Nice to Meet You!

My name is Ambrosia, and I'm 18. I was homeschooled for most of my life.

I have three living younger siblings, but there are 9 of us total. I came from Maine, and being in a city is quite an experience!

I want to do all I can to help. I want to be on the frontlines, looking into the eyes of the women who need help. I want to know that if a woman did not know she had other options, It wasn't because I chose to not help.

I think what excites me most about this opportunity is how well it fits my dreams. I have known for years that helping women and children this way is one of my biggest passions. I want to do so much. I have seen already the pain in a woman’s eyes as she goes though the pain of losing her child. A single friend of mine had three children on contraception. She miscarried the first two. I sat with her for seventy-two hours as she lost the third, a little boy, at eighteen weeks(LMP). I will never forget the pain in the maternity ward that weekend.

Since then I have become even more passionate about being Pro-life. I never want a woman to ask me why I didn't care about her enough to warn her. I wish no woman ever felt she had to put herself through this horror.

Bin Laden and Pro-Life Reflections

Now that Osama Bin Laden is dead there is a sort of bitter sense of finality. Of course his most infamous act was the murder of 3,000 innocent American civilians on September 11, 2001. Immediately after I heard about this on Sunday night I began to think of the pro-life movement.

Every day, about 4,000 innocent human beings are killed through abortion. That's more than 9/11. In New York, we greatly surpass 9/11 numbers of casualties every couple of weeks.

After 9/11 the country was united. In the face of such atrocities we stood for what was right. And yet now there is hardly any such response to the fact that America is aborting its future. In Bin Laden - the enemy was clear, however for the crime of abortion, the enemy is more hidden. The enemy in the abortion issue is The Enemy.

Abortion could be ended if we zeroed in on The Enemy like the military zeroed in on Bin Laden. For all of the despair the Enemy causes we must fight it with hope; with darkness - light; and with loneliness we can fight The Enemy with love.

Only when the enemy is defeated will the abortion issue be settled, and will there be a semblance of justice for those innocents killed.

Educate the Community and You Can Change the Culture

Many of you know about the front line, lifesaving work of Expectant Mother Care. But you may not be aware of some of the other aspects of our Pro-life work. There is definitely a community outreach aspect to EMC. That could clearly be seen as we led the fight against the Anti-life Bill 371. We held rallies and petition drives to mobilize the people of NYC. But that is just one instance.

When a 37 year old mother of four died from a botched abortion in Queens, EMC interns and staff took to the streets, holding a candle vigil and educating the community about the dangers of abortion.

EMC Interns are often called on to speak on high school and college campuses in the New York City area. Personally I have had the oppertunity to speak at Cardinal Spellman Highschool on several occasions as well as St. Raymond's All Boys Catholic School and Fordham Universty, just to name a few.

So you see, part of our work is to go out and engage the community in a attempt to change the culture.

It's Not Her Choice, It's Theirs

I woke up from a nap today with a text that read "i am getting an abortion".

It was a great way to wake up. When I counseled her last week, she told me over and over that she did NOT want to get the abortion. I texted her back "No. No you don't have to. Please. Can you call me right now?"

She didn't call right then. We texted back and forth for the next hour. I texted her things like, "Don't listen to them. You told me a day ago you didn't want to do it. What's different about today?" Also, "You are a strong independent woman. You make your decisions apart from them. We will help you . You don't have to do this. You don't".

She kept fighting it. But I figured, if she wasn't really still struggling with the decision, she never would have texted me to begin with. She would have just done it.

She's in the most unreal place. She has EVERYONE she cares most about in her life, forcing her-pressuring her to get the abortion. They are telling her that she is going to ruin her life if she keeps her baby or makes an adoption plan. Prom is coming up, and she's not going to want to be pregnant for that. Not only are they not listening to her when she has repeatedly told them she doesn't want to get the abortion, but they FORCE her to do what they want her to do. It's no longer her choice, it's theirs.

A choice ? It doesn't sound like she has a choice to me. A lot of people talk about how "pro choice" they are. They have no idea.

What they don't understand is that when you work with women like this, it's not about choice. It's about survival. Survival emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually for everyone. Choice has nothing to do with it. Even when you fight for her right to get an abortion, she still has this struggle, does she not ?

You have to ask yourself: what decision can I make that I can live with?

After working with countless post- abortive women, I have found abortion is NOT something women find they can live with. That is why I told and counseled my client to do what her heart was telling her already- which was to keep her baby. That and the fact that my Father in Heaven has commanded that we keep our offspring as well as not kill.

After about another hour of talking on the phone, she started to sound more hopeful on having the baby. I told her that she is a strong woman, and that she just needed to hold on a little longer. We are meeting at one of our centers tomorrow. She is going to call me in the morning as well. PLEASE PRAY. Thank you for reading.

Called from sleep...

Yesterday was my first day at Dr. Emily's abortion clinic in the South Bronx in over three weeks. I was long overdue for side-walk counseling. There is something about being a vessel for God's Mercy at the last possible moment of decision... when the women are walking into the clinic!

I was joined this day be several "prayer warriors" and fellow counselors. It was such a blessing!

One of the counselors that came arrived told me that she was new to the movement. I was so excited to see her. She had the passion and zeal of a fresh soul looking at the clinic not with eyes of monotony or commonality but with compassion, mercy and distaste. It was beautiful to see her! She told me that she was awakened from sleep and knew that she needed to be here at the clinic.
"I'm not sure why I am here. What can I do anyway?"
Just then we learned what she could do.

As we were walking from the back of the clinic around to the front we were stopped. A woman with three kids spoke to my new friend in Spanish and told her that the girl that had just walked by was looking for the clinic.

Being fleet of foot is one of the most important things sometimes. But yesterday, being able to speak Spanish was critical. My new friend got this young woman's attention and walked with her and spoke with her... distracting her from the clinic. Though this girl didn't want to talk that much, at least she didn't walk into the clinic!

My friend now knows why she was awakened from sleep. She was supposed to be there at that exact moment to speak to this girl. Regardless of the outcome... she obeyed God's providence!

A Woman's Strength

I counseled girls at our crisis pregnancy in the Bronx this past Thursday. Around noon, we got really busy with clients coming in. At one point I was counseling 2 girls in a room while I would run out and try to counsel the woman at the front with her baby, at least until another counselor could step in a help.

I am so glad I did.

The woman who waited patiently in our lobby room is 17 weeks pregnant. She has not had a sonogram or any prenatal care. Her husband lost his job and they are currently homeless. She is such a tenderhearted woman and doesn't believe in abortion.

I have had many clients in her situation justify getting the abortion because "it's just too hard". But this woman did not have that mentality at all whatsoever. I could tell she was very overwhelmed but was choosing to stay strong. It was inspiring to me.

The director referred her to Coalition of the Homeless and we were able to get her on the train to Brooklyn just in time for her to get a sonogram as well as to meet our director there. We are going to give her sonograms up until the point of birth along with prenatal care. We are also helping her and her family with housing.

She was able to stay strong just long enough for help to arrive. Praise God for his grace to allow places like Expectant Mother Care to exist. Thank you for reading.

Mommy Visits

It's a regular occurrence in our Pregnancy Centers and it can turn even the most discouraging days, bright. I'm talking about the Mommy Visits! With a knock on the door or a ring of the bell, the whole atmosphere changes, but babies have a way of doing that.

Yesterday I worked in our South Bronx Pregnancy Center and to our great joy we had a surprise visit from one of our former clients! She stopped by to pick up some baby supplies and introduce us to her beautiful baby girl Selma, only14 days old! What a blessing! And you know what, this happens all the time!

EMC Baby Bottle Drive

It's that time of year again, the day the world celebrates mothers. As many pro-life organizations will do, EMC will be having a baby bottle drive fundraiser.

Beginning on Mother's Day and ending on Father's Day, about 32 parishes in the New York City area will support our pro-life centers by displaying our bottles which people can put money into. It's a fantastic way that anyone can support the pro-life cause.

I'll have the pleasure of meeting the wonderful staff of all these parishes as I drive around distributing the bottles. It's a great joy to see how many people are pro-life and want to support us.

The Churches are essential to the pro-life cause spreading the Good News of Life. Now we just need more mobilization to increase the effort! So please pray, join a pro-life group, and support the life centers.

Thank you for being a friend

This is a new friend of mine. She is six years old. She writes the best stories filled with imagination and adventure. Her favorite subject in school is math and she loves to read about people who lived long ago. Someday she wants to grow up to be a doctor so that she can deliver babies.

And you know what else... she was almost aborted 6 years ago!

Her mother found herself in crisis, and by the grace of God she came to our center. Linda, the EMC Brooklyn Center director, worked with her to help her with the situation. "I knew you when you were just a spot!" Linda tells her as she sits upon her lap and looks into the eyes of her life-long friend and advocate. She is beautiful!

What's more is that this little girl is the big sister to a baby now in her mother's womb. This child would have also been at risk for abortion had this mother not come to our EMC Brooklyn center all those years ago.

This mother is a light to the center. She is so lively and friendly, sharing her advice on everything from stretch marks to breast feeding! What a witness to life! She tells the girls that her daughter, the one in this picture, is the light of her life... and you can tell that this is true! I am honored to have heard their story.

Now this little 1st grade girl dreams of becoming a doctor... an instrument of life... healing hands to many... and the voice of comfort and counsel. She already changes lives for the better-- because she changed mine. Her story showed me the importance of every encounter that I make during my time here with EMC. There is no end to the change that one life can make in the world. Sometimes I get bogged down with this work. Sometimes it is more than I can bear. When this happens, I will remember this little girl. I will hold on hope and persevere because of the promise that exists for every human life.

Thanks friend!

My Girl

On Fridays and Saturdays, if I'm lucky I get to work in EMC's South Bronx Pregnancy Center with my sweet, kind, funny friend Eliana. I love working with her. She has such a heart for saving women and children from the horrible pains of abortion.

Ellie is silly, she's always joking around and making me smile! She's also feisty, always ready to give you a piece of her mind if she doesn't agree. You don't cross Eliana!

When there is a rare brake from the constant stream of clients, we take a seat. I pull out the chocolate (my favorite) to share and she shares stories about her adorable daughter Lia; with the the magnificent big brown eyes. Of course Eliana is such a proud mommy that she often tells clients about the joys of motherhood and the inability to imagine her life without Baby Lia. You could say that hearing about the little, cutie is no rarity!

We also hang out, outside of work. She comes over for dinner and we love going for coffee or walking through Central Park. We talk a lot about God, our Catholic faith, Baby Lia, pro-life work, clothes, and of course there is the girl talk! You could say she is my Sister in Christ. I was even there at the hospital the day after Lia was born! Ellie calls me comadre (Spanish for co-mother) and considers me an unofficial godmother to her daughter. It's hard to think that if I had never come to NYC, that I would not have this beautiful friend in my life. It's even harder to think that if I had not come from California to do this work at EMC, that Eliana would not have her beautiful daughter Lia.

You see, our friendship started the day I turned the corner to Dr. Emily's Abortion Clinic and saw Eliana deep in conversation with Laura a sidewalk counselor and former EMC Intern. After speaking for just a few minuets, I heard Eliana say that she was going to go get her mom and tell her. Than Elie rushed away! But Tell her mom? Tell her what? About the risks! That's what she and Laura had been speaking of!

Laura had just finished telling me about the particulars when Eliana returned. She announced that Mom only spoke Spanish, but not to worry, she would translate. Laura encouraged them to go to our South Bronx Pregnancy Center and began to list the various risks and complications to abortion. There was the possible infection caused by fetal tissue left inside the woman's uterus (this was the most common complication and it could lead to death), there was the risk of infertility and an increased risk ectopic pregnancy, there was the possibility of a perforated uterus and there was... just then we were surrounded by clinic escorts (DEATHscorts as we call them)! Their purpose is to stop women from ever speaking with the sidewalk counselors. They began to say the usual things, "They are protesters, you don't have to listen to them! They have no medical information! Just come in the clinic!" They weren't talking TO her, they were talking AT her. I looked in Eliana's eyes and I could see the fear and confusion. She was in shock! She didn't know what to do and what to make of all of this! Then they turned to her mother and started in on her! "I know these people SEEM like they have your daughters best interest at heart, BUT THEY DON'T! I know the doctors here. They are good doctors! They have your daughter's best interest at heart!" As false as his statements were, I wasn't worried... Mom didn't speak a word of English!

I still remember the look in Ellie's eyes that day, over a year ago. Something in me, I didn't know what or why, just told me to hug her. "Do you need a hug? Come here..." I said, motioning her to my shoulder. I beleive that it was that hug that ultimately gave her the courage to walk away from that clinic that day. Even though we were surrounded by escorts and they were all talking at once, there was something powerful about that hug. I took the back of her head in my hand and my other hand was on her back as if I was a mother huging my own child. And as her head met my shoulder it all made sense. With all the noise of the escorts swirling around us, I had her ear. "It's gonna be ok." I whispered. "Just go to the center, it's down the street. We will help you. It's gonna be ok. Go!" and she walked away... just like that.

Dr. Dre's First Beats

Beats, a brand of headphones designed in part and endorsed wholeheartedly by Dr. Dre, have become quite popular. In New York City's culture of electronic headphones and earplugs, Beats are king.

Whenever I see someone wearing a pair of Beats, I ask them if they've heard the joke about Dr. Dre's first pair of beats. After they reply that they haven't, I tell the joke. It goes like this:

Dr. Dre was in his mother's womb, in the second trimester of his life, and his mother started singing. Dr. Dre was like, "Oh snap! That's some good surround sound!"

The punchline always brings laughter and a smile, giving me an opportunity to draw extra attention to the fact that the ability to hear comes long before birth, and that newborn children can often recognize the voice of their mother.

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about Dr. Dre; from the ads for Beats, he seems to be an artist who takes pride in the quality of his listening experience.

Universal Lifesaving Skills

Today I worked at our center in Queens where I counsel girls who are pregnant, or think they might be pregnant. I never know what to expect or who might walk through the door.

Perfect example would be today. I am thankful to have life saving skills on pool decks as well as crisis pregnancy centers!

First a girl came in and told us that she was waiting for her friend to arrive. She kept asking us questions about our services and seemed very uneasy. Initially, I thought she wanted the abortion for her friend.

Finally the client arrives. I see her through the little window on our door. She is crying. I open the door, where she proceeds to literally stumble through. She is unable to focus her eyes. She is holding her stomach. She looks like she is about to faint.

The first thing I think to say to her is, "Sweetie are you ok?" She responds, "I'm having a lot of pain". I said, "Well here. Sit down. You look like you're about to pass out. Do you feel like you're going to pass out?" She says, "Yes".

In my Lifeguarding certification, they trained us to perform CPR if the victim is not breathing while unconscious; and to perform "Rescue Breathing" if the victim is breathing, but unconscious. For both, however, call 911 immediately.

Everything was happening so quickly. They started to leave, but the client fell to the floor.

That's when I asked if I could call 911. Both of the girls said yes. I stayed on the line with EMS, told them the address, the symptoms of the client, and what I should do. They came in less than 5 minutes.

My lifeguarding skills kicked in!

You are supposed to talk to the victim about pleasant subjects in attempts to keep them calm. It was essential during this crisis because the girl was telling me about how much she hated the father of her child. I took charge, "You cannot think about that right now. All you need to focus on right now is the health of your body. That's it". She shook her head "yes" in agreement to what I was saying. And so did her friend.

Please pray for this girl. She does not want to get an abortion. She knows we can and will help her choose life for her unborn baby.

I am just so glad that I had my

'life saving training'

to call on when needed.

Genuinely Pro-Life

After Abby was interviewed by CBS on April 8th, I spoke with the reporter briefly, off the record. It was evident that the reporter was interested in helping whoever needed help, with no regard to the person's age, race, etc. I explained to her that I shared her perspective, in that while I was in Cambodia, I worked to help Cambodians get clean water, because the lack of clean water was responsible for approximately 74% of all deaths in Cambodia around that time.

I'd experienced a bit of water-borne disease myself. After walking through the pool of rainwater that remained in a schoolyard, I realized that the school had no bathroom, and that wasn't just water. During my next visit to Cambodia, I helped dig the holes for appropriate-technology bathrooms at various public schools, most of which served over 1,000 students each. Being genuinely pro-life means caring for whatever population's life is most in danger. Quite frankly, being pro-life has much more to do with respecting human life in a general sense, and far less to do with abortion, abortifacient contraceptives, and the abortion industry in a specific sense. Perhaps what I mean when I say that I am genuinely pro-life is that I am WHOLE LIFE.

I can say that, because the day that the abortion industry ends, those who are pro-life will continue to show love to those in need. Some of us will focus our compassion on the victims of other societal ills. Many will continue to offer help and hope to young mothers. I think that those of us who are pro-life activists are very much like the CBS reporter that interviewed Abby, except that we have acknowledged that the abortion industry is the greatest threat to the life and liberty of Americans, and we have chosen to address it.

As other reporters have asked me in the past, she asked some question like, “What got you into the pro-life movement?” I don't remember exactly what words I used, but I'll try to provide a summary of my answer. My answer may seem like an irrelevant rabbit trail. It’s not.

In Cambodia, visits to Choeung Ek and Toul Sleng (S-21) shook me to the core. Decades after a genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, the country's devastation was still visible. In the United States, I read whatever I could about Cambodia's history. While reading, one day it hit me that what the Khmer Rouge had done to Cambodia, Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry were currently doing to America. The two atrocities have their differences, but they also have their similarities. Though passionate about many things related to Cambodia, when it came to the topic of abortion in America, I realized that my apathy was a result of ignorance. I hadn't even prayed about abortion. I had never thought about abortion or its role in American culture. I prayed that God would make abortion bother me.
Since that time, I've read the epitaph given to 16,433 unborn children, whose grave is marked with a single stone. I've stood an arm's length away from cardboard boxes of aborted children who were packaged up inside cardboard boxes, stacked on the street. I've seen a woman's expression after a botched abortion, as she was placed into an ambulance. I've seen the tears of women who've had abortions. I've heard first-hand from women who've been raped by abortionists, and women who've been forced by their fathers or boyfriends into having abortions. I've heard the gruesome details of recurring nightmares that keep returning, a decade after an abortion. I've met people my age, whose parents had considered abortion.
Needless to say, abortion bothers me, and I am genuinely pro-life.

What it's all about

The EMC Pregnancy Center in Brooklyn has become my 'home away from home'. And the people that I work and serve are truly my family now. I have had the honor of watching as couples come in seeking abortions, leave choosing life, and end up parenting lovely children.

The girls are so welcoming to me! They share their ups and downs through out the pregnancy during prenatal care days. And they share their unique stories of how EMC has truly altered the course of their lives for the better.

I have had the distinct pleasure of walking with this particular couple for the past three months. Now they are proud parents to a beautiful, healthy, and happy baby boy! Such inexpressible JOY!

This is the greatest blessing to me! Though I wasn't there from the beginning, I feel I am able to rejoice even more. For you see... their story is the ending that I envision for all of the young ladies that I speak with each day... their baby is the hope in my day! God always gives us what we need, and for me it is in the eyes of a newborn that may not have ever been able to greet the world. This is what it is all about.

Hope for a Stripper

Recently I followed up with a girl I had weeks ago and she is now seriously considering an abortion again. Unfortunately, the hope fostered during counseling can be difficult for many girls to hold onto, and it is easy to slip back into despair.

This girl was a special case from the beginning - she has had multiple abortions in the past and has a night job as a stripper. After a very successful counseltation I knew she was in need of healing and referred her to the Sisters of Life. They met once and it went well, but because of the girl's busy schedule it has been difficult to keep face-to-face contact with her. One of the hardest parts emotionally about this job is the trouble it is to maintain contact with somebody no matter how hard you try.

And now unfortunately she is seriously considering abortion again and it may the case that the only thing that will stop her is intense prayer. Of course, hope is not lost yet - and hopefully I will be able to update blog-readers with happy news about this case in the future.

As of now - her baby's heart is stil beating.

Well Timed Guests

Today at our center in the South Bronx some lovely people from the adoption agency stopped by. Recently I was discussing with my friend who works with Bethany Christian Services how it may help to have an available portfolio of a prospective adoptive family. She agreed, and dropped one off today.

One of the saddest realities of our work is the unfortunate fact that women in crisis pregnancies rarely choose to have their children placed. For every one newborn placed in an adoptive family there are dozens of parents waiting in line. With the help of adoption agencies like Bethany - we never have any problem finding a family.

Anyway, as the young women who were representing the adoption agency were in our center I was calling a few clients I had in the past to see how they were doing.

How fortuitous.

One of my girls had gotten discouraged and actually had an abortion scheduled for tomorrow. But thankfully, I was able in the presence of the adoption agency to connect her directly to somebody who could answer very specific questions about adoption and show her that people in adoption agencies are friendly and kind people.

I don't know if this girl will end up choosing adoption, but I do know that she will almost definitely not go to her scheduled appointment for an abortion tomorrow. She just needed to see that she had real options.

It Wasn't Weed, And He Did Want It

While waiting for my train at a station in Manhattan one night, I heard a couple venting their frustration, and then, with one hand gesturing dramatically, he exclaimed, "Why don't you just abort it?" Walking past them a few feet and setting my bag down, I stated that I had something that he might want.
"If it ain't weed, I don't want it."
Unfazed, I gave an Expectant Mother Care pamphlet to each of them. She had hardly opened it, when she saw the aborted eleven-week old child and burst out crying. We waited together, and got on the train together. Through the next twelve train stops, hope sprang from her desperation, and his frustration.
I spoke with him, explaining that she needed him to love their child because of his love for her. I explained that couples who raised a child together had a closer relationship with each other. I could tell that he cared about her deeply, and told him so. He understood. He was a father now, and they were a family. He would not bow to the pressures of the situation. He would not coerce her into having an abortion.
I also explained that Expectant Mother Care was there to let them know that there are always alternatives to abortion. For starters, after a pregnancy test and counseling, we could provide a free sonogram so that they could see their child. He explained that neither one of them wanted an abortion. With my encouragement, he comforted her, whispering into her ear, perhaps apologizing or assuring her that he would be there for her. She didn't move, but kept her head down to hide the trails of her tears. It wasn't long before he came to me, "She wants you to talk to her." Stepping closer, I could see that, on the EMC brochure's promise that, "We'll Help!," she had made a box around that single word, exclaiming her cry for help. "That's what she wants," he stated.
I exchanged phone numbers with them, and had them go to an EMC center the next morning.

Planned Parenthood Plans On Your Silence

When distributing Human Life Alliance materials in Spanish, I often take the time to encourage the older generation, to let them know how important it is that they educate themselves and those around them on topics related to abortion. What I share with them in rusty Spanish translates into something like this:
"I believe that you (mothers and grandmothers, or the man of the house) have a strength in your voice when you speak the truth to your family, your friends, and the young ones, yes? I believe that when you speak the truth, many people listen, yes?"
Most people agree; nobody denies that this is case.
When I am in front of the Planned Parenthood in South Bronx, I point to the building and explain the importance of the information that I am giving them, saying, "Here, on the second floor, they kill children four days a week. I believe that if you speak the truth to everyone, nobody will want an abortion. If we don't speak the truth, they kill children five days a week."
Horrified, people who initially took the publication to have something to peruse on the bus or train open the pro-life publication immediately and read it intensely.

40 Days for Life in the Abortion Capitol of America

Sunday marked the last day of the 2011 Lenten 40 Days for Life. Watch the journey in pictures as we work and pray tirelessly to save lives in the Abortion Capitol of America.

And they all lived Happily...

This young lady is truly a blessing in my life!

In February she came to the EMC Brooklyn office with her heart set on abortion. She comes from a single parent home where her mother would not respond well to her pregnancy on a cultural level. Rather than dealing with the shame and disgrace of having a child outside of marriage, she wanted to make the "problem" go away.

However, God brought her to us.

We gave her a sonogram and counseled her about the truth of what abortion really is. She didn't really want the abortion, she just didn't know what else to do about her circumstances. After getting a vision of her situation, we encouraged her to speak with the Sisters of Life. After a lot of discussion with her mother, the Sisters were able to convince her mother that her daughter's baby was not going to be the end of her life.

Now she has a new job and is getting prenatal care. She has come to visit us about every other week or so and is always filled with vivacious joy. The father of the child is supporting her and helping with preparations for the baby. The baby is now 13 weeks old and looking healthy.

She is happy and thriving... in fact, they all are! Mom, Dad and Little Baby!

Her Noisy Fight Was Not as Loud as Our Silence

Today I stood outside of Dr. Emily Abortion Clinic to sidewalk counsel girls going in. My focus was to let them know they have other options, and that I can help them with that. While doing this however, I wasn't alone.

I had the Franciscan friars there praying with me and for me, as well as some others are are not pro life. These people were "escorts" that worked for Dr. Emily.

Their job was to hold the door open for girls coming to get an abortion.

Today at one point, I was standing to the side of the entrance. One of the escorts said to me "Hahaha. Abby. You know you're not suppose to be standing within 15 feet of the entrance." I didn't respond to her, but was flattered that she knew my name! Next, she says to me, "Abby. Are you not going to move? You have to move. You're breaking the law!" I then respond to her with a gentle tone, "Call the cops". She said, "The cop is right over there". (Which he was; sitting in his mini cop car) I said, "Get him to tell me to move and I will".

She didn't know what to say, because she paused for a few seconds. Finally, she said, "Does it really have to be like this Abby?" I replied softly again, "I guess so". And remained standing where I was, continuing praying. Give me a break- I know the law! I know that I am allowed to stand on a public part of the sidewalk.

Unfortunately for her, she decides to go over to the cop and start yelling at him. At this point, everyone is silent. Some of the friars were new and were a little frightened because they didn't understand what was going on. They remain silent. I remain silent. I don't say a word. It reminded me of when Jesus was being questioned before his crucifixion, and yet he remained silent.

Silence has power.

Our silence was loud, cause not only did the cop not tell me to move, but he literally got angry with the escort. They both raised their voices at one another for 5 minutes out on the street. He said to me "Miss, you're breaking the law. (Then to the escort) There. You happy?!"

At this point he was just mocking her. She then decided to make the cop look bad in front of everyone by saying to him, "What kind of a cop are you ? Cause I'm telling you I don't feel safe. She's (meaning me) making me feel threatened. And you're not going to do anything about it? Can I get your cop number?"

He gave it to her and was so irritated by her. After all of this, she seemed embarrassed and went to the back entrance. She never returned to the front. The cop stayed frustrated. I only saw one girl the whole day go in for the abortion. And at the end of the day, the loudest person lost. Her noisy fight was not as loud as our silence.

Thank you for reading.

A save in Spanish

A few days ago at Dr. Emily abortion facility I had an encounter with a woman but figured it would not turn into any success. She spoke Spanish - and I don't. I gave her a Spanish brochure and tried my best to piece together a sentence or two.

Because it was a (unfortunately) busy day at the clinic I had almost forgot about the exchange until I went on our sonogram bus and she was sitting there waiting for an ultrasound!

As I came to find out - she had read the brochure while in the waiting room of the abortion clinic - literally waiting for her name to be called for an abortion - when she found out from the information in the brochure that she had real options. She then stepped outside in the back (I was in the front), and another one of our sidewalk counselors who does speak Spanish was able to counsel her and offer her a free sonogram on our bus.

I was so excited to find out that she changed her mind and her conviction was only reinforced by being able to see her baby on our sonogram. As long as we do our best as prolifers - we will be rewarded by God, even a language barrier can be overcome! I was lucky enough to this in its most satisfying form that day.

Are you for real?

"Is that a video? That has to be fake... no way is that real! Are you serious?" a young lady proclaimed from the sonogram table.

This girl came into our EMC Brooklyn office with her sister and mother. The sister came rushing into the sonogram room to see before her eyes a 20 week-old baby! Ironically, the sister also asked if the ultrasound was a fake... they couldn't fathom that she was THAT far along... she wasn't even beginning to show!

At this moment, Linda the Brooklyn Center director, knew that this woman was going to need some convincing. She proceeded to ask God to work a miracle to show this woman that what she was seeing on the monitor was in fact her child within her womb.

"Do you want to hold your baby's hand? We're going to ask God to allow you to hold the baby's hand, " Linda said after this mother agreed to allow us to pray. Linda dropped to her knees and asked God for a miracle to allow this mother to connect with her baby in a real, and concrete way. As the mother placed her hand on her tummy, the sonogram monitor showed the baby reaching up towards the direction of its mother!

This sonogram photo captured that moment... one that allowed a young lady to face the reality of the child with in her... and it made all the difference.

Ultrasound + EMC = Saved Lives

One thing we recognize very much at EMC is the importance of the ultrasound machine. Not only do we recognize it, so does the other side. They know that this powerful technology has the ability to show women the truth of their pregnancy and help them decide to keep their baby.

In my opinion and the opinion of others, the fact that EMC provides ultrasounds and is successful at saving babies caused NARAL and Planned Parenthood to launch their attack on us via bill 371.

Unfortunately however, one of our machines is in need of repair. Today that machine would have been used in our mobile unit that we park in front of Dr Emily.

However we knew the importance of providing this option for women, and we could not take a day off from having the technology available at the abortion facility. So today I awoke a little earlier than usual, drove to queens to pick up another machine that we weren't using today, and drove back to the Bronx where the abortion facility is located.

And wouldn't you know, we were able to provide a few ultrasounds today in that mobile unit.

Sometimes it seems that we as pro-lifers can give it our all to no avail. However, other times God blesses us when we try just try a little harder and are willing to adapt. My hope is that restrictions to access to this technology will one day be lifted - but cruelly, right now NYC Government is going the other direction.

EMC Interns Speak at Cardinal Spellman High School: Teens Deserve to Know the Truth

Father Peter Pilsner from Cardinal Spellman High School asked Heather and I if we would be willing to be interviewed by some of his students on the work we do at Expectant Mother Care. We fully agreed and to my pleasant surprise, I received 8 phone calls from his students.

Some of their questions were like, "What do you do at EMC? Have you always been pro life? Why do you think pro abortionists are so pro abortion?" I thoroughly enjoyed answering their questions to the best of my ability because here's why : these people are the future generations of our country.

Most of the ones I talked to were 16,17, and 18. These are the times that they are seriously thinking about the college they want to go to . These are the times they are pressured the most to do drugs and smoke cigarettes. These are the times they are most likely to engage in sexual intercourse of some kind. They are at the most impressionable age.

Unlike many people in our society I understand that we have to keep people alive. That sounds silly. But, unfortunately, the majority of our country is under the impression that it's ok to kill over 50,000 people since 1973 through abortions.

I am taking my mission one day at a time. Based on the clients we get, I get to see where teenagers in this state are at with their level of knowledge on sex. It's a knowledge that Planned Parenthood is enforcing and planting. It's a knowledge that teaches teenage girls that it's "ok" to have sex as long as you use protection. That leaves myself and my colleagues left to pick up the broken pieces that follows sex-based relationships from 14,15,16,17,18 yr old teens.

That will soon change with the passionate fire God has planted in my heart to tell these future teachers, lawyers, doctors, and presidents the truth.

Thanks for reading.