Dear Pro-life friends,

During the fifth week of 40 Days for Life at the downtown [San Diego] Planned Parenthood, a woman changed her mind about aborting her preborn baby after her boyfriend told her how he really felt.

The young couple arrived early in the morning and were met by two sidewalk counselors in front of the downtown Planned Parenthood. The counselors spoke to the couple about abortion, and showed them resources available to them from pregnancy resource centers nearby. They were relatively new to the area, and did not have a network of support. The woman was abortion intent, while the boyfriend wanted them to keep the baby. They listened for some time, but at some point they decided to go inside. One of the counselors told the boyfriend that they would be leaving soon, but to look for another counselor who would be taking their place if he wanted to talk some more.

About 30 minutes later a third counselor arrived to take over, and the first two counselors filled the third counselor in about the couple. About 10 minutes after that, the young man came back outside and made eye contact with the remaining counselor, who asked him if he was doing OK, and if his girlfriend had changed her mind. He said that she thought it was best to have the abortion, and he told the counselor that he thought their relationship would be strained if he tried to force his desire to keep the baby on her, if she really wanted the abortion. The counselor told him their relationship would be more strained if she had the abortion, and many couples break up because of the conflict and regret that abortion causes. The counselor suggested that he go back inside and try one more time to convince her to keep the baby. The boyfriend said she was already in the back room for an ultrasound and that he would not be allowed back there to talk to her. The counselor said, “Then text her and ask her to come out to talk to you. You need to tell her that you love her, and will always be there for her, and that you want her and the baby to be with you as a family. She needs to hear that”.

He tried texting and calling, but she did not answer, and he seemed frustrated that she was ignoring him. The counselor said “She probably just can’t get to the phone if they are doing an ultrasound or some tests. Just keep trying”. It was pouring rain, and the boyfriend was trying to keep his phone dry as he stood with the counselor under an umbrella. He said he was going to go somewhere and would keep trying. The counselor said he would be praying for the two of them. About an hour later, around 15 people arrived from St. Anne’s and began praying on the sidewalk, huddled under umbrellas from heavy wind and rain.

Nearly two hours after the boyfriend left, he came walking up the sidewalk in the rain with a smile on his face, and gave the counselor the thumbs up. The counselor asked him if he was able to get a hold of her on the phone, and if she changed her mind. He said “Yes! we’re keeping the baby!” He said he kept asking her “Are you sure you want to do this?”, and when she asked him how he felt, he told her that he loved her, and exactly how he felt. It appears that may have eased her mind about keeping the baby.

She came out about a minute later, all smiles, and the couple and counselor huddled under the counselor’s undersized umbrella while he congratulated them on their decision. “God bless you! You will never regret having this baby.”
She looked up in surprise to see all of the people on the sidewalk praying. The counselor said “These people have been praying for you, and for all of the other women going inside this morning”. Both of them seemed very happy and excited at their decision to keep the baby. The counselor gave the boyfriend his Rosary, and told them “Now go home and get out of this rain!”

They thanked the counselor and ran down the street in the rain.

Please continue to join the prayerful works of 40 Days for Life, and please continue to pray for this young couple.

– From an email sent by Helpers of God’s Precious Infants