We were blessed with four turn-arounds this Saturday, two at Planned Parenthood at First and Grape, and two at FPA on Miramar Road.

Planned Parenthood First and Grape, Saturday, Sept. 5

This morning before the 1st Saturday Rosary Procession arrived, we had about six or seven couples arrive for abortions that were not interested in talking, or taking any information. However, there was one woman with her sister who stopped and listened to a counselor. She accepted the information given to her about all the help that was available.  She was very surprised to see how well formed a child is at 10 to 12 weeks, seeing a fetal model. The counselor gave it to her to keep, and she was very thoughtful and thanked the counselor, smiling as she went in. She and her sister were inside for a couple of hours, and then she came out, and told the counselor that she decided not to have an abortion.  She and her sister left with big smiles on their faces.

An Asian couple was dropped off on the street right in front of the entrance.  A counselor showed her a flyer about the risks and side effects of having an abortion, and told her that they would be doing a blind procedure on her.  She paused for only a few moments, and her eye caught the picture of a six-week-old fetus the counselor was holding under the other flyer.  She looked disturbed and rushed off into the clinic while her boyfriend held his arm around her for emotional support. They left about 45 minutes later, telling someone from a different group they decided to keep their child.  The other counselor said the woman looked very somber. We are not sure why, but the traditional Asian culture looks at pregnancy out of wedlock as a very great dishonor.  The pressure on Asian women to secretly have abortions to avoid the embarrassment and pressure from family is very great.

Family Planning Associates Miramar Road, Saturday, Sept. 5

The yellow shirt pro-abortion escorts were out in force at FPA, with up to 10 or so at any given time, rotating a few new people in and out in shifts. There was a mix of some college-age students and older coordinators on the scene.  Fortunately, there was a good presence of prayer warriors on the street as well counselors, who appreciated the prayer support.

At around 9 am, a Hawaiian couple pulled up into the parking lot. One of the counselors approached the vehicle and handed the lady some pamphlets and spoke to her about the doctor, the risks and side effects of abortion, and how COLFS (Culture of Life Family Services) offers alternatives, etc. Another counselor approached the opposite side of the vehicle and spoke with the young man who was driving, and gave him some more information. The young man said they were engaged to be married. While he listened to the counselor speak, his fiancée read the pamphlet. They were very open to the counselors and all the information. One of the FPA escorts approached the vehicle saying loudly (and many times) that they could tell us to go away. The young man jokingly said he would have covered his ears if he didn’t want to listen, and said it was OK for the counselors to be there. After a few more minutes of dialogue, the counselors left the car and gave them a rosary. The couple pulled away to a spot in the parking lot that was farther away, and talked alone while the counselors silently prayed for them.  After about half an hour, they pulled away and left.

Please pray that this young couple (who are soon to be married) will keep their choice for life.

Another young couple, probably in their late teens or early 20s, pulled into the west end of the lot and parked. One of the counselors was at the scene first, and began a discussion with them for a few minutes, handing out information, including the free ultrasound and exam offered by COLFS.  The abortion clinic escorts soon realized what was happening and swarmed the car. The young man didn’t seem to care in the least that he had fathered a child. He became agitated at the counselor once he was informed about what was going to happen up in the clinic, and didn’t want to hear any more, insisting he and his girlfriend go with the “escorts” up to the mill. The young lady had taken the information and listened, but did not seem to care about the situation. The counselor reminded the young man that this was a dangerous place, showing him a photo of ambulances arriving at the clinic, and that if he cared about his girlfriend, he would not take her here. That seem to resonate a little with the young lady, but nonetheless, were “escorted” up to the clinic.

The young lady came out to the balcony after about 15 minutes, apparently waiting for something. Then the young man came out a few minutes later, they spoke for a few minutes, came down, and went to sit in the car for a while, not wanting to engage with anyone. They were observed leaving a short time later.

Lastly an older mother and her daughter, who was in her mid-30s, pulled up to the front parking area and was engaged by one of the counselors but was swarmed of many yellow shirts. The counselor was able to start a brief discussion with the two and get the handouts into both their hands.  The daughter took the info but walked up to the mill with several yellow shirts, while the mother stayed back to talk with the counselor. By this time, the guard and several yellow shirts began to challenge the counselor to keep away from the mother, but the mother turned toward them and began scolding them all, telling them that these counselors were there telling the truth and doing the right thing. This shocked the yellow shirts and guard a little, and they backed off and left the mother and counselor alone.

It turned out the older mother had had a very rough life of being held captive by drugs and alcohol. She had several children over the years, but also had three abortions in the past. But thanks to Jesus Christ she was saved out of her situation and “got cleaned up” and turned her life around. Then she told the counselor she is still paying for her sins some nights.  When she lies down to go to sleep, she hears her babies crying – which drives her to tears.

The mother was distraught that her daughter was up there in the abortion center with her grandchild. She tried everything to stop her, telling here she’d raise the child and she could have the child back anytime time she wanted.  But she said her daughter was strong-willed and would not listen to her.  The only reason the mother came today, was that the daughter was going to try to drive herself home after the abortion, and she knew her daughter couldn’t drive home after being on anesthesia, or she would get in an accident. The mother then told a story about going to the abortion mill for the fourth time in El Cajon 16 years ago. A counselor stopped to talk with her, convincing her to have the baby which she did. That was 16 years ago she said, and now her daughter is so “tight with her” today they are like the best of friends. She said she is a smart young lady with a bright future taking college level courses in high school.