A day in Brooklyn

On my last blog, I underlined the importance of following up. If the girl comes to our center several times or comes for pre-natal care and sonograms, a relationship with her is built up. This wednesday, I went for the first time to our Brooklyn center. Around 3pm, a girl came in. 

 Here she meet Linda and after talking to her, decided to keep the baby. She was coming to say hi, with her little baby. She talked about her experience with other mother that were there.

Something that stuck in my mind was what she about the reason she decided to keep her baby. When having the sonogram done, she heard the heart beat of the baby, and said: " It touched my soul, it was God coming down to earth”.

Back where it all began

On Thursday, after working in our 26th St. location, I walked down a couple of streets to get to the office where EMC first started. This is where the first appointment was made, the first counseling was made and the first turn around took place.

On 210 E. 23rd street was the original building, on the 5th floor. At that time, Planned Parenthood was very near, on 22nd St. at 2nd av.

Oración por la vida

Padre, tú eres la fuente de toda vida. Por Jesucristo, tu Hijo, ofreces la vida eterna a todo el que la desea. Nosotros creemos en esa vida, Padre. Te damos gracias por ella y esperamos con gozo el día en que podamos compartirla contigo.

Pero hoy te pedimos por la vida humana creada a tu imagen; la vida de todas las personas del mundo entero. Por tu amor y tu misericordia, santifica y fortalece nuestros esfuerzos por lograr que se respete y dignifique el fundamento de toda vida humana, especialmente por los jóvenes de nuestro mundo. Que tu rostro brille sobre nosotros y que en ti, la humanidad entera encuentre la felicidad y el valor de vivir en ayuda mutua, haciendo de esta vida un anticipo de la vida futura que gozaremos eternamente. Amén.

Redemption

Señor, Dios Todopoderoso y Creador nuestro, nos reunimos hoy en torno tuyo para celebrar nuestra existencia y alegrarnos por el don de la vida. Enséñanos a comprender cada vez mas profusamente, que toda vida humana es sagrada, tanto la del pequeño en el vientre de su madre, como la del enfermo desahuciado ; la del niño lisiado o anormal, como la del adulto incapacitado; la del vecino, como la del hombre distante y lejano. Recuérdanos, Padre Celestial, que independientemente de la edad, raza, color o credo, cada persona ha sido creada a tu imagen y semejanza, y ha sido redimida por Cristo. Esto los hace inapreciables ante tu mirada. Enséñanos a ver a los demás a través de tus ojos para poder venerar, preservar y sostener el don de la vida en ellos, y emplear con mayor fidelidad la nuestra en tu servicio. Te lo pedimos por Cristo, nuestro Señor.

El movimiento provida

Los movimientos provida surgen en los años 70 y los años 80 del siglo XX como reacción a los cambios sociales y legales que se producen en las sociedades occidentales a partir de los años 60: la legalización de los métodos anticonceptivos, la despenalización del aborto y de las relaciones homosexuales, la creación de unidades de planificación familiar, la introducción de la educación sexual en los programas de los centros de enseñanza, la liberalización de las costumbres sexuales, la aparición de formas alternativas a la familia tradicional, etc.

Se suele situar su nacimiento en Estados Unidos a raíz de la sentencia Roe v. Wade del Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos que en 1973 despenalizaba el aborto argumentando que laConstitución de Estados Unidos "protege de la actividad del Estado en contra de la privacidad, incluido el derecho garantizado de la mujer a finalizar su embarazo". En aquel momento sólo un 46% de los encuestados aseguraba estar a favor de "una ley que permita a la mujer a acudir al médico durante sus primeros meses". Veinte años después lo aprobaban el 63%

ÁLVARO CASTIELLA

My name is Alvaro Castiella,I am from San Sebastian; Spain. I just finished my first year at University of Navarra. I am so excited to be part of this. My sister Alejandra told me about this opportunity and that’s why I decided to come here.

For me pro-life is accepting that we are humans from the day of conception. So my purpose here is to help as much as I can in order to save babies. I expect achieving at least one turn around as well as getting closer to this reality in America so that I can understand and help more to this cause in the future.

First

About two weeks ago, I had my first turn-around. It was a teenarger mother who came completely decided about having an abortion. After chating with her, I realised she was scared. She was scared of her parent's reaction, of her friends' reaction. However, her boyfriend was excited about parenting and had already told his family, who was thrilled to have a new little member.

After talking with me, they were almost sure that they were going to keep the baby.But there was still one more obstacle. If they decided to keep the baby, they would need financial support. We could help them with that, suggesting them a work agency.

It was an amazing experience and it was worth all the working hours I have done since I started my internship. Thanks to this case, I have discovered the importance of the following up, creating a relationship with her. This way, we can keep on helping her and supporting her through her pregnancy and once the baby is born.

The Holocaust Museum

Last Wednesday some of the interns had the chance to go to Washington DC and visit the Holocaust Museum. It was a great experience. We got to learn plenty of things about the cruelty that took place those days.

Here are some of the pictures we saw in the Museum

  

Hitler's ideology defended that the Aryan race was above the other ones (black, gypsy...) and that the Jews could not be even considered human. He claimed they were the origin of all German problems. Therefore, they were forced to work , they were tortured and violently treated.

Abortion is usually compared to the Holocaust as the unborn are considered non-human like the Jews in the Hitler regime. Here goes the link of a great video related to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y2KsU_dhwI

I recommend you all to watch it and think about it!

Prayer for the unborn children

O God, our Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son into this world that He might Bless and Consecrate all life to You.
Your constant Love protected Him as the Ever Virgin Mary bore Him in Her womb for nine months.
In His mission He taught us the Greatness of Your Love and the Sanctity of Life.
We pray that we may always cherish the Life that You give us.
In a special way we ask and pray that You Grace and Protect all unborn children with Your ever caring Love.
We pray this in the Name of Jesus, Who is Lord, Forever and Ever. Amen