Because I was not there to get into an argument with these people who are pro abortion. That wasn't my mission.
My mission was to help and support these women during these difficult times and to let them know they have other options and help provided for them.
It was very difficult,but I had to keep my eyes on the prize. And Christ's strength had EVERYTHING to do with that.

Public Disturbances by...sisters?

This morning at Emily's it was an exciting thing to see the Sisters of Life coming down the sidewalk to pray with us behind the clinic.

Not so much for those trying to kill babies inside, it seems.

For some reason, someone called the cops that there was a disturbance going on out back. The cops responded with about 8 officers or so with cars (as seen in the photo).

When the officers stepped out of their patrol cars, they couldn't figure out what the "disturbance" was, all that was going on was the sisters praying and singing. So, after looking confused, laughing a bit, and mentioning that the only source of disturbance seemed to be the NYPD, they got back in their cars and left. As has always been the case in my experience, the police are professional, friendly, and respectful.

After the excitement, the sisters and EMC interns continued with prayers and counseling.

Voices of Hope

This past Monday, a rather cloudy and dreary day as seen from the photo to the right, my day was made by hearing two little voices over the phone.

I was at the Brooklyn office getting ready to shut down for the day, when I picked up the phone to hear a request for Linda. After giving her the phone, we found out that the woman on the other end was past her due date and still had not gone into labor.

Because of her personal situation she could not afford to pay for either insurance or receive government assistance. ERs don't have to take a woman who isn't in labor, which was this woman's basic problem to start with. She needed to go into labor!

The woman on the phone had come to EMC three times, and had wanted to abort her two older children, now six and seven. After a visit with Linda, she had decided to keep. On Monday, she told us that her children had spent the day praying that their new sibling would be born soon. And while Linda had the mother on the phone, the kids got home. Hearing their voices come over the speaker phone in the office (we were also on the phone with the Sisters of Life and two doctors at the time and all of us were not only praying, but getting papers together) was wonderful. These two little children who almost were aborted themselves were happy, living, excited children just waiting for a new brother and sister.

It was a wonderful end to a busy and sometimes distressing day of counseling, that is for sure!

Let Your Glory Fill This Place

The Sisters of Life and 25 young women, who are discerning their vocation, joined us at an abortion clinic to sing hymns and pray. We began with the hymn, ‘Let Your Glory Fill This Place,’ which was very appropriate because ultimately we want God’s glory to rule in the abortion clinic.

Like in any abortion clinic, reliance on God is completely shut out of the realm of possibility because women seek an abortion in moments of utter despair. They are overwhelmed by pressures from others and their difficult circumstances. It is hard for them to look beyond one particular moment in their life.

I am inspired by the women who choose not to enter the abortion clinic because of sidewalk counselors or those who come to EMC centers and commit to keep their baby after their one-on-one counseling session and sonogram. They are strong women who put their child’s life ahead of their personal concerns each moment of their pregnancy and throughout the course of their child’s life.

Please pray for that the women EMC encounters will have a conversion of heart. With more prayers and proactive work, we can overcome the evil one who tempts women to have an abortion and the Supreme Authority over life will fill abortion minded women’s hearts with His glory.

Priests for Life Visits our 40 Days for Life!

Fr. William Scott Daniels of Priests for Life, recently visited our 40 Days for Life! We were so honored that he chose our Queens site on Abortion Row, for his visit. To have such a champion for life at our 40 Days! He prayed and witnessed for life, right along side us! When he was done, he even blessed our new Crisis Pregnancy Center just a few doors down from the two abortion clinics where we pray! Here are some great shots that we got of Fr. Daniel's!

Pro-life Rosary!


Two Abortion Clinics separated by a Dunkin Doughnuts.


Blessing EMC's new Center on Abortion Row in Queens!!!

Abortion is not health care!

This week, I worked out back of the abortion mill in the afternoon when women come out after their abortion. It's a very difficult time since the women coming out are so often traumatized.

It is very clear after only a few women come out, barely able to walk three steps without breaking down in tears, on the shoulders of their boyfriends or sitting, sobbing in the car, why the abortion mill tries to get all the women in all at the same time, and then run the abortions one after another. It seems that the sight of the post-abortion women would rather dampen sales.

We often hear that abortion is "just another medical procedure" or like "getting a tooth pulled." Yet, how many doctors offices have a stream of patients coming out so shaken up? This isn't medical care, it's not about health, it's all about profits and murder.

One Rescued Child Leads to Another Life-giving Choice

A few years ago, EMC inspired the woman in this picture to choose life for her unborn child despite her crisis pregnancy. She felt so blessed that EMC provided her with everything she needed to choose life for her amazing child.

Now that she's pregnant again, she knew exactly where to turn for help. Thankfully, she came into the EMC center at a pinnacle moment in another woman’s decision making process. She volunteered to talk to the abortion minded woman in order to help her make the right decision for herself and her unborn child.

What a powerful testimony she offered! She could not only empathize with the other woman because she was once abortion minded, but more importantly she could celebrate her decision to continue with her pregnancy.

The abortion-minded woman changed her mind and wanted to keep her child! Praise God for their encounter because one more of His innocent children has been spared from a brutal abortion.

Heroic Mothers Choose Life

I realized from the 7 "Almost Aborted" Survivors Speak Out---All Conceived in Rape or Incest--Symposium that God has given all people the ability to serve in the prolife movement in their own special way. The speakers who gave their testimony on Monday night are living examples of how valuable every human life is no matter how one is conceived.

Throughout the course of their life, each speaker has impacted countless people including classmates, friends, family, and even those who they encountered only once. Every experience they had with another person was known by God when He created them. Their mothers are heroes for allowing their children to live despite all the pain and suffering they experienced from rape or incest.

It was an honor to have the opportunity to meet and have my picture taken with Pam Stenzel and Rebecca Kiessling. They are amazing women who use their God given public speaking skills to promote a culture of life. My EMC internship allowed me the incredible gift of being yet one more person to value their life!

Conceived in Horror

Not every child is announced by a host of angels and not every child comes into the world in the most ideal of normal circumstances. Yet, each child is a gift from God and a human to cherish.

Last Monday, evening, EMC hosted a number of speakers to come share with us their life story. These were not your usual stories. They were the stories of children who were the result of rape, incest, or other violent acts. Even many, self-proclaimed, pro-lifers will balk at banning abortion in cases such as these. The speakers that evening put a human face on such a decision.

What makes the child of rape any less valuable than a person conceived under happier conditions?

What does it say about our country that we have banned executions for rapist and yet have no qualms about murdering their children? Does a child deserve to be held accountable, and pay the ultimate price, for the crime of its father? This is not simply an academic question. This is a question that could have meant the end of some of our speakers lives before they were even born!

It was this question that now has a much more concrete solution in my mind. No, of course the child can't be killed for such a fact that it has no part in. It's not just barbaric, but something worse. What was in store for the innocent lives that would be ended in such an act? On Monday night, I met some of those innocent lives that were luckily not ended and got to see how much they loved life.

Multi-tasking

On Tuesday, two young women came to an EMC center with a special request. They wanted to find out what happened if their friend came in for an abortion, thinking that we do abortions. After explaining to them why no woman should have to endure an abortion. Both of them were shocked and horrified by the evil that is abortion.

Following our video/discussion session on abortion, one of the young women clarified that she was not really a fan of abortion and now she was even more against it. Her other friend had become very hard and wanted to attack us for telling her the truth.

Not content with coming up with excuses for abortion, when confronted with the event that we had on Monday night involving women and men conceived in rape, she seemed unimpressed. Her next attack was against the validity of the Faith and she tried to explain to us why humans are no more important, or "superior" as she put it, than any other species. In my time here, I've never encountered such a person.

In a wide-ranging debate about topics ranging from rape to wearing fur to global warming, she showed that she was very opinionated but had views impossible to support with sound reasoning. Further proof that this work is always surprising and requires a sharp mind with answers to such a vast assortment of questions.

Power of Prayer

Recently I prayed outside an abortion clinic with a pro-life group. We held signs written in Spanish to reach out to the predominantly Spanish speaking population. Some handed out literature to those walking by, while others prayed.

After praying for 2 hours, I felt led to speak with a clinic worker who was handing out business cards for the clinic. I had never sidewalk counseled before, so I asked Ray’s advice. I trusted in God, and allowed Him to guide my words and actions.

I struck up a conversation with her, commenting on the weather. Then I asked her what it was like working at an abortion clinic. Was it difficult? She raised her hand to her mouth as she said, “I work here because I must eat.”

How sad I was to know that this woman believed that her only means of survival is to assist in the elimination of another human being! I told her that I would continue to pray for her. Moments later, Ray approached and said, “I have been praying for you and will continue to do so.” Just then tears filled her eyes as she replied, “I know.”

Oh, the Irony

Today, I spent a chilly morning outside of Dr. Emily's. It never seems to be warm on the front side, I've noticed.

As usual, the "escorts" were out today. I like to pray for their conversion while I'm out front as well as the babies, the mothers, and the abortion mill workers. Anyway, it struck me today, most (if not all) of the escorts are associated with various local Socialist groups. How ironic!

Of course, the reality of Socialism is that it all depends on death and fear of death to motivate people so that the system can limp along, as I once heard a former Soviet economist who had fled to the US explain. So, it should come as no surprise that we have socialists on the side of abortion.

But, the irony is that in the US, abortion is such an industry. It's not just a profitable industry, but it is one that runs off of the misery and death of the poorest of Americans! And there are socialists defending this? Have they not read Marx? Aren't they supposed to be standing up against the exploitation of the poor for the benefit of the rich? What a strange world!

Well, that's the thought that struck me as so odd on the sidewalk. It's my economist background coming up to the front. Perhaps an additional prayer should be that socialists can see reason?

Sonograms

We have found Sonogram to be a great tool in the fight to save unborn children and their mothers from the horrors of abortion. So often when Mom sees her tiny, little baby moving or hears the heart beating so swiftly, a change comes over her. Suddenly what seemed so impossible just seconds before, starts to become doable. And a choice that she never really wanted to make becomes unimaginable. Pictures and video were taken at EMC's Clinic in Brooklyn, NY.

It's all worth it

Sidewalk counseling, working in the centers, doing the various jobs that we do as interns can be exhausting. However, there are times when it is just so clearly worth it.

This week, I saw one such example. A young woman, who had been in the center at least twice before came back with a friend of hers. The last time she was at EMC, she brought a cousin for a pregnancy test and counseling. She, herself, was also pregnant.

I soon found out that her friend wanted to get contraceptives and the young lady that brought her to us wanted her to learn about the realities of abortions and contraceptives and to think about abstinence. While talking to the two women, the one who had been in the office previously mentioned that she had gotten an abortion before and that the people at the abortion mill had lied to her and treated her quite harshly. After a discussion of the real consequences of abortion on women, she brightened up and said "You know, I felt so sad for a long time, but now, after coming here, I've been happy."

And now, she's bringing her friends so that they don't have to suffer the same pain that she knew. Such a great friend. It's people that I meet who have such stories and such love that make all the work worth it.

Peacefulness

Surprisingly, I felt a great sense of peace permeating throughout the EMC Brooklyn Center even though we counseled and preformed ultrasounds for close to 20 women in one day! I was moved by how the EMC staff demonstrated such great love and compassion for each woman and unborn child they encountered. I felt very blessed that I had become a part of their amazing life saving work.

On Monday, March 1^st I began my ultrasound internship with EMC. I knew that when women see their baby on the ultrasound screen, their hearts can be softened and converted to choose life for their child. However, I didn’t have an opportunity to see these transformations until this week. I studied ultrasound so I could help save the lives of the unborn children and to prevent mothers from the damaging effects of abortion. It is very gratifying to see an abortion-minded woman change the course of her child’s fate during one ultrasound. There are small ways that mothers and their unborn child connect during the sonogram. One woman exclaimed, ‘my baby just waved at me!’ Another woman was moved when she heard her unborn child’s heartbeat. I am looking forward to more experiences such as these over the next few weeks!

Abstinence is Best

I worked at the center in Queens today with Carmen. I met with a girl in her late 20's who came to see if she was pregnant. But she got what I was saying to her. She had already got 2 abortions before in the past. She said they were awful, especially the second one. I had her fill out the form we give the girls. I asked her if she was religious at all. She said she was Christian. I asked her if she believed in everything in the Bible. She said she did. I said, "what about the verse that says to abstain from sexual immorality?" she said, ".......y e a h...............". And put her head down in shame. I said, "well, the past is the past. There is nothing you and I can do about it now. What God cares about is the now. What are you going to do now and for the future? Scripture says, 'man looketh at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart'. And that is what He is more concerned with". She put her head back up in a hopeful gesture to say to me, "I know. I know I should not be havin sex. " I said to her, "it's not cause God wants to give you a bunch of rules. It's for your better good. And for my better good. I am 24 years old, and even if I was in love with someone, I still have no business having sex cause do you see a ring on this finger?" And I pointed to my ring finger on my left hand. She said, "no". I said, "and neither do you!"
We both laughed. But she got what I was saying to her. She got her own convictions, on her own. Well, the holy spirit was definitely there!
We gave her a sonogram, but didn't find anything. So she is either barely pregnant or not pregnant at all. I still showed her the Abortion Procedure video, which really made her turned off to abortion even more than she already was. So along with that, and the successful abstinence talk, I'd say this girl is in much better shape!

Informing the People of Queens and Mourning the Death of 37 yo Abortion Victim

Just days after the death of Alexandra Nuñez, from a severed artery at the hand of her abortionist. EMC hit the streets to raise awareness about the risks of abortion and to mourn the death of this Queens woman and beloved mother of four.


A-1 Women's Center is one of ten abortion clinics in the one mile stretch that makes up Abortion Row. This area of Queens has been one of the NYC 40 Days for Life campaigns for several years now. Noteworthy also is the recent opening of EMC's newest Crisis Pregnancy Center, located just five blocks from the abortion clinic where Alexandra was fatally wounded. Here we offer free pregnancy tests, free sonograms, and free options counseling. I can't help but think of how things could have been different, had she only come to speak with us first. Maybe if she had known all of the information and known all of her options, she would still be here today. An investigation by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct is underway. We look forward to the day when there will be justice for Alexandra.

They didn't tell her

I was working at the center in Queens today and had the opportunity to talk with this young lady in her 20's about possibly getting an abortion. She has already had an abortion before. I asked her what it was like after the abortion. She said "it was awful. I was in physical pain to the point where I had to leave work and go home because my stomach hurt so bad." I asked her how it was emotionally. She said, "I was so mad at myself. I don't know why I did it....so now I think that since I got pregnant again, it's meant to be."
So, I told her that even though she was telling me that she did not want to get the abortion, because abortion is in her past, she needed to watch the video. So I had her watch Abortion Procedures video. I asked her what she thought about the video. She said that there were so many things she learned that she didn't know before. I said, "but you had this done to YOUR body!" She said, "I know but......it's my fault.......but they didn't tell me...." They didn't tell her.
Even though she should have researched it herself, the abortion clinic that she went to, Planned Parenthood, didn't explain to her what the procedure was.
I got her number, and she seemed excited about keeping in touch. We also set her up for a sonogram in Brooklyn with Linda because with her work schedule Mondays works best. Her boyfriend is also excited about this baby.

Perfect timing

Heather was subbing for Linda at her office in Brooklyn on Friday when a Spanish speaking woman called. Heather only speaks a little Spanish so she referred her to me. I spoke a while with Sofia and realized that there was no way she would be able to make it in during normal office hours. She works 6 days a week and gets out very late! l would be working the next day in the Bronx so something in my heart told me to offer her the opportunity to come in after hours Saturday night.
Later that night (Friday) Sofia called to confirm her appointment. We spoke for more than an hour, I asked her how she felt about abortion and her unborn child and she began to cry. It was very hard for her to imagine having an abortion because in Guatemala she used to counsel friends and co-workers against it. But at the same time she was here in the U.S. to work, she explained, because she like many other immigrants came to send money home to her children and family, not to have more children. I asked her how her boyfriend felt and she began to cry again..."He doesn't want me to do it", she weaped. After Sofia had relaxed a little I suggested we just go ahead and meet the following day, together with her boyfriend Wilson in the Bronx when she finish work.
They called at 630 from Brooklyn to let me know they were on their way but once in the Bronx they got lost for more than a half hour in the ice cold! I was a little worried but put my faith in God that they would find me and they did....Wilson waited in the waiting room while Sofia and I spoke for a long time. She told me that she had done a lot of thinking after our conversation and after connecting a lot with each other (I went to Spanish language school in the city next to where she is from), Sofia decided to choose life for her baby!! Wilson of course was elated and now Sofia and I text frequently:
"Hi my little angel how're you? I hope well, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do for us, I love you so much and I know one day God will pay you back with good for all the good you've done for us. My boyfriend and I can't wait for the arrival of our baby. May God Bless you"--Sofia
"Thank you Sofia for having such a soft heart towards God. You may not realize it but you and Wilson are a huge blessing in my life as well. I look forward to being there for you in the future, please let me know what I can do for you, Wilson and your baby. I AM the Tia (Auntie) after all".--Julie