The White House

Last week I had the great opportunity to be in a demonstration front of the white house in Washington DC!

It was a really good and exciting experience to me because I had never been in a demonstration at a place like this.

We were about 20 people carrying signs to show people what we were doing. The reason of our protest was to demonstrate against the new health bill declared by President Barack Obama that is to require all institutions, including religious, to provide and facilitate contraception and sterilization services to its employees.

Were moments of tension as the police came but also very rewarding because I think it's a good way for our rights are respected, to show the world that you can fight for what you believe and pray that injustices like this not committed. 

Priests for Life

Last Friday we were given the opportunity to visit the Priests for Life! A big group of us left early in the morning and filled up two cars, which took us all the way to Staten Island where they are based.

When we arrived we were given detailed tour of their offices. Afterward we were lucky enough to meet with Father Frank Pavone, the founder of the order! He is a renound pro-life advocate and speaker and has many shows on the Catholic TV channel EWTN. We even had a chance to take a look at the studio where many of his shows are filmed! He gave us an inspirational talk about how our work is so important and the need for us to continue pro-life work back in Spain. 

Thank you Father Frank and the Priests for Life for an amazing day!

Un gran ejemplo

¿Alguna vez habéis conocido a alguien que os haya impacto en todos los sentidos? ¿alguien a quien admiráis profundamente? Yo tuve la gran suerte de conocer a esa persona hace unas cuantas semanas.

Es una mujer valiente, luchadora, generosa que decidió entregar en adopción al hijo al que no podía mantener y darle  la oportunidad de vivir y experimentar esta gran aventura que nos depara la vida. Pero no sólo hizo eso, sino que pudo dar a unos padres el hijo que nunca han podido tener.

El otro día tuve la gran suerte de poder celebrar con ellos esta gran noticia y ¡¡ no sabéis que maravilla!!! Son unas personas super generosas, agradecidas y tienen unas ganas increíbles de cuidar a su hijo y darle todo el amor posible.

Cada día doy las gracias a Dios por haber podido conocer a estas personas quienes me han enseñado que el amor, la aceptación, la generosidad y la entrega total a los demás es lo que nos hace felices, que el aborto no es la mejor opción para solucionar un problema y que quién escoge la vida está eligiendo el camino correcto.

¡Gracias por esta gran lección! 

Practicing my English

This week I did my first counseling in English, alone! All the other interns  were busy, a girl arrived and my supervisor said to me: “ come on Mary! It´s your chance!”

At the beginning I was scared and said I was not prepared to do a counseling in English alone, but my supervisor insisted that was my chance and that was the only way to learn… and I found this to be true!

The woman I spoke to was about 30 years old, she had two children and was pregnant again. Her economic situation was not very good and she explained it seemed impossible to have another child because she could not support them.  I told her abortion is not the best choice; if anything happened to her who would care for their children? Economic problems are only temporary but the consequences of abortion are forever. I knew I had to let her think about these things, and all I could do from there was call her in a few days and pray for her.

Regardless of whether I am successful with these women at the end of the day the choice is theirs and I am just there to help them make the right decision and choose life. I am so grateful for this opportunity to practice my English. It is amazing to me that I was able to counsel in English when I thought it was so difficult. With matters as serious as abortion we are always find a way to communicate to these helpless girls. 

NEW OFFICE!

Today I’ve been in the Brooklyn´s office and I really enjoy it! I'm used to the office the queens (is the only one to which I had gone until today) so for me it was a great experience!

 The work in the Brooklyn office is very different from how we do things on queens, but despite these differences, in every office, what matters most is the mother and her baby, we all strive for the same cause, giving them real options and chance at parenting. The Brooklyn office is located on the 12^th floor, and besides having a great view, is a very pleasant and serene place where we can talk quietly to the girls in an environment where they feel comfortable, secure and loved.

Today came a girl about 30 years old with her boyfriend, she was pregnant and they wanted to keep their baby!  They were a really nice couple and I´ve been happy to see how Linda, the director of the center, gave them help and shared with them the joy of a new life.

THE LAST MINUTE OF HOPE

It´s 6 o clock, we must get up and we are really tired! Today we have to go to Dr. Emily’s; honestly it´s not the best choice for a Tuesday morning but it´s what we must do. We arrived, and other people were waiting for us, what am I doing here? Am I really  going to do something for these girls? I´m scared and a little bit ashamed to approach them and talk. 

The first one is pretty daunting, the second time is better, with the third girl I get exited! Then more people join us outside the door of the clinic, they are praying the rosary. Security guards are watching us, some of the passersby support us, others do not listen to us at all, but that doesn’t matter, I've realized that I am the last hope for that mother and her baby, the last person to talk to her before she gets an abortion ...

The work in Emily’s it´s really hard but I think that it´s the most important job we could ever do. Praying for those girls, being there for them, and the last hope for their babies; I have just realized that despite experiencing a bit of shame or insecurity at the beginning, we cannot surrender; we must give all of ourselves to this task, because we are their last hope. 

WASHINGTON DC!

Last weekend I went to visit the fantastic city called Washington DC! It was a really good experience because apart from visiting the city and learning its history more thoroughly, we went to a pro-life conference where we heard the testimony of many people who devote their lives to this great cause.

 Then I realized how much I have to learn about the pro-life work, and how much we can help if we want to and fight for what we believe in.

To learn how much stuff I have jet to know and do is not discouraging, but just the opposite, I know  that we can do it, and if we all do our part we will change the world and save many lives. So stay strong and persevere! You are not alone!

MY FIRST DAY OF WORK

They say the first day of anything (work, college, university, etc.) is a day when you feel many emotions at once: fear, excitement, laziness, optimism, and so on. The truth is I have to say my first day at the office of EMC in Queens was completely different. The only thing I felt during the day was happiness, I was just so grateful to be there! It´s amazing how much just a listening to someone, or a smile can help in just a few minutes.

With the smallest effort you can encourage a mother to give her child a chance. Helping in this way is such a big step for me; helping to bring new life in to the world is something I will not be able to forget.  I think my time with EMC will be one of the best experiences of my life and I look forward to what else this internship will offer!

WHAT ABOUT THE SONOGRAMS?

One of the things that we offer to the girls who come to the office it´s to do a sonogram so they can see their babies and listen to their hearts. The other day, when I was seeing my first sonogram I was thinking how a simple machine can show something as big as life itself, and I thought that we must tell all the pregnant women how important is the life that they are carrying inside themselves. How important is their decision to protect this life, because: “if a mother does not protect her own son, who will?”.

For this reason our job in EMC is really important; expectant mothers need our help and we must always be there for them.

MY FIRST TIME IN THE USA!!!

Hello everybody!! My name is Mary, I am 20 years old and I am from Mallorca; a beautiful island located in Spain (Europe). Right now I am studding Nutrition and Health in the University of Navarra, Pamplona.

Last year a friend told me about the amazing experience that he had working in a prolife program in New York and since that day I have been dreaming of being here today! Now, finally, I am here; my first time in the USA and I really hope to learn a lot during these two months and then contribute as I can in this big prolife movement in the  world.