| No.455 / Wednesday January 26, 2011 | |
A young woman was walking along the public sidewalk towards one of thr city's assembly line abortion facilities. Her head was bowed beneath the double burden she was carrying; 1.) she was pregnant and felt completely incapable of continuing on with the pregnancy and then caring for this unplanned baby, and 2.) she had refused to listen to her conscience during this time of stress and confusion. And she was frightened.
Her boyfriend had soured on their relationship soon after he found out she was pregnant. She had confided in a longtime friend about her dilemma, but the friend had a meeting to go to and just told her to do whatever she thought was best for her future. She phoned her brother and he immediately told her to abort 'it'. She contacted Planned Parenthood and they told her it would be over in an hour and she would be back to normal within a few hours. Finally, she called her aunt - who she suspected may have had an abortion many years ago. Her aunt couldn't say enough good things about abortion, and also encouraged her to abort 'it'.
So the young woman approached the abortion facility, ill at ease (not from morning sickness, but due to heart sickness). Suddenly she heard a soft voice calling out to her, "There's a better way you know..." Startled from her sad misgivings, she looked up and saw a teenage girl - younger than she was - standing by the sidewalk's edge and looking straight at her with a tempered, tender smile. She stopped, and without thinking replied "What do you mean?"
The teenager answered, with a little more enthusiasm than may have been 'appropriate' for such a delicate situation, "I know a whole bunch of people who would love to help you! We would consider it an honor if we could be of help..." The young woman froze, she tightened, then a tear trickled down her cheek, immediately followed by a stream of quiet tears. The teenager leaned forward and hugged her.... and.... She hugged back.
A hundred yards away, they sat together sipping coffee. The teenager had one character trait, a gift, that was rather striking - sincerity, a loving, caring sincerity. She explained to the young woman that she knew of a Pregnancy Counseling Clinic nearby with medical personnel on staff who could meet with her anytime - right now if she liked - and that the charitable organization that operated this clinic helped young woman with unplanned or problem pregnancies... right through the nine months and even after, as needed.
The young woman listened in awe, for as the teenage girl spoke, she could also hear her conscience breaking free, longing to assert itself. Here was the first person who had reached out to her, to help. A complete stranger, but a caring person.
"Which of these...proved neighbor to the (young woman who was pregnant)"?
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