A couple from Mexico who looked to be in their 20s arrived early in the morning. The woman was headed into the clinic when the sidewalk counselor offered her some information. She did not speak any English and said something to the effect of “It’s OK”, as she walked past the counselor, not stopping to take anything.

A short while later, the boyfriend approached the counselor and asked him if he worked there. The counselor said he did not, and explained that he was offering information to help women make other choices besides abortion. During the conversation, the man indicated that his girlfriend was in her second trimester and was there for an abortion. He did not want her to have it but felt that it was her decision. The counselor told him he should go back inside and try to convince her not to have the abortion and to tell her that he would care for her and be there for her and their baby. He left and tried calling, texting, and even tried to get the staff to hand her a note, but she was already in one of the examination rooms, and the staff refused to cooperate.

Before the man left in his car, the counselor told him he was leaving soon, but that another counselor was going to take his place, and to please talk to the second counselor. Both counselors prayed for the woman inside. About 30 minutes after the second counselor arrived, the man returned and shared his frustration and desire to get his girlfriend out of there, but there was no response from his calls and texts. He had a look of despair on his face and told the counselor it was too late to do anything.

The counselor explained to him that it was a two-day process when the baby was that far along in the pregnancy, and that dilation of the cervix would only happen today by inserting a laminaria, and that the the actual abortion could only be done the following day. Even if he could not contact her inside, he could still convince her when she comes out to go to COLFS (Culture of Life Family Services), where a medical doctor could remove the laminaria and stop the dilation, without going through with the abortion. He was emotional but seemed encouraged that there was still hope. The counselor told the man that if he did not want her to go through with the abortion, he would need to tell her that he loved her and that he would always be there for her and that she needs to hear that.

About that time, his girlfriend came back outside. The boyfriend looked apprehensive, as if waiting for the inevitable bad news. The counselor greeted her, and her face was smiling. The counselor noted that she had a paper printout of the ultrasound along with other papers in her hand. The counselor, who does not speak Spanish, told the boyfriend to ask her if she already had the laminaria inserted. She replied “No”. The counselor asked her in English, “So you’re going to keep the baby?”. She sort of shrugged, not understanding what the counselor asked. So the counselor looked at her and said “Mama” then looked at the boyfriend and said “Papa” and motioned with his hands for them to stand close to each other, and said “Baby…bueno?” She nodded a yes, with a big smile on her face. This was clearly the result of prayers, and perhaps whatever the boyfriend wrote in his text to her while she was inside.

The counselor put his hand on the boyfriend’s shoulder and said, “You need to tell her that!” (referring to what he said his girlfriend needed to hear from him). The boyfriend nodded and said “Thank you for what you guys do here”. He said he would return and show the counselor a picture of his baby after it is born. As they were starting to walk toward their car, the counselor said “God bless you both”. The boyfriend, who early in the conversations had told both of the counselors that he did not believe much in God, returned a “God bless you!” several times to the counselor before they walked off to the car.

From Helpers of God’s Precious Infants email