“We did not meet by accident”

In San Diego, baby saved on Saturday, candlelight vigil on Sunday

News from the Trenches

SUNDAY, JAN. 22, 2012

More than 180 pro-life people joined Helpers of God’s Precious Infants of San Diego to mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v Wade at a candlelight prayer vigil and public witness along Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego on Sunday, Jan. 22.

Pro-lifers have joined together at this spot on the anniversary of Roe v Wade for nearly a decade, and each year the crowd has grown larger. All ages were represented, from infants to the very old. A large number of families and younger people were noted in the crowd. Rosaries were prayed along the lineup of participants for the protection of the unborn, while most people driving by showed signs of agreement. 

As usual, the event was very peaceful and without incident. Among the many signs people held included “Abortion Kills Children,” “Stop Killing the Innocent Unborn,” “Jesus Heals and Forgives,” and “Adoption, the Loving Option.” There were several large banners, including “Defund Planned Parenthood,” “Life is Precious,” and “We are Praying for an End to Abortion.”

The purpose of the event is to remind people driving by that the majority of people in our city are pro-life, and that we have not forgotten the more that 50 million innocent unborn babies that have had their lives taken away since this infamous day 39 years ago, when the Supreme Court of the United States legalized the murder of unborn babies.

FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATES
Miramar Road, San Diego
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012

It was cold, dreary, and rainy this morning at FPA on Miramar Road. We had, maybe six prayer warriors and two sidewalk counselors. Most women going into FPA where hostile. Several women were late terms, several were follow ups, and many would not talk at all — only giving hostile finger gestures. One young woman came with her mother. The young girl wanted to talk, but her mother pressured her to go into FPA.

Sometime mid-morning, a well-dressed man in an expensive car drove into the parking lot and approached one of the counselors. He peppered the counselor with questions about how often we are there, what we do (exactly), and asked who the counselor worked for. To the latter, the counselor responded, “God.” He also asked who or what church the people praying were from. Sensing deception from the questioning man, the counselor responded politely, but without giving too much information. The counselor asked if the was man if he was writing an article since it felt like an interview. The man said he was not, he was only curious.

He then questioned the counselor about how the stores felt about us being there, and if they thought we were doing things that were illegal, etc.. After getting limited information, the man drove around the parking lot and spoke to another counselor, briefly, who also felt deception from him. He then drove off.

The counselors spoke to many individuals and gave out Rosaries, abortion and life information, and Culture of Life Family Services (COLFS) cards to everyone who would accept.

Toward the end of the morning (somewhere close to 11), two women exited FPA. Both looked older than the routine age of girls going in for an abortion. As they went to get into their car, the counselor noticed one of the women wearing a jacket with a big picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the back. The counselor called out to this woman before she shut the door asking about Our Lady of Guadalupe. After a brief discussion, the passenger told the counselor that the driver was the one who had gone in for an abortion but the abortionist was “hesitant” because she was too far along. They had been instructed to contact the FPA office in Riverside where they routinely perform late term abortions.

“N” referred to the abortionist as a she, which indicated to the counselor that FPA’s nurse practitioner may have done the ultra-sound. “N” told the counselor that, while FPA did a sonogram, she saw nothing on it — only what looked like a blob. They told her they thought she was about 15 or 16 weeks, and that they couldn’t do the abortion, but referred her to their Riverside office.

The counselor began to talk to “N,” and after finding out what her life stresses were, including health problems, the counselor told “N” that she knew of a doctor’s office where she would have all her problems addressed and not have to make the decision that would change her life negatively and forever.

The abortion-intent woman looked hesitant, but never took her eyes off the counselor. The counselor told “N” that COLFS could help her, and asked “N” to give over her trust, promising her that whatever she needed would be addressed at COLFS. The counselor told “N” that their meeting was not by accident, and no matter how scared she was, she would be cared for. The counselor asked her to let her phone the doctor so he could meet them at COLFS for an ultra-sound and whatever else she needed. She told her at COLFS she would feel safe and know she had made the right decision. Reaffirming that she was a good mother who was scared, the counselor asked “N,” “Let us help you.”

The woman agreed to follow the counselor to COLFS. After arriving at COLFS, “N” revealed she had not given up her thoughts of having the abortion as her life was in such disarray. After talking further to the counselor in greater detail, “N” began to sense a deep feeling of trust. Then once she saw her baby on the ultra-sound, she spoke to Dr. Delgado, and opened up about all her needs. She was overwhelmed with relief. While choosing a baby bear at COLFS, “N” broke down and cried. She told the counselor that this was the first time she had cried in 18 years.

“N” told the counselor, “If you weren’t there today, I would have killed this baby. You saved my baby’s life.” The counselor replied, “No. I am just a pencil in the hands of God. Your own act of love and free will reached out and said yes when given the opportunity. We did not meet by accident.”

— The counselors of God’s Precious Infants, San Diego