Saturday, July 31, 2010

Emilys on Saturday

Today was my first Saturday of work in front of the abortion clinic called Emylis. I've had the good fortune of being able to work other days during the week there. But
I must admit I was very surprised. The picture is quite different, this is because a greater police presence, security guards at the clinic, prolife people outside our organization.

The Trip

These last two weeks have been marked for the trip we did almost the entire U.S. east coast. We spent most of the time in the states of Virginia and North Carolina. It was an incredible journey in which I had the great fortune to see other parts of America are totally different from New York, other landscapes, other customs, other accents.etc.

The core of the trip was in Charlotte (North Carolina) where we help a group of people in front of abortion clinics or in the middle of downtown in prolife activities.

FredomRide was also in the led by Father Frank Pavone from Birminham (Alabama) to Atlanta (Georgia).

Finally, we had a pleasant holiday in the mountains in western Virginia.

Emily's...

Yesterday we were in front of the door of Emily's (the abortion clinic) the whole morning , it was my first experience there. I knew it would be hard, but the worst was seeing the girls entering into the clinic and I could not do anything because a lot of them didn't want to listen me... and I knew that if I could stop some of them, I would have to tell them something(as quickly and claire as be possible) that made she to go and change their decision. One of the girls we stopped let us to make her a free sonogram, and we showed her an abortion video and we explained her the risks of abortion. When she left she got into the clinic eventough.
I thought it was really difficult mentalizing the girls and that discouraged me...
But five minutes later that same girl went out from the clinic through the back door. She didn't want to abort! That impressed me a lot and encouraged me. It worths!

the decision of a woman

In many cases we are dealing with women who logically have the right to choose according to the circumstances in which they are, because they are the ones who have the final decision and unique. But they themselves have to do that are stronger than they are created and can change any circumstance which they are engaged.

What you can and know. Much encouragement to all pregnant women, I hope you find the right path is not always easy.

chencho santos.

La decision de una mujer

En muchos casos nos encontramos ante mujeres que logicamente tienen el derecho a elegir de acuerdo a las circustancias en las que se encuentran, porque ellas son las que tienen la decision final y unica. Pero ellas mismas tienen que ver que son mas fuertes de lo que se creen y pueden cambiar cualquier circustancia que tengan entre manos.

Vosotras podeis y lo sabeis. Mucho animo para todas las mujeres embarazadas, espero que encontreis el camino correcto, que no siempre es el facil.

Chencho santos.

The relationship between developed countries and abortions


The develop economic of a country directly affects the number of abortions that may occur in a panis over a year. The developed countries where there is more culture and quality of life of logic would think that they are fewer abortions in which they occur. But the reality is quite different, esw true that the culture is growing short to commit atrocities, but the addiction to work and time are the two most important causes of abortions, so in the less developed countries abortions occur less desarrollaods as in spite of the lack of culture and economic means.

Is in the heart of each decision to change two lives, the mother and the baby, no external circumstance can influence the decision of life or not a person's life. There is no justification, just excuses cheap and simple.


Chencho santos.

We must change the idea of happiness that we have in developed countries, because in truth we are walking to the eternal unhappiness.

La relacion de los paises dearrolaldos y el aborto


El desarrolo economico de un pais influye directamente en la cantidad de abortos que se puedan producir en un pañis a lo largo de un año. Los paises desarrollados en los que hay mas cultura y calidad de vida seria de logica pensar que son en los que menos abortos se producen. Pero la realidad es bien distinta, esw cierto que la poca cultura es cultivo para cometer atrocidades, pero la adiccion al trabajo y al tiempo son las dos causas mas importantes de los abortos, por tanto en los paises menos desarrollados los abortos se producen en menor medida que en los desarrollaods a pesar de la poca cultura y los medios economicos.

Esta en el corazon de cada uno la decision de cambiar dos vidas, la de la madre y la del bebe, ninguna circustancia exterior es capaz de influir en la decision de la vida o no vida de una persona. No hay causas de justificacion, solo excusas baratas y simples.


Chencho santos.

Hay que cambiar la idea de felicidad que se tiene en los paises desarrollados, porque en verdad estamos caminando hacia la infelicidad eterna.

Standing Strong



The past two weeks I have been visiting different states while getting involved in the pro-life movement. In North Carolina, we participated in the Operation Save America conference. It was a great experience. Everyday we would go to an abortion clinic and held up all different kinds of signs about abortion. Some of them had graphic images of a baby being aborted, Some of them said "I regret my abortion.", and some of them just had a simple statement such as "Jesus Loves You." We also went to downtown Charlotte to pass out brochures about abortion and also held more signs on a busy street in Concord.

It was great seeing the faces of those who supported us. When they would drive by they would honk or simply just hold a thumbs up. Of course there were also those who would flick us off and yell profanity but going through that was worth it as long as people were informed. What was more humbling were the little children who also held up signs in the hot sun without a single complaint. They did it with smiles and a happy heart. They motivated me even more to be stronger in this pro-life movement.

Beyond the Centers


After a long day of consulting multiple women and giving them hope at the Brooklyn EMC Pregnancy Center, a woman with her three sons and sister walked in. She looked desperate and asked for Linda. Linda, busily sanitizing the center, yelled who it was. The women yelled back, “It’s Elizabeth!” Linda’s eyes instantly lit up, and she said,“Oh, Elizabeth! How are you?” Elizabeth then proceeded to tell us that her landlord was forcing her and her family to move out of the apartment within the month because the landlord had illegally sanctioned out the home and needed time to fix it before the authorities found out. Elizabeth had already applied for a new apartment, but she needed more time to be accepted for it and move out of her current home. She pleaded with her landlord that she needed at least three months, but she refused.

Linda instantly closed the clinic momentarily, and she, another intern named Gonzalo, and I headed with Elizabeth to the Brooklyn Courthouse to support. Her sons were so precious. The oldest was actually supposed to be aborted ten years ago, but then Elizabeth met Linda. Despite being a single mother and having a disability, she has never regretted her decision and seemed to immensely love all her children. Once at the courthouse, Elizabeth went up to the judge to plead her case while we watched her children. The judge listened intently and considered her case. Elizabeth was ordered to send Proof of Certification to her landlord as well as the court clerk. After leaving the courthouse, Elizabeth and Gonzalo immediately headed towards the post office to send the certificates, while her kids and I went to go get lunch. Looking at their bright happy faces, I got an even better understanding of what the Pro-Life cause is about. It is more than being against abortion. It’s about respecting all forms and aspects of life. Helping a woman doesn’t end at getting her to keep her baby. It’s about helping anyone at any point in their lives.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Back to NY

Hello, after two weeks working in different states with other pro life people we have come back to NY to continue working in our offices.
During this two weeks we have done different activities, for example we have gone to pray in front of abortion clinics, we have given information sheets in the middle of Charlotte or done a rally with the Priest for life from Birmigham to Atlanta where we had a conference and learned more about the civil rights and the racism. We have known lots of people and had a good time all together.
Yesterday I went to Brooklyn where we had lots of appointments and the majority of them where succesfull and the girls left the office with s clear idea of what abortion means.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

"But just look at his face!"

Sometimes we get girls in our offices who have small children and find themselves pregnant again but can’t understand why. That was the case of one girl who came in to our South Bronx office last week. She is 19 years old, has a 3 year old daughter and an 8 month old son and is 10 weeks pregnant.

She came in and said to us that she could afford the first baby and that she second one wasn’t much harder but that she absolutely could not afford a third child. Now, whether or not this has anything to do with welfare only supporting up to 2 children is beyond me. All I know is that there was no way on God’s good earth that she would have another baby.


After counseling her for a couple of hours and having more than one counselor working with her she was still set on having an abortion. Meanwhile, the whole time I was talking to her I was holding her 8 month old son, happily bouncing him on my knees.


I turned him toward her and said, "But just look as his face! Why wouldn’t you want another one just as sweet?" She smiled, clearly she was wrapped around his little finger, but shook her head. She put her hand on her stomach and said I’m sorry but I just can’t do it.


Sometimes, after going over all the options with a mother they still choose abortion. It breaks my heart to watch them walk out that door wondering, “What else could I have said?” or, “What if I had tried just a little bit harder."


When she walked out of our center with her baby on her hip I sadly waved good bye to all three of them. I waved good bye to a woman who is going to suffer the physical, emotion, and psychological traumas of abortion. I said good bye to a baby who will never know his little brother or sister and I waved good bye to her unborn child who will never get a chance to live.

"I felt the baby kick!"

No matter how hard we try to explain to people the emotions involved in working for EMC the words are never truly enough. When we have a good day it’s like God came to earth and touched your soul and when we have a bad day there’s a physical pain that hurts the very core of your being.

This is why we’re interns. No matter how much pain we suffer the joy that we experience always triumphs. Today was a joyful day for me.

I was walking to work when I received a text message. I wasn’t expecting one but being an intern requires us to be on call at all times; even if that means in the middle of the night. When I pulled out my phone it was from one of my girls who turned around about 5 weeks ago. Her text message read as follows:

"Rose! Oh my gosh!!! I think I felt the baby when I was in the train. It wasn’t cramps or gas or any sharp pains. It was just like a little bump but I jumped because I wasn’t really expecting it! Can this really be possible?? I’m positive. Certainly, it was the baby.”

After reading her text I was overwhelmed with joy for her and I immediately responded saying that it was about that time in the pregnancy when she would feel quickening and it would get progressively stronger until the baby settled down before her delivery.

She thanked me for talking her out of the abortion and for giving her the opportunity to experience the joys of all the different stages of pregnancy and that she would keep me updated on all the major news she received from her doctor.

Being able to walk with my girls through their pregnancy is so satisfying. I have to opportunity everyday to love and serve my girls and in return I receive their trust and appreciation.

Monday, July 19, 2010

When they come in

Working at the doors of abortion clinics is a terrible job, emotionally, spiritually and also physically. Not everyone is prepared to wait for hours in the terrible heat of summer, for a girl to come and offer her your help. Why is not everyone prepared? Because, sad as it is, many of them just ignore your presence, or even worse, they know your will to help them but fear freezes their hearts, and they don't even look at you. What can I, a valueless Spanish student, do in those cases?

Shall I come in and take her out? That's illegal.
Shall I ignore the whole situation and keep talking with other interns? Well, I could, but I didn't come to NYC to do that.
Shall I shout and yell and get angry? That wouldn't be a help at all for these women in despair.
Shall I break in tears and stay sad for the rest of the day? That would lead to demotivation in the group, and wouldn't be practical. I just want to help these women, but I won't make their choice for them.

So WHAT SHALL I DO?
HOW CAN I HELP A WOMAN THAT HAS ALREADY COME INTO AN ABORTION CLINIC?
Praying for them. Only God knows their case and He knows better how to help them: In some cases it will be convincing them to get out of there (that has happened many times), in other cases it will be putting regret in their hearts so they can still seek redemption. We never know how do prayers work, but they do indeed. Always.

When a baby dies in a abortion clinic, it is not only that biography that is changed. That baby was destined to be a son, a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend. Abortion changes it all, and future fades away. Just some feet away from us, and even so, we can still help them.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

What a Week!



This past week at EMC was a busy one, indeed.

To start, I met a young girl on Monday who was considering abortion. She had an abortion in November and said she hadn't had any complications with it. Her boyfriend was with her, and he wanted to keep. He said he didn't want to make the same mistake again.

After showing her the procedures video and giving her a sonogram, she was shocked. She said she didn't know how the procedure actually worked and that there were so many risks involved. She is "definitely going to have to re-consider this" and call us in a week or two. Keep praying!

The rest of the week continued to fill itself with happy stories. I am in contact with at least 3 other women I spoke to this week who are now considering giving their children life instead of death. When our clients walk out the door, it's only the beginning of our relationship with them. While some do, a lot of turn-arounds don't happen the first day. That's why the follow-ups are so important. Pray for these women as they are making the life or death decision for their unborn babies.

A Pleasant Surprise


The Brooklyn center was really busy on Thursday. We ended up seeing seventeen girls and had seven turn arounds. I met with a lady from the Bahamas who was thinking of having an abortion because she already had two kids and felt like she couldn't afford a third child. One who is thirteen and another child who is one. She told me that she didn't want another child right now because she was only in the US for vacation and was planning to go back home in October to start her new job. I tried to convince her that she should still have her baby, especially because her husband said he would love to have another child. She said she'd consider it.

I then went with her to take a sonogram and she found out that she was six months pregnant and that she was having a baby girl! She got really excited because her first two kids are boys and she always wanted a girl. I asked her what she thought now about having an abortion and she said "Oh there's now way I can do it now" with a big grin on her face.

Many complications,


The girl I was talking the other day, came prepared to abort. She said she had been abused by her husband. He had left and when they reconciled and returned home, the abuse began. Beat after the other, an abuse after another until she was stronger and in one of the beatings, she'll cut your face with the knife, the husband denounced her and sent to jail. Her husband also has been in prison for beating her.
Now she is pregnant by him, from when they were reconciled for the last time, but they are separating. They are in the process of separation in court and she wants a child of it. Also because of the beatings, she is having a very dificl pregnancy, has been admitted to the hospital and she says she feels she is dying.
After speaking with her one time and not do anything, got up and left without saying anything.He said that if he changed his opinion, would call.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Disturbing, but Necessary

¨Talking about the risks of abortion is disturbing but necessary.¨

This is a note written at a center that I think about every day I go to work. To say the least, my job here is uncomfortable. In order that women are fully aware of the ¨choice¨ they are about to make, we do not shy away from discussing the procedure in detail. This will never be ¨just another day at the office¨.

It is disturbing, but necessary.

Today, I was with a girl who had never had an abortion and had told me she wanted one, but all she knew was that some of her friends had abortions and then ¨had bad dreams and some psychological problems¨. At this point, I knew it was going to be disturbing to her-as it always is for me- to discuss the procedure (what will happen to her) and the risks (what could happen to her) as a result of having an abortion. By the end of the consultation, she was shaken, but resolved.

And I quote: ¨I am NOT getting an abortion.¨

For this reason- to inform, support, and protect women- as well as to save the unborn life, it is disturbing to discuss the risks of abortion, but it is absolutely needed.
One part of our work is being on the street handing out information to people passing in front of us. Sometimes one wonders what purpose is being outside and seeing how people trought that papers onto the floor
But on Thursday I realized that this could help many women as I could see by myself. A woman a
pproached with two children attracted by the models of babies that we had on the table. I saw the smallest one and said "Look at this baby is twelve weeks," after hearing this she said with great sadness "mine was 8 weeks." I spent some time talking to her about abortion that she made a month ago and that he felt very guilty. Thanks to that she found me on the street she was finally able to talk with someone his guilt and to share their feelings with someone. When she finish talking with me she said how grateful she was that she felt much better and more peaceful. She would also seek help to recover from post-abortion syndrome.

More Than Chance


As I prepare for my departure from New York, and the end of my internship at EMC, I have come to one main realization: my presence here is more than chance.

It truly amazes me how God uses specific people and makes sure they meet other specific people, in order to accomplish His good. To some, it may seem coincidental, but it is much more than chance.

For example, a few days ago "Candi" text me after she added me as a friend on Facebook to tell me that my hometown is the place she is moving. She is being kicked out of her home here in the Bronx because she is pregnant, and is now headed to the town right near my hometown.

What are the chances?! I will be able to be there when Candi gives birth, how exciting! Any other counselor could have talked to Candi that day, I could have been sent to a different office, or been out to lunch. But, it certainly didn't work out that way.

These instances are more than chances, they are works of God. Every client I have met with, every EMC staff member I've worked with, and every random New Yorker I've been in contact with was put in front of me for a reason.

I am so grateful for this experience and quite sad to say goodbye to so many wonderful people that I met because of more than chance.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Double the Blessing


Today was a particularly good and busy day at the EMC Pregnancy Center in Brooklyn. We had seventeen women come in. One of the women especially stuck out to me. I was watching the pre-natal development video with many of the women, and next thing I know, I see Linda, our supervisor, bringing in a lovely lady to one of the rooms. Immediately Linda tells me to go counsel her. When I entered with the paperwork, I see tears rolling down her face. I asked her what happened. She then proceeds to tell me how Linda found her crying in front of the building, and how Linda immediately went up to her and asks, “You’re pregnant huh?” The woman was amazed and actually stated that she thought Linda was a psychic for a minute. The woman then tells Linda how she had just come from Planned Parenthood to get an abortion but could not go through with it, but her ex-boyfriend was trying to force her to have it so Linda took her here. It turns out that this woman had a previous abortion around 15 years old. She explained to me how she could feel the doctor inserting the laminaria sticks into her cervix and the rest of the procedure. It was a horrific experience for her, and she could not go through it again. What’s ironic is that this woman had told her ex-boyfriend about this, and he even sympathized with her before he got her pregnant, but now that she is bearing his kid, it’s a whole different story.
After counseling her, I brought her to the waiting room so that she could get her sonogram. I then proceeded to the office to do some paperwork. Next thing I know, this man just walks in and starts to proceed towards the waiting room. I asked him what he was here for, and he said rudely, “It’s time for me to take her home.” I followed him quickly as he starts to harass his ex-girlfriend. He demands for her to leave, but she refused. I politely asked him to leave, and he tells me I cannot tell him to do anything and storms off. We then locked the door after him to make sure he would not harass her again, and soon later, I hear a big bang on the door and that’s the rest I hear from him. Once the woman was getting her sonogram done, I went in to check it out. She had twins! It was double the blessings. The mom was so overjoyed she was crying. She told me she does not need her ex-boyfriend to raise these beautiful children. She can do it on her own. What a strong woman.

America:Land of the Free and the Unborn


The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. Why is it then that hundreds of thousands of innocent helpless babies are getting killed everyday? Do they not grow up to be men and women? A baby is not just some mass of tissue that can be disposed of whenever a man or woman or both find the baby inconvenient to bear.
Walking along the streets of Washington D.C., I can see how our country was founded with the help of God. For hundreds of years, God was honored on our currency, memorials and documents. Abortions spit on God's Laws and on the laws of our founding fathers. America represents freedom, but I guess the freedom of babies are not included. Their freedom only counts when the mother says so. After all, it is a women's right to choose. Right? Women should have a right to choose, but they should not have the right to choose death for their child. Every person has a right to life. America was founded upon that ideal.

Womanizer


Yesterday a man was in the parking of one of the clinic where they do abortion.
The young man has 6 kids with 4 different women and his new "girlfriend" (because he was married with one of the four woman) and he wants to have another baby with this girl.

I've talk to him and explain him all the risks of having an abortion and all the help we give to the people who wants to get abortion. The man was completly on our side, against abortion, and he tried to talk with the girl.
After that the girl start thinking about having the baby because some abortion process takes several days.
We are trying to convince this women, and the men is helping us.
We are in the good way because the women is doubting and also this kind os process can be stopped without any damage, the damage will come if the abortion goes on.

It is hard...

Today I have been in the most difficult counceling I've been until now.
A girl, of 15 years old has come to us trying to have an abortion. She has a very very unreal vision of life, she has plans, big future plans assuming everything after the abortion would be alright. She doesn't want to listen to our explanations of some of the risks of getting an abortion and also she thinks that those kind of things are not going to occur to her.
After one hour of counseling the girl became a little bit scared, like doubting.

Then the mother came inside the room we were talking with the girl and the girl went out.
The mother begins to explain us she doesn't wants her daugther to have an abortion, just because years ago she was going to have an abortion, she get an appointment and she paid, but when the abortion process was going to begin she shouting, began to scream, and tried to get out of that room and went to the bathroom. The people working there took this woman and tied the women to the examining table and forced the women to have an abortion while she was screaming because she didn't want it anymore.

The women was so happy when she realized we are not an abortion clinic and we can give her and her daugther all the help they will need.

We made an appointment to the girl for the next week to take a sonogram. Let's see what happens.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Holocaust of the XXI century


I have been 16 days working at EMC. My little but intense gratification is to help mothers in their knowledge about the Holocaust of the XXI century.

Logically not all mothers with whom I have spoken turnaround, but at least they are more aware of what they want to do and the risks abortion means

I have lived and chilling stories I have left many to live, the only thing left for me to do for women not let themselves be guided by the only right way is to pray for them.

We must work to achieve our objective, which is to report on what is a real abortion and its consequences, but we must not neglect work. We are a group of young people wanting to work but in my humble opinion, we must increase our efficiency near more women, more families and more people. We must enhance our efficiency in emilys, so many mums cannot pass before us, going to kill her baby without the necessary knowledge, because if they knew they would not do that. Sometimes more hours doesn't mean a better job of reigning in the effectiveness in achieving our goal.

Much more next week, I encourage you to everyone.

Best chencho.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

...

The story of yesterday was too much. a girl of 17 who had a child 1 year of age, had been raped by three males at a time. When she came to us wanted to abort the child she was carrying, but talking to her one way or another'm convinced that I would have that child. He said he wanted to talk to his sister and that we were speaking with her, so tomorrow is to talk with me and his sister.

Are you for real?

This morning a couple came in much like the ones we see every day-- scared, thinking abortion is the only way out of their 'problem'. One of the first things that comes out of the counselor's mouth is: want a job?

I know exactly how it goes after that. She is usually talking to the father of the baby, and he will say yes, then ask her: are you for real?

She quickly proves that she is real and gives them help right away. At this point, the baby has a good chance of surviving.

Wih this one question, she gets to the heart of the matter: can you support yourself and your future family? Once the father has hope that he indeed can, choosing life becomes a joy rather than a hardship.

We are offering hope in that one sentence. Comfort. Understanding. Love. Support. And a way out.

So many times I have seen the baby (who was going to be aborted) change the lives of the parents by creating opportunities such as this. Inviting them to move into responsible, adult choices and become hopeful again in the process. Thank you for prayers and please continue to pray for this hope to spread the culture of life throughout this country, that so badly needs real hope right now.

Daily Battles


There is a spanish pop music group that wrote a song a few years ago called so, "Daily Battle". I really like it not only because of the music, but for its description of the everybody's struggle to live in this world. There's no life without trouble, as there's no trouble without life. There is nothing we can do, so our happiness on life depends on our attitude towards it.

We can either fight and try to solve our problems to make them dissapear, or we can give up the very first minute when we meet the first difficulty. But what makes us better and what tells the difference is choosing not the most confortable but the BEST option. Complaining makes us miserable, and does not solve anything.

It's something that happens with pregnant mothers that want to abort. They are scared and under pressure many times, and fear of the problems they have blocks them and makes them think they are not ready to be mothers. Well, they are mothers already, and the last thing a mother should do is thinking of his baby as a problem itself. Problems in life are not to be hidden, but faced and solved.

I like the "Daily Battle" song also because OUR JOB is a battle too. We try to do our best, and if one day it's us who give up... it's the mothers who pay. Our enemy is selfishness, fear. But our weapons are good intentions, empathy, abilities to listen, and overall, prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer. Did I mention prayer too? Soldiers without weapons surrender easily.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

First counseling

Yesterday I could make my first counseling after five days without being able to do so. The truth is that I have to admit I was really nervous. I was very lucky, because it was easier to deal with a lady like that. Was Hispanic and had already had two daughters. I expected two months ago a baby, but the situation as hopeless at home made him hesitate. Really had no idea it was that of abortion. I could explain it on video and plastic babies. He said he would talk to her husband because the two had come together to that decision. The night I called to find out that this had all gone, I spoke with her husband, and thanked me for everything that happened in the morning. We have been to see us another day, but in principle the idea of continuing with the baby stands. It was a joy for all, especially for me.
Martin.

We all need to be educated

I talked with a 40 year old woman today who was wondering if she was pregnant was actually hoping to be pregnant. She said she kept on feeling something moving around in her stomach and had been showing symptoms of pregnancy. I thought that it was really interesting that she really wanted to be pregnant. I've never seen a woman come into the center with that expectancy until I found out her past history.

This woman had been pregnant three times and had an abortion every single time. I've never met a woman with that had that many abortions. When she watch the abortion procedures she kept on saying over and over "I wish I knew this before I had my abortion. I wish that someone took the time to educate me."

When she took her pregnancy test the results came out negative. She thinks that God might be punishing her for the past babies she has aborted. However, she's still hoping for more chances.

"I Don't Need Your Services Anymore"


Surprisingly, we were so happy to hear this phrase at EMC today! A client, who believed that our office offered abortions, called to tell us that "I don't need your services anymore, I'm keeping my baby!"

What exciting news! This client was the one I wrote about in my last blog who was from Guatemala. Seeing as I had to speak to her even though we spoke different languages, it is easy to see how she had our services confused.

I'm so optimistic for her and her baby! She is one of the sweetest clients I've ever met. She is in a difficult, sad situation and she is still choosing life!

Praise God and may God aptly bless this woman for not taking the easy way out. I'm so thankful that EMC exists and that this woman can take advantage of our REAL services.
Today has caused me a great impression the number of girls who go to abortion clinics. Today I was at the door of one of them trying to prevent them from entering the site. I liked that after spend several hours in front of the clinic a man entered with one of our brochures and he said "I do this, I'll talk to my girlfriend not to make de abortion". That shows me that although it seems that nothing is achieved in the end always brings something productive.
Today has caused me a great impression the number of girls who go to abortion clinics. Today I was at the door of one of them trying to prevent them from entering the site. I liked that after spend several hours in front of the clinic a man entered with one of our brochures and he said "I do this, I'll talk to my girlfriend not to make de abortion". That shows me that although it seems that nothing is achieved in the end always brings something productive.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Here's to hoping

Today, I met with a girl who is dead set on having an abortion. She had a previous abortion before and is pregnant now but claims she can't keep the baby. I asked her why and she told me that where she is right now in life is enough trouble and adding a baby will just make things worse. I tried to tell her about the resources that are available to her but she found fault and other reasons as to why she didn't want to learn more about them. In fact she even asked me for a recommendation to an abortion clinic which of course I didn't give it to her.

The girl came to the center to get a sonogram but she couldn't see the baby because she was only six weeks pregnant. She was told to make sure she comes back in two weeks but she looked very skeptical. Here's to hoping that she still reconsider her options first before she actually goes through the abortion.

A first good experience

Today, in the office of Broxn with Liz, I had my first counceling with a girl from Mexico (Spanish speaking). I must say that I was a bit nervous but as the interview wore on I was feeling more comfortable. For me, the best part of the case was when I explain the risks involved in abortion,, in fact, I believe it is the best interview I did. After that, it was perfect.

I confess, I received great help from my friend Javi, and of course, Liz, at the end of the interview.

Personally I am happy to think I could help save the life of a child. And, with my skills, I was able to convince a woman who wanted an abortion that did not.

Keep Praying!



Today at the Queens office, I counseled an abortion-minded girl and her boyfriend. They had an abortion about a year ago. She said it didn't affect her, but he said he didn't want to do that again.

When talking about abortion, I asked her what it was like last time making the decision. She said she didn't even think about it. She found out she was pregnant, didn't want to be pregnant, and got an abortion.

After showing her the procedures video, she was very surprised. She said she never knew how the procedure actually worked and she had no idea it was so risky for the mother.

After seeing the sonogram, she told me she was definitely re-thinking the abortion. She is going to think about it more and call us next week. This just goes to show you that just a little bit of truth can go a very long way.

Pray that she keeps her baby and doesn't put herself and her boyfriend through the pain of another abortion.

Happy ending

Hello, today has been my first day of counceling alone at the Bronx office with Liz. We have been very busy this morning comparing with other days so we had to councel alone. The first council has been to a couple of Mexicans which the girl wanted to have an abortaion but his boyfriend didn't want. I've been talking to her boyfriend at first trying to tell him that he had something to say because he didn't want to make pressure to her girlfriend.
Then, with Chema's help we have talked with the girl, convicing her that the money was not a problem and that we'll always be there to help her.
In the end, they have agreed to make an appiontment for the sonogram and I think they will keep the baby.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Women Deserve Better than Abortion


Dear men who know the risks of abortions and yet still want their girlfriends to have them,
get a life! I had a couple come in this morning at the Bronx Center for a pregnancy test. They seemed very nice, and said if they were pregnant, they wanted to abort. They are both 19 years old. The boyfriend does not have a job, and the girlfriend is in summer school to graduate high school. When I told the girl I was going to show them a video of the abortion procedure and the risks that come with it, she seem dumbfounded. She said, "Risks...," and the boyfriend said, "Yep. It comes with alot." As the video played, the girl looked with attentive eyes, while the boyfriend made various comments with nonchalance such as: "Oh, I know how this is done. I looked up abortions on the internet. In fact, I saw an imported video of an actual abortion. There was all these baby parts floating around in a metal tub." He clearly knew the procedure and risks of an abortion and even of the aftermath, and yet he still wanted to put his girlfriend through it. What a man. There was even a point where he was rubbing his girlfriend's back and said, "Yeah, abortions are dangerous."
Once the video was done, I asked them what they thought, and if they still wanted an abortion. They both said they are just not ready. Then I politely asked the boyfriend to leave so his girlfriend and I could have a more personal talk. I told her that her boyfriend seemed quite nonchalant with his comments on the video. She didn't say anything. I then told her if I were a boy, I would not want my girlfriend to go through all that. I would be worried for her. We then showed her the Choice Blues video which shows an actual abortion. After seeing the disturbing reality of abortions, she told us she was a little scared, but could not support a baby. We then stressed her the importance of abstinence so she could avoid having to be in that tough situation, and even suggested Natural Family Planning. I hope for the best for her, and that her boyfriend can truly care for her.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Farewell




It is hard to believe that six weeks has pasted. My time with EMC has come to an end. The experiences I have had were life impacting. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met so many amazing people.

I'm sad that I will not be able to stay with the women I until their deliveries, but I will remember them all. One of the girls that I met early on was so excited about her follow up ultrasound, that she sent me a picture of the baby on my phone.

The work is overwhelming and so desperately needed. During this brief internship, I had only a brief glimpse of the depth of the need at the frontlines of the prolife movement.

For those who remain to fight the good fight, may they be given perseverance in abundance.

Hard to say Good Bye




How time flies! Within this short period of time, God has used the interns at the EMC Pregnancy Centres, New York to save lives, change lives, and put a smile on faces. So much has been achieved, yet so much still need urgent attention that it seems nothing has been done. Jesus would tell His disciples to pray the Lord of harvest to send labourers to His vineyard. The call is for all: if you are not with EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centres, save babies wherever you find yourself because abortion takes place everywhere. For me, the internship ends today; but a new life begins tomorrow. More days ahead, more babies to save.

During my internship, I did come in contact with different kinds of people, both in and outside the work, everyone in his/her unique nature. Each of the pregnant girls, for instance, has a different set of problems. Some of them are too young to even discuss sexual issues, but the society they live in has made them grow older than their age. In that case, they need careful attention to help them make a better decision in such a delicate situation. I learned to live their lives, wear their shoes, carry their burdens on my shoulders and take their place. So, I was able to help as many as God used me to help.

I learned also to help with love and care. Counseling a teenager who found herself pregnant is not something we learn in some school but a God-given assignment which must be carried out with caution lest we push both the mother and child into the grave.

I appreciate all the people I met in the course of this training: I thank Chris Slattery who's the engine behind it all; I appreciate Linda and all the staff and interns of EMC, not forgetting the meek and humble Sisters of Life and Sisters of Charity, "Working together, Succeeding together". We part today to meet again tomorrow. It's hard to say good bye but it's inevitable. We still work together, saving babies globally.

For my clients, the pregnant girls/women I counseled who turned around to keep their babies, may God continue to protect you and bring a lasting solution to whatever problems that made you ever think of sacrificing your babies at the altar of abortion and immorality. May God be your COURAGE to persevere in this decision.

Planting a seed

Have you ever cleaned out a drawer you forgot about, and found something that wasn't important at the time but now makes all the sense in the world to you?

That's what we're trying to do here.

We hand out so much literature on the streets in hopes that we're spreading real information about abortion that people need to know. Many times people open the brochures and stop to talk with us. Some just take the information and walk on by.

Today I was in front of the abortion clinic and was talking with a woman who had a friend inside. I gave her the brochure and talked to her about post-abortive counseling we offer. She was resistant at first, but opened up after she realized I wasn't going to attack her or her friend, but rather wanted to help. She said she had a few of our flyers and always walked by without stopping, but for the first time she would go home and look at them and talk to her friend about the counseling. She also said it would be helpful for her also--her mother had forced her into an abortion at 15.

Sometimes it seems that we make no difference to the droves of people that walk by. I pray that in every soul, a seed is planted and that if it seems we do not make a difference today, then someday. In God's time, not ours.
Today in Queens we counseled one girl who is 17 and it was a special case. She came with a friend who knew that the abortion is a murder but at the same time she thought that she was fine "accompanying her friend". I am confused, some girls have very wrong ideas about friendship. First of all if you think abortion is dangerous and we are talking about your friend maybe it is not a great idea to bring her to make one.

I am saying this because I always try to explain to everybody who reads this blog and cares about our organization that the real problem is the lack of teaching about abortion, meaning that it carries consequences, not only from a theoretical point of view but also by teaching practical real examples. This should be done in all U.S. schools since children begin to study human sexuality early in life.

Concluding I think that if someone really wants to help us maybe we must start in the begining of their lives and if they still have these kinds of problems, try to convince them would be easier. God bless.

Keep Fighting the Good Fight!



Yesterday morning we arrived at Liz's and began to open up the office. Liz came out of one of the counseling rooms and said "Look, look across the street! The CFR's are here!"

With excitement and joy we joined the Capuchin Franciscans of the Renewal in praying outside the Planned Parenthood that is across the street from the EMC center on E 149th St.

After being out there for a few minutes the Planned Parenthood workers got agitated so they sent out makeshift escorts wearing little vests that read "Planned Parenthood Clinic Escorts."

I found that quite comical in that they were so threatened by the presence of goodness. Obviously they were flustered because they know that the truth really does make an impact on their business and we have the truth.

It was so beautiful to see many of the members of the community making the sign of the cross as they passed by the Divine Mercy Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe images.

In addition to that Liz kept sending down material to us so we could inform the community about abortion and that this was an abortion clinic.

We are so grateful that the CFR's were able to join us on the streets yesterday. Their presence and prayers defiantly enable us to keep fighting the good fight.

When God Speaks


Last Saturday morning very shortly after we arrived, a women walked out the back door of Emily's and stopped next to me like she was waiting for someone to pick her up. I thought it was odd that she had already come and left. Like always, my first question was, "Are you pregnant?" and the second, "Are you here to terminate the pregnancy?"

Her response? "I was."

Praise God! My next question was. "What made you change your mind?"

Turns out that when she entered the clinic at 7am, she passed one of our faithful prayer warriors. Sign number 1.

Then she went inside and her insurance didn't go through. The same insurance she used for her first abortion. There was no reason it shouldn't have worked. Sign number 2.

Then she came outside and we, the EMC interns, were there. Sign number 3.

She told me God was clearly using us to tell her not to do it. When God spoke that clearly, she couldn't ignore it.

When she told her husband she was pregnant, he told her she would have to get an abortion because they weren't ready for another baby. Their son is only 15 months old. Now she was waiting for him to pick her up so she could tell him she wasn't going to do it. She had tears in her eyes when she was telling me that she didn't care what her husband said, he would have to live with the fact that she was not having an abortion. He had wanted her to abort their son, too, but she had said no. And now she was saying no again. Praise God for this mother who is protecting her children.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Surviving an abortion


A baby of 22 weeks died in hospital intensive care after his mother decided to abort because the scans had revealed that the small came with problems. Surprisingly at 24 hours, the priest of the health care found him alive when he went to pray with his body.

The baby was born alive but doctors at the hospital in Rossano, in southern Italy, he left to die. The mother had chosen abortion in week 22 of gestation because doctors had told her that her son would be born with a disability, as publisher of The Telegraph.

The next day the priest of the hospital, Antonio Martello, went to pray beside the body of the baby and found him alive. The boy was wrapped in a sheet, still had the umbilical cord, moving and breathing.

The priest gave the alarm to doctors. Immediately the little boy was taken to a nearby hospital for infants Cosenza, where he died.

Police are investigating what happened. The physician has an obligation to try to preserve the life of the baby who survives an ABORTION. Police are analyzing the behavior of hospital staff.

Happy ending

It has been two weeks since my arrival in the U.S.I had never thought that these girls would teach me so much. It is true that girls have many difficulties but those who decide to go ahead and have the child demonstrate that they are admirable people.
Last Thursday I was talking to a woman who was 11 weeks pregnant. When you enter talk to her was quite distressed because he saw no more outputs than abortion. I was talking to her for nearly two hours and at the end of the counseling he told me that he had no time to inner peace. That impressed me so much. The woman came out of the office with a smile on her face and ready to face reality and telling everything to her husband. Just before leaving she turned to give me a hug and said me "thank you". That words me myself realise about what I had just done. That day I really felt I had achieved something.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Ready to be happy


Many times, we see mothers around us looking for an abortion because they think they are not ready to have a child and take care of him. Maybe their youth, their economic difficulties, their familiar and social pressure forces them to think of finishing the life of their babies.

But let's talk about "being ready". What does "being ready to be a mother" mean? Perhaps it is all about age, perhaps about the support these girls are given, perhaps their personal resources and strenght to face obstacles. But there is a fact we cannot deny: they ARE mothers already. They have been taking care of the developing baby for some weeks, and it seems, they have done their job quite well: the baby is still struggling for life.

No mother at all was ready to become it, but life itself teaches us, and God is always holding us tight; what these mothers want to avoid is not the child, but the problems that having an unexpected baby implies. So when you decide to solve these problems without fear, knowing that life works that way and leaving everything in God's hands... worries suddenly dissapear.

It is not a matter of being ready to be a mother. They are mothers already. It is matter of being ready to being generous and (as we say in Spain) "hold the bull by the horns". That is the ultimate decision the mother has to make, if she is strong enough to be totally happy.

Where the Lines Overlap


My job here at EMC has many demands, one of which is dealing with whatever comes my way. A few evenings ago, for lack of a Spanish speaker, I had to counsel a purely Spanish-speaking client from Guatemala.

Luckily, God had sent her there with her best friend who could speak both Spanish and English. Her friend was able to translate our entire conversation.

I realized that in many ways this ended up being a blessing for our client. 1) She was able to hear the truth in her friend's voice, which is reassuring. 2) Her friend was able to learn about abortion and become concerned about my client's safety, which means the client's baby has someone else fighting for his life.

The friend was surprised to find out that she and the client were thirteen years older than me. She continually praised me and said I should come speak at her son's high school. I truly bonded with these two women, it was beautiful.

I felt relieved that when the client left she would be in good hands. Even though our ages, our cultures, and our languages overlapped instead of matching up, God was able to touch my client's heart. She began crying and I could see how precious her heart was.

My client is scheduled for an ultrasound soon and I am full of hope for her and her baby.

"Let the Sun Shine In"


I could not have had a more perfect client today at Liz's office. "Mabel" came in scared and confused. She said her ex had told her to have an abortion because he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby.

Before we even started talking she said "I have never believed in abortions and I know nothing about them". She came in searching for answers about abortion. "Mabel" definitely came to the right place!

Just seeing the computer generated abortion procedures video made her sick to her stomach and she resolved from there not to do it. While sitting in our counseling room she deleted her ex's number from her phone and said she was going to have a fresh start.

Before she left the office she thanked all of us for being her support team and said she felt more happy than she had for the past two months.

God allowed the truth to shine in her heart.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Long Live the Queens




Contemplating on my second day of work with the EMC internship, I realized just how much help New York City women need especially in the Queens. One of the EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centers is located on a street with about ten other abortion clinics within Queens. No wonder many women feel like abortion is their only option when they have an unwanted pregnancy. The City of New York does not really offer any other solutions. Looking at these EMC Pregnancy Centers running with such fervor and hard-work in the midst of increasing pressure and difficulties from the abortion clinics and from government laws really inspires me to keep working hard for the pro-life cause.
The Queens is a rough and busy place. It can be very difficult reaching out to individuals here because of their strong confidence and stubbornness, but I learned from Carmen, the director of the EMC Pregnancy Center in Queens, that if one uses their own proud attitude towards them, one can reach their hearts. Sometimes one has to be a little fiery in order to melt a cold heart. Javier, another intern, and I were handing out pamphlets talking about the effects of abortion and abortion alternatives just feet away from an abortion clinic in the Queens. I felt empowered knowing that our organization was not scared to give out the truth so close to the enemy. We were able to reach many people, and one man even came back for another pamphlet to give to his friend. I used to think before this internship that people would not be able to handle seeing pictures of dead babies , but people want to know the truth. A good bit of them believe abortion is just another medical procedure. Women do not realize that the baby within them is more than a lump of tissue. Although we did get quite a few rejections in the Queens, those who accepted made us standing in the hot sun all the more worth it. Long live the babies of Queens.

One Good Turn. . .


If you can remember my previous blog on 17 year old Chinese girl who was pregnant by a run-away boyfriend but was rescued and is being taken care of by a new boyfriend, here's another good news: the new boyfriend has secured a job through EMC!

This guy met the girl while she was already pregnant, but that's not a problem to him. He advised her to keep her baby and offered to father the baby. His gesture impressed everyone at the centre that day and Linda, as usual, gave him a letter for job at a construction company. They're offered jobs so they would have no reason to abort. When I called the girl friend last Sunday to know how she was faring she told me her friend secured the job.

Every baby comes with good tidings, and for this couple, the baby is bringing a new life, upliftment, food on the table, job opportunity, name it. The guy's love and kindness towards the girl has earned him a fortune, one he never imagined. When he stepped into our office that day, little did he know that he was stepping into a new life. He was only a good Samaritan, but his goodness saved and provided for him too. One good turn deserves another!

From Russia with Love



Today was a day of international efforts to save a baby. Our first client was a young woman from Russia who has only been in the US for two weeks.

She came to the center with the woman she lives with and the woman's 13 year old daughter. The client spoke very little English and the woman, who was a friend of the girl's mother, made her daughter do most of the translating while we tried to find another translator.

The young mother was only planning to be in the US for a short period of time and wanted to go back to Russia. She did not know she was pregnant when she left her country.

We utilized our international EMC connections and contacted the Heartbeat International office. They joyfully agreed to help us find information on crisis pregnancy resources in Russia.

The Sisters of Life came through once again miraculously locating a Russian speaking religious sister.

This beautiful young mother was stuck living in a country that was not her home with a woman who wanted nothing to do with her or her baby. She was verbally abusive to the girl in the center both in Russian and English.

I will never forget the look on the mother's face when she saw her 8 week little baby on the ultrasound monitor and heard the little heartbeat. Her face was glowing; she smiled beautifully and shed a few tears.

Some things do not need to be translated.

Body language

This week I saw a beautiful girl that came in to weigh her options regarding her pregnancy. She, like so many others, had a baby at hone. She wanted an abortion because of the convenience of not having another child 'too soon after the first one' and because she thought she could 'move on with life' without the responsibility of raising two children. Upon seeing her tiny baby on the sonogram screen, she instinctively moved her hands over her womb.

Ah, the intuition of a mother.

After we had talked about the abortion procedure and she had seen what abortion does to women and to children, she said she did not want to go through that. Her body language, however, said something a little different. She had her arms wrapped protectively over her stomach, not tight, but not letting go, and definitely not letting anyone or anything get near that baby.

Sometimes the mothers don't even realize what love they are capable of, what protection they offer to their unborn, or what kind of amazing parents they already are. Please continue to lift up these women in your prayers, and for the interns as we continue to try to help these women see the love that they already have for their children.

My arrival

Hello, I'm Javier, a spanish volunteer from Bilbao. I have come to stay until august and today has been my first day in the abortion clinics. I have been with Liz in the Bronx and we have been talking with a young girl who wanted to have an abortion but she was afraid of her parents. After an hour of talk she has gone with a clear idea of what abortion means and the risks and alternatives that she can takes. It's has been a bit shoking for me at first but I have the googd feeling of helping a person in this big problem. I hope that we help lots of people in this month!

Come on Gators, Get Up and Go!


This killer heat in NYC makes me miss home. It reminds me of hot Saturday afternoons in the Swamp among the roaring crowd getting hyped up by Albert, 2-Bits, and the Orange and Blue cheer for the next victory!

The Lord was so good to me today. Well, what else is new, He's always good to me!

I had the pleasure to talk to a girl today who wanted to keep her baby. When I asked her what her educational background was she stunned me by responding "I finished my undergrad at the University of Florida!"

I was so excited to spend time with "Margaret". She shared so much with me. Even how she has used a pregnancy resource center in Gainesville when she was there a few years ago. That also surprised me because not only has she utilized the available resources in Gainesville, she is taking advantage of the centers in NYC as well!

Praise God for all the times He makes the world seem so small!

Newbie

My name is Iyanu and I'm a new intern here at EMC. I've only worked for two days and today is actually my third day. The first two days I worked at Emily's which was an interesting experience to say the least. On Saturday the Pro Aborts were there going against us and trying to encourage the women going into the clinic to go ahead and have their abortion. It kind of surprised me how passionate they were about killing child's life and it also disgusted me but nevertheless, we had two turnarounds that day.

I hope in the upcoming months while I'm here in NYC that I'll be able to help save more children lives because they are valuable and of worth. All it takes is courage and a loving heart.

Where There's A Will, There's A Way


One of the many jobs we have here at EMC is standing outside our centers handing out information to inform the public on the damaging effects of abortion on men, women, and children.

Our traditional setup involved a table with a television and DVD player run by a generator with our fetal development models and various pieces of literature ranging from what to do if you’re considering an abortion to your sexual exposure based on how many partners you’ve had in the past.

Usually, our tables get a lot of positive attention from people in the neighborhood. We get a lot of, “Wow, I didn’t know that,” and “You guys are angels,” but what we didn’t expect was for the NYPD to close up our shop.

Technically speaking, in NYC, you need a permit to have any kind of table-setup out on the street so when the police said, “Nope, gotta take it down,” we put our little pro-life heads together and figured out a way to make it work.

Half to spite the police and half to keep on educating we set up a chair below our 149th street center and strung out an extension cord to the television which sat in one person’s lap while the others handed out our literature. So far, no one’s said anything.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

To See


I love working at a center on a sonogram day. When a women can see and hear her child within her body, so much hope is restored for his or her life.

The other day I talked to a woman at the center in Queens who came in for an abortion and "wanted it all done today". Her mind was made up. How horrible for her baby if we did what she thought we did as she walked through our doors. When I told her that we have free abortion alternatives she got pretty mad and I was worried she was just going to leave.

I think she could tell that we really cared about her and her baby. The more we talked the more she opened up. She watched the video of abortion procedures and the video of real abortion footage. She started realizing what this decision could mean for her.

The real change came when she saw her sonogram. She had just entered her second trimester, and her baby was not shy. Roseanna, our sonogram tech, was able to get lots of good pictures and listen to a good strong heartbeat.

When this woman saw her baby, her voice changed to a mother's voice. She talked to him; "I feel like he's a boy," she said.

She stayed with us for a while talking about pregnancy, relationship issues, and finances. When I gave her the number for a free pre natal doctor she called him and made an appointment right then and there. She even asked to see the videos for a second time to see what she almost got trapped by.

Pray for this special woman and her baby. I wish I could be in New York the day he is born and hold him, after being witness to the great occasion of his first picture.

Happy Customers


Here at EMC we are selling life to each woman who walks in the door.

As with any business, you want a good reputation that will bring more customers in the door (and in our case, away from the abortion mills).

The best way to know how others see your business is by whether they come back and/or refer others to you.

Today I had the pleasure of meeting a previous customer who bought life! She brought in her one and half year old daughter along with her sister. Her sister was pregnant and she had referred her to us because we "care about women".

I got to play with her daughter while her sister was being counseled. This is a picture of the beautiful, beautiful baby girl and her amazing mother.

May our business continue to thrive and spread like good news through the streets of New York.
hi guys, today was amazing because one mom came to our office with her twins another baby wich was almost aborted by this mom and she was so happy and told us that her kids are a miracle. We must know that girls who come for abortion do not know what it means.


I hope that in the future women will be told more about how abortion will affect them. People need to learn this while they are still young so they will make good choices when they are older. Pray for us at the life house to give good informtation and care to all the people we talk to. God bless.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Tiny Blessings


My mom always told me that blessings come in all shapes and sizes. I believe this to be true but the girls who walk into our centers scared, confused, and ready to run hardly find an unplanned pregnancy a blessing. It isn’t until they’ve had the baby and get to experience motherhood with their baby in their arms that they don’t even know why they ever considered an abortion.

When a girl we’ve walked through pregnancy with comes back to visit with her baby it brings so much joy to our hearts and it proves that our long hours and sleepless nights were worth it in the end. There’s so much joy and satisfaction in looking down into your arms and being able to see the endless possibilities that are within this tiny little baby.

For a moment it’s like the whole world stops and you can say to the baby, “I fought for you.” Fighting for these little ones is truly an act of love. We loved these babies first when the rest of the world said, “Just get rid of it, you can always have another one.”

This total disregard for human life makes me sick to my stomach but at the end of the day, despite how heartbreaking it is to think that maybe one of your girls had the abortion, we know that our babies, the ones nobody loved, the ones that didn’t survive, are in heaven looking down at us smiling because even if we could only save one baby we’ve made a difference and that’s a good feeling.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Life Fest



What better way to celebrate our country's independence day than a festival of life?

This Fourth of July marks the second annual Life Fest sponsored by the Sisters of Life. The day is full of fun with games, food, prayer, and a juggling Franciscan. What more could you want?

EMC was represented by a few of our summer interns. Life Fest gave us a chance to grow in community and fellowship amongst ourselves and other pro life groups like the Lamp women.

Some of the single mother's that the Sisters of Life served through the Visitation Mission were present with their beautiful children. EMC networks with the Sisters and many of our clients have benefited from their apostolate.

One mother stood up during the women's talk with Mother Agnes and thanked the Sisters for "giving her a second chance in life." She shared how she had worked through a difficult relationship and bad situation in her life with their help.

Our work at EMC is closely united with the sisters. It is like we are all soldiers in the same army but we fight on the front lines and they are the special forces.
hey guys, this week one spanish university partner come to lifehouse and come with me to Queens and I learnt him about our metods and everything and he told me that its awesome how we work and our strategy to convince the girls. Also I sow him the real abortion dvd and he was like "I didnt think that abortion was like this..." this is the real bad news, even my partner didnt know about what is a real abortion we can imagine in south american people or african people etc. After that I sow him how to do counselings and we save one baby and he was so so so reward. God bless.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

". . . my Baby"


No teenage pregnant girl is ever ready to be a mother. Of course not, considering their age, marital status, career, family priorities and so on. Another common phenomenon among them is that they always refer to their babies as 'it'. Since they do not want the baby, 'it' is better stripped of every human attribute in order to dispose of 'it'.

The case of 'Tessy' is not an exception. I have this habit of watching their facial expression as they watch Choice Blues. Tessy didn't like the pictures, though, but during the counseling session she said she doesn't want anything to interrupt her academics, not even this pregnancy. "I don't want it; I'm not ready for it."

After a long session, I felt this girl doesn't have any attachment to her baby, I then challenged her, "Have you considered adoption?"

"I can't give out my baby." came her response, the very first time "it" became a baby.

"Why not?"

"He might enter into the hands of bad parents and they would maltreat him."

"Then he shouldn't suffer death in the hands of his own mother," I replied. Her expression changed immediately, and I could see a feeling of guilt in her. I told her that it would be better for her child to live and suffer than to be denied life which is the basis of all rights; "and how are you so certain he would suffer. Give him life first and leave the rest to God."

Before Tessy left, I had an assurance that nothing will happen to her baby. Now Tessy is one of our prenatal patients. Praise God!