KEEP ON LEARNING:

This week has been primarily training! In my opinion it has been very important, because I think that, the same way we need to study a degree before we start to work in our professions, we need to know which ones are the keys to do a best counseling of these pregnant women. There are some things that interns should have (should bring with them), but there are many others that we are learning here in order to do our best. This training we have had, has been absolutely necessary for us!

                              

On Monday we had an interesting training day at the LifeHouse with Chris Slattery; about 6 hours of training. He has dedicated almost his entire life to this cause, and he always keeps on studying and acquiring new useful tools! It is very important to keep on learning, no matter the age... because we can never have enough of it. 

Furthermore, we spent all Tuesday morning and most of the afternoon at the Immaculate Conception Center with a very amazing nun: Sister Dorothy. She dedicated almost 5 hours training us with such a carrying spirit. Also, we had the occasion to visit the beautiful chapel and to assist to Mass.

So as I was saying, training and studying (and of course praying) are the keys to a successful counseling.

Today I was next to an abortion clinic in Queens, passing out newspapers, when a woman came to me; she asked me about my work, so I started explaining to her everything and she asked me for a pair of newspapers because she works at a library and she wanted to make copies to leave some there for the people that goes into it. It is incredible how nice people actually exist! She really wanted to help us in this cause! For instance, the other day I was at Dr. Emily’s, in the Bronx, and I asked a woman if she was going into the abortion clinic, and she answered me: “are you kidding me? I am against that!”

Another thing that catches my attention is that many of the mothers that I have talked to that go into the abortion clinics, are amazed because we really care about them, we are really concerned, and they can tell. This is something that they really appreciate, to see how a completely stranger is worried about them. I have seen their faces change when I have said: “I really want to help you”. But somehow, some of them decide to go into the abortion clinic anyway. The good thing is that they know where we are, and that they can come talk to us whenever they want.

So this is all I can tell you so far.

Fátima.