Published: March 4, 2011
“I couldn’t do it”
Family Planning Associates, Miramar Road, San Diego, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011
News from the Trenches
The fuzzy image on the ultra-sound photo showed a pre-born baby. The abortion minded 21-year-old mother showed the photo to Terry, a sidewalk counselor. Terry, leaning toward the open passenger window of the young mother’s car said, “You know this is your baby and this seems to be the year of the boy. If you are carrying a boy, what name would you give your son?”
The mother’s girlfriend, behind the wheel, said, “I would name my son something that begins with a C.” The girlfriend said this because earlier the counselor and the mother were talking about the mother’s 9-month-old daughter whose photo was on the dashboard and whose name began with a “C.”
Terry had been speaking to the abortion minded young woman for several minutes in front of the busiest abortuary in San Diego, Family Planning Associates, describing the details of what’s involved in an abortion procedure and relating the alarming malpractice record of the abortionist . The young mother told Terry that she had already experienced an abortion when she was 17 and was aware of the horrors of the procedure.
Noticing a Rosary hanging from the rear view mirror, Terry asked the young mother where she had gotten it. The mother explained that it was given to her by a friend whose grandfather had just passed away. Terry suggested that perhaps the Rosary was a sign that her pre-born baby and her 9-month-old daughter should be together. Terry told the young mother to hold the crucifix hanging from the Rosary and she did.
The mother told Terry that she wanted to talk about this with her girlfriend and think about everything. The counselor backed away from the car and began to pray. The mother and her girlfriend sat talking in the car for about 15 minutes and then abruptly got out of the car and headed toward the abortuary. Terry continued to pray. After about a half hour both women came out of the abortuary smiling and walked up to Terry. The young mother said, “I couldn’t do it and you are the reason I changed my mind.” She asked Terry how soon she could see a doctor. Terry responded that she could see a doctor immediately and phoned the doctor on call at the Culture of Life Family Services Clinic (COLFS).
Terry got in her car, the two women got in theirs and they drove to the COLFS clinic. At the COLFS clinic the young mother was overjoyed to see her 10-week-old pre-born baby on the ultra-sound screen. The young mother announced she wanted to keep this baby but she was afraid that her mother would be angry because her mother was the one insisting that she have an abortion. Terry told the young mother that her mother may get angry but she is not the one that would have to live with the decision. “Killing a child is never the answer to any problem,” Terry said. “Every one of your problems is temporary and you will get through them I promise you.” The young mother then made a follow-up appointment.
Meanwhile at the FPA abortuary, David, another sidewalk counselor, spoke with an African-American couple who stopped their car when he waved them down. They took his brochures and drove out of the parking lot.
-- Terry, David and Luis
Friday, March 4, 2011
California Catholic Daily - “I couldn’t do it”
via calcatholic.com
