No Need to Say a Word
This morning, Saturday, May 15 at Family Planning Associates on Miramar Road in San Diego there were 17 prayer warriors, four police cars, and an over-zealous security guard.
At the main entrance, Roger spoke with an African-American couple in their early 20s. The boyfriend, J., said that his fiancée was 13 weeks pregnant, and they weren't ready for this pregnancy. Roger told him about the doctor's history and showed them a picture of a six-week-old preborn baby in the womb. He told them that they would most likely experience emotional trauma if they have an abortion, because they would realize that it was a real and unique person, different from everyone else, and it would weigh on his and her consciences.
He told them they should not rush into having an abortion, but really think about what they are about to do. J. replied, "There's been time... there's been much time for me to think about it". He said he was going to be late for the appointment, and that he had dealt with an abortion before. Roger gave them a card to Culture of Life Family Services and urged them to call now.
Sensing that they were not going to change their minds, he gave them a Rachel's Hope flyer and a Rosary, and told them he would pray for them. J. was polite and thanked him, and as they started to drive in, Roger pleaded, "Don't go in right away. Think about it. It's your son or daughter. You will love this child the rest of your life..." They drove in and parked for a few minutes, then went into the mill.
Later, Roger spoke with a white couple in their early 20s who drove up to the entrance in a small yellow car. They had tattoos and a sort of "weathered" look on their faces, like one gets from having too much alcohol or drugs. After telling them about the doctor and risks of an abortion, he asked the pregnant woman, who was driving, if she knew how far along she was. She replied, "No, but I'm going to be late".
Roger showed her a picture of a six-week-old preborn baby, and pointed out the arms, legs, fingers, etc. She looked at it for a moment and replied, "Yea, OK... well, I gotta go". She started driving in as Roger barely had time to drop a Culture of Life card into her window. About 20 minutes later, the boyfriend drove out the exit alone, burning rubber while he sped away.
Luis spoke with a middle-aged Filipino woman at the main driveway, who pointed at the prayer warriors and asked Luis what we were doing. He explained that we were praying here every Saturday morning because located in this building is the busiest abortion clinic in San Diego. She was shocked and explained to Luis that she is a Third Order Carmelite. She had just been meeting and praying with her group earlier. She said that she would ask them if they could join us some Saturdays.
Anne stood on at the side entrance on Carroll Road. As she was walking through the lot toward the driveway she stopped a car and gave them information on the abortionist. The couple exited the driveway and left. About 15 minutes later they returned and asked for more detailed information on the doctor's record. All she could offer was the pamphlet and told them there was someone who was doing this longer, and might be able to shed some more light on the doctor. She directed them to Roger and Luis.
The couple parked near the main driveway, and Luis walked over to speak with them. He went over the abortionist's malpractice history. As he was speaking with them, the guard came over and said that if they wanted to speak with the sidewalk counselors, everyone had to move to the sidewalk, so they did. The man wanted to know if any of this malpractice information was available on the Internet. Luis told him it was and gave them a brochure from the California Medical Board that indicates how to look up a doctor on their website. They appeared concerned and thankful. They went back in their car and talked to each other for a while. Then they parked closer to the mill and went inside.
Terry spoke to four 16- and 17-year-olds. Two males in the front (a young Hispanic male driving, a young African-American male in the passenger seat) and two young girls in the back. Terry showed the youngest girl (who was the one pregnant) what a six-week pre-born baby looks like, how the abortion is performed and reviewed the horrific history of the abortionist. The young woman, L., appeared alarmed, but the two young men in the front seat continued to laugh and make sarcastic remarks.
Terry asked L. to come out of the car so she could talk to her alone. L. appeared as if she were thinking about this, but before she could respond the young man (driving) said, "Let's go," and they drove in. They parked, and the two young women got out and from the farthest end of the parking lot (facing east), went up the stairway and walked all the way back (on the balcony) to Family Planning and went in. The two young men quickly drove out.
A short time later a Hispanic woman, M.. with a young child drove in the side entrance and Anne gave her a flier in Spanish and told her the doctor was a "bad" doctor. The woman mentioned something about her sister. At that point the guard approached and began yelling at Anne. She walked along the side of the car with this woman and directed her to park over by Luis and talk with him as he spoke Spanish. The guard was yelling as Anne went back to the driveway.
Meanwhile, M.'s sister, who came in a different car, pulled in the west entrance by Terry, and Terry began speaking with her. M., who looked very pregnant, somewhere between three and four months, parked nearby and got in her sister's car. As Terry was talking to M.'s sister (who interpreted for M.) all about the abortionist's dangerous medical history, what an abortion is, pictures of fetal development, etc.. The security guard came up to within a few inches behind her and began screaming at Terry (and the women in the car) that he was going to call the police if they didn't drive all the way into the lot and go into the clinic. Terry instructed the young women to pull a bit further into the lot so she could continue the conversation, turned to the guard and said, "We are not blocking the driveway. Please leave us alone so I can speak to them". However, this only enraged the guard further, and he addressed himself directly to the two frightened women to move their car further into the lot and go into the clinic.
Terry then asked the young women to park in a space (and they did). All the while the guard was still yelling for them to drive all the way into the lot. Terry ignored the guard completely. She asked M. if she would like to speak to the doctor at Culture of Life Family Services, because she should have her ultra-sound done by a competent doctor's office. Terry phoned COLFS using her cel, and M. began speaking on the phone with the doctor. The guard became enraged and frightened them to the point of pushing them all the way into the parking lot, with M. still speaking to COLFS on Terry's phone.
Terry could not go any further into the lot to retrieve her phone so she prayed and called Luis (at the main driveway) for back-up because he spoke fluent Spanish. When M. was finished speaking with the doctor, she walked the full length of the parking lot and gave Terry her phone back and got back into the car. As Luis watched M. walking toward the mill he was filled with horror at the thought that she was considering a late second-term abortion. He was relieved to see her exit the mill just a few minutes later. She was heading towards Anne's driveway, and he decided to walk over to see if he could help.
Luis came over and spoke to her in Spanish emphasizing the abortionist's bad record. He asked her if she was Catholic and attended church. She responded that she did. He pointed out that abortion is a mortal sin. He took out a colored diagram that shows the steps involved in a second-trimester abortion. The diagram shows a baby's limbs being torn off with forceps and its skull being crushed. When M. looked at the abortion diagram she began to weep.
He told her he was sure that things looked very dark and confusing right now but if she prayed to Jesus for strength and asked for Our Lady of Guadalupe's intercession she would be given the grace to do what is right. She asked if she could have the diagram and he handed it to her. She explained to Luis the personal situation that brought her to this place. He told her that her situation reminded him of a similar case at another abortion mill a couple of years ago. That mother, he explained to M., had decided to place her baby for adoption with a married couple, and that baby is now a toddler. She thanked Anne and Luis reassuring them that she had made an appointment for Tuesday at the Culture of Life Family Services clinic.
In the meantime, the guard made good on his promise and phoned the San Diego police. Within about fifteen minutes four patrol cars appeared. The lead officer went to the guard first, spoke to him, and then went to Terry. When he approached Terry he said "No need for you to say a word. I told him you weren't blocking the driveway and are not responsible for anybody else's car or anything else". The last patrol car to arrive sat observing Terry for about fifteen minutes after the other patrol cars left. He then waved at her, and drove out, smiling, as the others had previously.
