God's Loving Mercy and a Second Chance

Many of us go about our very busy lives and maybe once or twice during the day we will take a moment or two to realize how blessed and fortunate we are to be a part of God's beautiful creation. Even in those few brief moments we often forget just how much God has done for us and how many times we fall and He still gives us a second chance to pick ourselves back up. That alone is such a beautiful gift that He has so mercifully given to us. This is especially true when we remind ourselves that He did not even have to create us in the first place; let alone give us opportunities to correct our wrongs.

Again, in our busy lives we do not take time to remind ourselves of this reality. So, instead of thanking God, as we should, and picking ourselves back up, we continue to wallow in our own mistakes. This creates yet another problem. If we do not recognize our mistakes, desire to change, and ask God for forgiveness we will then not receive Grace from God. Because we are fallen we need God's Grace to help grow closer to Him and to help us correct our bad habits. Once we accept God's Mercy we will be given strength, strength from God Himself, to fight the battle and come out victorious.

I have to thank one of my clients yesterday for reminding me of this reality. This client came into the office and shared that she had past abortions and then found out she had some tumors. She then was faced with another pregnancy which she felt she could not handle. After talking for a while she finally said that God gave her the tumors to punish her and that now He is giving her a second to "make up for her past". In the end I can certainly say that my client gave me some new insight. I pray that I was able to do the same for her so that she will be more receptive to God's Loving Mercy and use this Second Chance given to her.

Claire and I discuss the beauty of a Second Chance

Part III: From Bleecker St. to a Miracle on Court St.

We arrived at Planned Parenthood on Bleecker St., Manhattan by 7.30am.  I had  various degrees of interaction with a few women before they went in.  After 10am, I approached a couple coming toward P.P. at about 50ft from the premises and gently launched into counselling mode.

We talked. I explained. They listened. And asked me some questions. There was a discussion of a range of issues, which, this morning, included abortion procedures and risks, post-abortion syndrome, factors underlying Angela's decision to abort the baby, their financial situation, housing needs,  background, relationship, family, fears and hopes.

Through God's grace, they listened and engaged with me. The expectant mum, 'Angela' was afraid that there was something wrong with baby because of certain pregnancy symptoms she had. She also had financial concerns, was unemployed and didn't feel she was in a position - financially or otherwise - to have a baby, which lead her to P.P on that fateful Wednesday morning. Her boyfriend, 'Theo', had been reluctant to come to the abortuary. He recounted how he had cried when she told him what her intention was and he had initially refused to accompany her. When I asked him how he felt about all this, he said, "I want to be a father", with an expression of tangible anguish on his face.

I counselled them there on the sidewalk, in view of - but at a distance from - the P.P. facility and the P.P. escort, for about 25 minutes. They agreed to come to our Brooklyn centre for a free sonogram and consultation. At this stage, I estimated that they had been 75% turned around in favour of life. I offered to accompany them and they accepted, while Hannah remained at the abortuary for a while longer. We took a no. 6 train followed by a no. 5 train. It was a slightly bizarre situation! On the first train, we scrambled to get seats ,  resulting in me being flanked by Angela & Theo, African immigrants and strangers who I'd just met on the street in downtown Manhattan and who were now taking the subway to Brooklyn with me!! I part- counselled and we part-chatted en route.

Photo: Claire and J., a man we met praying outside The Planned Parenthood in Bleecker St., Manhattan.

Encouragement on the front lines

Yesterday three of us spent the morning  outside Dr. Emily's abortion clinic in the Bronx. 

I was a bit apprehensive at first but God gave me so many much needed encouragements throughout the day. 

Early on, one of the women who works there gave us quite an earful about how we need to back off and go back home because we are white and can support children but the women who come can't...

So many words of defense arose within me but I held my tongue and let her continue inside. There is no point in arguing with someone that angry. 

Instead we said a quick prayer of blessing for her and then something surprising happened.

A black man who had been sitting in his car and witnessed the encounter got out and came over to assure us not to be shaken by women like her and how we don't need to be afraid of the neighborhood and to just keep up what we are doing because we have just as much of a right to be there as anyone.

This was SO encouraging. Then throughout the rest of the day we had about a half a dozen people come up and thank us for what we were doing and saying how much they support us. 

It's amazing what little comments like that can make all the difference and fuel you throughout the day to keep going and not grow weary.

ALSO: We were looking at the building and noticed something very interesting. On one side of the clinic is a company called "Agape" (which is the Greek word for the unconditional love of God). On the other side is Spanish for "St Michael" and a picture of the angel crushing Satan's head! Coincidence? I don't think so! The love and power of God is closing in on the evils of abortion!

ELVI

Hi! my name is Elvi, I'm from Pamplona, Spain. I´m a very curius and energetic young woman looking for new challenges. I would like to meet new people and to grow not only professionally but also personally. And the main reason that I want to participate in this program is that I have been fortunate in life and I would like to give something back, and this proyect "pro-life" is the best way to do it.

The Air Strikes And Trenches

This week has been crazy for me. I started out in Florida waiting on tables and then I'm on a plane to NYC working for EMC pregnancy centers. Then to top it all off, I spent a few days in Washington DC marching, lobbying, and seeing some politicians and other influential individuals speak on our faith and freedom. Amidst the craziness and excitement of this week I have been humbled as I gained some new insights into the bigger picture of the war that we are a part of, whether we choose to accept it or not.  

This war, the fight for life, is one that we all need to participate in no matter who we are and what our religious conviction are. Life is a God given right that all people have and therefore all people need to protect. We may have different beliefs about other truths, but life is a truth that comes from the very existence and even the most hardened individual will not let you take that from them. This issue is also a threat to our continued existence on this planet. As caretakers of this world, we need to not only think about mankind, but all of creation. This is why we need to join together and work to solve the life issue. Then, after that is accomplished, we can work to solve other issues.  

This week has also made me come to realize that not only is this a war that needs to be fought by all, but each of us has a different place and calling in the battle. There are those who are on the front lines fighting in the "trenches", as many people I met this weekend in DC called the work we do at EMC. Then there are also the people in DC and throughout our nation who lead air strikes. Both types of attacks are necessary,  but it takes a certain type of person and strategy to do each one. I know I could not be the one that leads the air strikes, and many I spoke with could not do the work in the trenches. 

Myself and others I met this weekend came to realize this reality which has lead to a greater appreciation and gratitude for the work of the other front.  As a result, I believe that both sides walked away from this experience renewed in spirit and ready to continue in the fight. 

I was very blessed to be able to not only be in our nation's capital this weekend, but I also was privileged to meet some of our politicians who are like minded. I heard them speak on an issue that is important to me and I was also able to talk to them briefly and get a few pictures with some of them. The photo below from left to right has Anna Little (NJ), myself, Louie Gohmert (TX), and Hannah P. (fellow intern). 

All of these experiences have really helped give me the strength and motivation to continue to fight for those innocent human beings who are not even being given an opportunity to share in the most basic human right of Life. 

The Power of Prayer [saving lives one at a time]

Wednesday was a day of great victory and left me feeling very encouraged and inspired. 

Claire and I spent the morning outside a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. We were there to pray and to interact with clients in order to share with them the alternative help to abortion available to them. 

As it was my first time doing this type of thing, I initially felt nervous and honestly pretty uncomfortable. But as I prayed, I felt God leading me to spend the time prayer walking and worshiping along the street. So I walked and I prayed and worshipped and prayed some more. 

As I prayed, Claire would approach various women and couples walking up. 

To our great joy, one couple agreed to come back with us to the pregnancy center and, long story short, as a result is planning on keeping their child instead if aborting it! 

This story is evidence of the power of prayer and the love we show by reaching out to women who are about to make a decision to end the life of their child. 

Prayer+compassion in action = open door for Life! 

I know the rejoicing in our office that day was great, but I'm convinced the rejoicing in heaven was even greater. 

God is good!!

Cuando Dios te cierra una puerta, te abre una ventana

El otro día tuve una experiencia increíble en la oficina del Bronx. Vino una chica un una situación difícil, acababa de morir su madre, había perdido su trabajo y su marido estaba a punto de perderlo, además estaba embarazada de 16 semanas y ya tenía otros hijos pequeños.
De todas formas, ella no estaba segura de lo que quería hacer, si tener el bebé, puesto que estaba en un estado muy avanzado de gestación, o decidirse por practicarse un aborto. Estuvimos mucho rato hablando con ella y hay algo que sin duda le marcó, y es que la frase "cuando Dios te cierra una puerta, te abre una ventana" y es que aunque no había nada que pudiera suplantar la pérdida de su madre recién fallecida, quizás la expectativa de una nueva vida creciendo en su vientre podría ser una muestra del amor que su madre le daba en vida. Y por eso, decidió volver al día siguiente a hacerse una ecografía y no pudo evitar emocionarse al ver al bebé moviéndose en su tripa, sin duda un gesto de alegría al saber que iba a vivir junto a su madre.

Part II: From Bleecker St. to a Miracle on Court St.

The Planned Parenthood  premises occupies a sizeable corner location on the block.  We started to walk around the block - praying together aloud, pitched at normal conversational level.

Then Hannah suggested that we read Joshua 6: 1-27 on the siege and fall of Jericho:
Now Jericho was shut up inside and out..... And the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once.....On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow trumpets......then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat".

She sourced it on her smart phone and I listened and meditated on it as she read.  In our minds, Jericho became  the abortion mill before us.  We likened our rounds of the block to the marching around  Jericho and earnestly willed and implored God that the abortion mill, too, would fall as Jericho once had done, and be claimed for HIM.

This and our preceding prayers really raised us up!  After our three rounds of the block, my spirits were high, almost buoyant. I was joyful, despite the grim reality before us.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me...." (Psalm 23:4).

After a few rounds, we chose and assumed our respective stations on the sidewalk and continued to walk - this time up and down past the P.P. door - and pray, while scanning the sidewalk for approaching women.  The initial prayers - a sort of spiritual arming - really set us up for our morning at the abortuary. This was unsurprising given the power of both public prayer and witness, and praying together -
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20).

This joy spurred me on, praying, reciting any lines  I  remember from psalms and singing quitely, as I am a very bad singer and for this reason, I never developed  much of a repertoire of songs, or hymns!!....

Photo: Myself, Claire outside Planned Parenthood on Bleecker St.

Confianza materna

El otro dia llegó a la clínica de Brooklyn una chica, tenia unos 20 años y decía no poder quedarse con el bebé porque "su madre la mataría".

Muchas veces he oido esta frase y no puedo evitar pensar en mi propia madre. Cada vez que ha habido un embarazo "no deseado" cerca de mi entorno, mi madre me ha dejado clarísimo que ella siempre me apoyaría en el caso de que me ocurriera algo similar, por eso pienso, acaso creen estas chicas que de verdad su madre las va a matar?

Son madres, y por lo tanto quieren lo mejor para sus hijos, y ser madre soltera adolescente desde luego no entra en los planes de lo que para una madre es lo mejor para sus hijos, pero nos olvidamos de que ante todo son madres, y por encima de todo podemos contar con ellas porque siempre nos van a dar su eterno amor.

Por eso, no me puedo creer que de verdad sea un argumento válido para justificar un aborto el "mi madre me va a matar", porque literalmente es lo que está haciendo la embarazada en ese momento con su propio hijo no nato.

Part I: From Bleecker St. to a Miracle on Court St.

Myself and Hannah arrived at the Planned Parenthood on Bleecker St., Manhattan at 7.30am Wednesday morning. It was my third time at an abortion facility for the purpose of sidewalk counselling. The second occasion had been outside Dr. Emily's in The Bronx the previous morning. That morning, I'd felt apprehensive  and  ill-prepared (though this wasn't the case). Therefore, I was grateful when no clients arrived early. This bought me time! I prayed that God would enable me by dispelling my nerves, lending me his voice and giving me the courage and confidence to approach and engage effectively with the women.
This morning at P.P. on Bleecker St. though, I felt more capable.
A dual approach is necessary at abortion mills: prayer and action! Yet, there can  be an amount of standing in between making overtures to the arriving expectant mothers.
I've found that standing outside clinics can lend itself to a certain feeling of frustration and helplessness. This, I think, stems from the fact that you are essentially an unwitting bystander in the face of the horrific and insidious practice that is being perpetrated just at the other side of the building's wall. You can do nothing physically to prevent its occurence, lest be incarcerated.
We'd only been there for minutes when Hannah was feeling the afore-mentioned frustration a little more than I. She suggested praying whilst walking  around the block.......
Photos: Myself, Claire outside Dr. Emily's abortion mill in The Bronx and myself and Hannah at the same facility.

Motherhood. [finding the true mission]

The pressure of this work has caused me to really stop and think about why I am here, what is the ultimate goal, and what is the best way to reach that goal. 

Motherhood. What is it? And what makes some women embrace it and others reject it? 

As a single woman in my twenties with my own set of dreams and career goals, I find it dumbfounding that so many people are so quick to down play and devalue the maternal aspect of my identity. I can't help but think that shouldn't we be taking pride in the maternal side of us rather than denying it? 

I read a beautiful quote in a Sisters of Life publication that really struck me.

"Motherhood is the art of finding potential, and fostering it. 

Motherhood is the craft of focusing on the good and trusting that the rest will fade away. 

It is the penetrating beauty unwavering hope, and unflinching love...

The feminine genius is the practice of literally growing goodness in spite of incredible obstacles."

So this is the goal: to awaken the beauty of motherhood within our culture...for the attitude of feminism to shift into an embrace rather than a rejection of true feminine identity.  

Every time I meet a girl who is choosing to parent her child--to embrace the mother part of her identity--new hope arises inside of me. 

On Monday I met this beautiful young woman, Robbin. She is 29 weeks pregnant and excited to be a mother. What a blessing it was to talk with her!

The issue of abortion is not simply a matter of a woman's rights. 

It is a matter of identity. 

Come on girls, are we really willing to give up our core identity in the name of a "right to choose"? Or will we embrace our core identity as women in the name of love in order to discover and reveal the true beauty within ourselves?

The choice is ours. The choice is yours. 

My First Days In The Big Apple

Hello!

My name is Michelle and I am a new intern working for EMC in the Bronx LifeHouse. I arrived in New York on Sunday evening and had my first experience of big city life very shortly after I arrived. I am from Ohio, but am going to school in Florida so this was a bit of a change for me.

I hope to learn and grow a lot from this experience that God has presented to me. Last night I saw a little bit of NYC, but this morning I went to work training at the Brooklyn office. The morning started out slow, but then we became busy and I was able to learn from and work with another intern as a counselor. Today’s experiences with my fellow intern and some beautiful young ladies has really opened my eyes and taught me a lot about myself and about the world around me. I hope this will be the beginning of an important journey in my life so that I can become a better instrument through whom God will show His Love and Mercy to others.

I am looking forward to my time working with EMC both on a spiritual and social level. I have some events planned with the other interns that I am excited about like a Yankees game later this week and a trip to Washington DC for the March for Marriage & the Faith and Family Conference.

I am still adjusting to all the noise and people here, but I am excited about what is to come and wanted to take a few minutes to share a little about myself.

God Bless!

         ~Michelle

New York City again!

Hi, my name is Sonsoles, Sunny for the american people, and this is my second summer in New York City.

I decided to return to New York as an intern with EMC because I needed to disconnect from my routine in Spain, return to find myself, and nothing better than going back to get this experience. I hope to be useful again helping to save lives in New York.

I'll telling you my new experiences in the city that never sleeps.

Part II : New York Renaissance

The conflict persisted right up and into to the office block that houses one of our pregnancy centres in the city. The views from our floor are lovely. Nearby streets are leafy and balmy. Seemingly innocuously named abortion clinics share the building with us and do their diabolical best to bludgeon babies to death on other floors of the building.  A few times already the elevator has stopped on these floors. Shivers permeated my body. I was staring at the face of evil. The good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly and the evil interface in one building in NY, just as they co-exist in places the world over. Be it in our the pregnancy centres or outside the baby-killing facilities, we are on the front-line.
New York, New York, so good they named it twice. New York needs a renaissance – the French for re-birth - to be born again in humanity, dignity, truth and love. We have to reclaim  New York. For life. The good news is that pro-lifers are informing, spreading the truth, praying, witnessing, counselling, making interventions, saving babies and sparing expectant mothers from abortion. We are bringing the city slowly back to life, one baby at a time. There can be great sorrow but there is great joy and hope also. In God we do, and will continue to trust. May God bless America y viva la vida!
Photo: Claire and Hannah bringing HIS light and life to an abortion mill.

Living with a Broken Heart.

I have always been passionate about the pro-life cause, but God began to really break my heart in a new way a couple years ago as he made it known that giving a voice to the voiceless was what he is calling me to do.

I have often spent time weeping for the lives of the babies and their mothers.

However, this week my heart was broken on a whole new level. 

A girl came in last week to one of the centers. Another intern and I spent a good amount of time talking with her and of course silently praying all the while that she would choose life over death for her child. 

She was about 10 weeks along at that point and the ultrasound showed an adorable and very active little baby. It seemed as though his/her personality was already very much present as he/she kicked and squirmed and flipped around.

A joyous and beautiful sight indeed!

However, despite our efforts and prayers, I knew when the mother left the office she was still determined to abort but I continued to hope and pray she would change her mind. But unfortunately I discovered on Thursday that she went through with the abortion a few days ago.

It's one thing to grieve the loss of anonymous children...it's a whole other thing to grieve the loss of a baby that you met and felt a connection to even if it was only for a moment. 

On Thursday night, I found myself once again weeping but this time it was for a specific life that was lost on June 10, 2014. This was so much deeper than ever before. 

What made my grief even stronger was knowing the I cared far more for this child than his mother ever had. 

And so I pray for not only the lives of babies such as these to be saved but also that the eyes of the mothers around the world who have chosen to end the life of their children would be opened. I pray that their hearts would be softened and they would truly love their children...even the ones that are already dead. 

Although it is painful to feel God's heart in this matter, I am thankful because this is what inspires me to pray ever more fervently and faithfully. And I ask that you join me more than ever before to pray for the babies, for the mothers, the fathers, and for the doctors and all others involved in this horror. 

ABORTION MUST END!

(This is about how developed this particular baby was when he/she lost the chance to ever walk this beautiful earth. <33)

A New York Renaissance, Part I

I´m Claire and I arrived from Ireland last week to start an internship with EMC.

Conflicting and some seemingly incongruous ideas and associations abounded prior to my trip  to New York and en route: New York, the city that never sleeps.  The abortion capital of  the world.  Soho. Central Park. From Broadway to Roosevelt Avenue´s 12 abortion mills:  New York´s very own baby death-row.   Giuliani´s  zero tolerance of yester-year versus the liberty to butcher babies in utero. ´In God we Trust´ printed on over a billion dollar bills exchanged for abortion. Bagels. Yellow cabs. Metropolis. Necropolis. The zenith of the Empire State Building and the nadir of modern ´civilisation´: the right to choose to have one`s own baby killed.

The trip itself raised mixed feelings for me. I absolutely wanted to go. It was however hard to reconcile a visceral desire to try to save mothers and babies from the horror of abortion with the anticipation of the adventure that living in NYC would be. I was very excited about New York but at the same time felt guilty about this, given the gravity of the work. How would I square the poignancy of the pregnancy centres with the wonder of the city??

New York: a teeming metropolis. `The city that never sleeps´. Why? People are too busy living. Living. Living life to the full! Yet, alongside this metropolis lurks a necropolis. That same sleepless city summarily sentences and violently dispatches babies to their sleep. NYC is the country´s abortion capital. No fewer than 250 abortuaries peddle their ghastly baby-dismemberment and baby-killing services. Metropolis. Necropolis. Metropolis. Necropolis. Metropolis. Necropolis.  My brain struggled to make sense of it all. NYC is a majestic city. She is breath-taking but if you´re a babe in the womb, she can literally, and brutally, take your breath away.

. Photo: Myself, Claire and some of my fellow interns Hannah and Michelle in our centre in Brooklyn.

The History We Are Never Taught...

Today we watched Maafa 21, a video that is controversial to some yet very informative. Although the issue of abortion today is very complex, this video gives an interesting perspective on the origins of Planned Parenthood and the entire "pro choice" movement. 

The documentary highlights history in a way that makes you realize that if anyone thought racism in America is dead, they should probably think again.

"Since 1973 abortion has killed more African Americans than aids cancer diabetes heart disease and violent crime combined."

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rqLyyIsKyCU

P.S. This is me working in the Bronx office:

Praying...

Well friends, here we go with another experience I have got as EMC intern. To work in defending life it is not a task for catholic or religious people, but for human persons. The right of life is not a dogma or commandment, it is a rule wrote in our hearts. Anyway, as catholic is good to pray and ask God about the worst contradiction we have in the 21th Century. Because of that, past Saturday I joined Witness for Life in praying for the unburned babies, the mothers and fathers, and these people who are involved in that business.

I went with a friend to the Old St Patrick Cathedral, to hear mass. I found a diverse group of people there. Old men&women, but young people too, some of them of some religious congregation. It was a mass celebrate without hurry, faithfully. When the mass was finished, there was adoration, some people stayed at the church praying as well the others we started a pilgrimage to Planned Parenthood, the main abortion organization, praying the Holy rosary. We got the place in a peaceful attitude, staying in the opposite side of the sidewalk, just praying. We were not activists, we were prayers. At the same time, some counselors were offering their help to those women who were going into the Planned Parenthood place. Some were happy to be helped, but those people who refused were treated with the maximum respect. Was good to see ourselves praying for something that important, hopefully, and with the help of our Lady, that day some babies were rescued.

I would like to take advantage of this chance to show my condolences to our boss Chris, because of the loss of his mother. May she rest in peace.

Hello New York! [the adventure begins...]

Hello everyone!
My name is Hannah and I am one of the new interns here at EMC living in the Bronx lifehouse.
I arrived here in New York for the first time from my hometown in California on Tuesday afternoon.

So far it's been a whirlwind of a week. I've already worked two full days in the Brooklyn office as an on the job counselor trainee. That has been a stretching experience even in two days, but it is making me excited for the impact I will be able to have on the lives of so many girls and their children while I'm here.

I've also gotten to do really fun things in the  city such as a Yankees game, a concert at Carnegie hall, and of course leaning to navigate the city is quite the adventure in and of itself.

Here's a panorama of a full rainbow at the Yankee stadium after the rain delay...what a nice reminder that His promises remain forever, right? :)

Then today the newest intern, Claire from Ireland, and I took the train out to Long Island for a sidewalk counseling training seminar from the Sisters for Life. It was so great getting to meet so many people with the same heart and calling to work as a pro-lifer.

Here's a snapshot of us on the subway coming home.

Adjusting to so many big changes all at once can be overwhelming but I'm mostly just excited to see where this adventure takes me. Obviously I will share more specific stories and thoughts later on, but I wanted to introduce myself for starters.


God Bless!


          -Hannah

"Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story--those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south." ~Psalm 107: 2-3

Thank you my unknown mate!

Hi friends, I am here today to tell you what happened last Friday working in our Bronx Pregnacy Center.

It is usually to welcome women with troubles in our centers, who sometimes need breath and take it easy, but it was the first time I got one girl with a box of chocolates. I was disconcerted. I had never met this woman and she was smiling and offering me a present. I lead her inside where she told me her history… She got pregnant three years ago in NYC, she was an emigrant, just arrived from a east European country (ex-USSR), without a penny, or insurance, and with her family living 5000 miles away! When the guy who was with her reacted wrong she understood that he never would be the father of her son. In that situation the only help she got was from EMC, in our center of The Bronx, where she met a short redhead girl, who was working as intern. This intern did a good work those days, and she is gratefully now.

She told me how nice her son is and she saw me some pictures. He is living with her mother in her country. There are still in a really delicate situation, because of that, she is considering give her son in adoption in USA, allowing him the chance to live a normal life inside a family with the right conditions. We were talking about adoption, and I managed some contacts for her, where she will be helped by someone expert in adoption cases.

I want to say thanks to this mate who made such a good work three years ago!!

My aim

Well ladies and gentleman, last posts I have been talking about real experiences I have got as a Pro-Life volunteer in the city of New York. Today I would like to speak about what I think, and what I fell as a young guy doing that.

When you work in our pregnancy centers, you use to have scared woman, who need understanding, supporting and also advice. Most of them come shocked, and everyone has experienced how important is the right word when you feel the ground disappearing beneath your feet.  This is our task, not to make philosophy or to indoctrinate people about how to manage their freedom. But someone must say… we have been fooled! Who said that anything is good just because we are free to do it, who said that freedom means to do as we please, who convince us that love is whatever, that sex is the only reason to live for. We have lost our ability to enjoy beautiful things we have around us. We are people with dragoon skin, unable to feel the wind in our skin or the warm sunshine, unable to listen quietly music, to enjoy the air we breathe, the colors we see, the thoughts we have, the life we live.

It is sad to see the music we listen loudly in the subway as it were drug, possessed by hard metal, how we need alcohol gallons to enjoy Saturday night, blood in our films... excess. We are the non-sensitivity, the black or white generation. And there is no strong power above the earth which can satiate us, as well as hold back the consequences of our actions.

Here is my aim. I won´t be stolen any more. This is my life, this is my freedom. I choose to be naive, to be kid. I want to enjoy my normal things, my daily work, my friends, my loves. To get the happiness I have in every corner of my normal life.

When you see the success

I have already told some experiences I have got in the daily work we perform at the EMC pregnancy centers. To deal, to be with a woman in that situation can be tough, although used to be absolutely grateful. Today I want to speak about a pre-natal day, when you see how good life consequences are.

Once per week, in our Brooklyn center, the doctors comes and is available to the mothers… or the children. We made the appointments along the week, taking advantage of the fact we had the dactor that day. Thursday started as any day, with Sandra, one of the technicians, and me welcoming women who came and trying to help them to keep the baby, and it was being a busy day. But time later the doctor came with another person who works with her, and it was amazing to see the center full of people, with the schedule overbooked. A lot of different people were these day, and everyone was cared lovely. Pregnant mothers, and others with her babies. The cutest one was a little baby borned one-week ago. The mother was tired but happy, and they came accompanied by a proud and smiling father, and a chatting grandma. It was awesome to see how happy they were with the new join!

And as the same time the normal work at the office went on, becoming a long but grate day!

A different evening!

I would like to write today about another side, of the interns life here in New York. Eight hours working per day, five days per week, plus Saturday morning, plus long subway trips, plus other commitments… To be volunteer in EMC means to work, and everyone who does need to rest. Our Chief Commander knows it, and because of that, some days ago we got the chance of going to Yankee Stadium!

Spanish people use to love sports, and it is nice to know more about the big four, MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA. This day, two interns were relived sooner of our obligations and we came to Yankee Stadium to witness an amazing game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Yanks. Incredible show to be in this stadium, the atmosphere, the people, the game… We had a hot dog and peanut, we drank coke and we enjoyed a good time, talking with people, supporting the local team and hanging around the place too. Incredible moment the seventh-inning stretch, when the game stops and everyone sings “God Blessed America”.  I love this American way of life! We left the game happy, having shown many strikes… although unfortunately the most were done by Orioles, and the Yankees supporters were not so happy at all.

I will be back with more histories in EMC New York!!

Real happiness

EMC, LifeHouse, NYC… This is an experience! To work in EMC is something serious. You are trying to safe babies, trying to help women in that situation! But what amazing histories you got sometimes.

One week ago I was working at Brooklyn office. Perhaps the office when we attend more women. It was 10am when came one girl, alone, nineteen years old, absolutely stressed. This day I was emplaced with Rosana, one of the tech who make sonograms. The first step was to calm her down, and she started saying us that her father was so strict, and must not know she was pregnant. She was really scared about the decision she had to take. Her life was changing forever, and she wasn’t ready. She must have had an abortion. We were talking deeply about the life, about how sometimes we have to be tough, about those kind of situations you think are the worst and became so nice in your life. She agreed to take the sonogram, thinking in abortion yet. I remember that during she was with Rosana, came three women more and I was so busy. Thirty minutes later, when I had a minute, I saw her watching a National Geografic video, about the pregnancy developing, she was crying, but smiling? She watched the video twice, and told me, totally excited, she was going to keep her soon. She remembered me my sister, who when is moved, cant stop talking. It was almost 1pm, and with the stress she hadn’t eaten nothing along the day. We left the office looking some food. While we were eating pizza, she told me how amazing has been to see the sonogram, to see her son moving, completely formed. She was in love with baby and showed me the sonogram-picture again and again. She was decided to implicate her boyfriend in his parenthood and she was much peaceful about her father. She kept our telephone number, and she left, giving thanks because our task.

I came back to work enjoying the taste of real happiness.

Awesome

Well friends, here we go with the more impressive experience I have got as counselor. It was a rainy and chilling day of my first week working in NYC. I was immersed in my formation period, learning of the experienced women we have in EMC. This day I was at The Bronx office, working with Linda, who has spent twenty years doing that. To deal with the Bronx place is different than other places, more popular, crowded, with really diverse people, many of them with low levels of formation and without studies. In my opinion, may be Bronx where we manage the harder human cases.

Everyone in counseling have their own way, different people relates themselves differently, and Linda has a very personal style. She listen a lot, and really fells the girls troubles and make it her own.  This day we had a girl with an amazing history. Because the confidential politic we work with, I can write names or even concrete dates. But the history was awful. Pregnant, Under-18, she considered insane to explain her situation at home because they had familiar problems, and with the baby-father missing. She was totally alone. I always believe in life, but there are really tough situations. Linda was listening and comforting as well I was just looking, and learning, unable to do something better. When this girl was crying, telling us that she felt bad but abortion was the only chance, another girl comes. 20 years old, she sat in the opposite side of the room and was filling the entry form, when listening to the other girl, left the form and came with us. She sat beside the first one and told her history. She was in the same situation two years ago, and she had an abortion. Right now was pregnant again, and the only she was sure about is that life is always the good decision. Her experience with the abortion was the worst in her life, she knew that keep the baby would not have been easy at all, but this had been a reason, a task in her life. She was unable to forget she could be already mother, and she was wishful to give up all her love to the new baby. They were talking and crying all together during a long time, she got their mobile numbers and she left the office planning take care each one of the other with their pregnancy. Hopefully, those two babies will grow all together and will become even friends.