Family Planning Associates, Miramar Road - June 14
Family Planning Associates, Miramar Rd.
We noticed a car with Baja plates pull to the far side of the parking lot. One of the Spanish-speaking counselors walked over as the man and his wife and three kids exited the car. The counselor asked the husband if he knew that this was an abortion clinic, and he said “No”. As the family walked toward the clinic, the counselor walked along with them and told the husband about the litigation history of the doctor, and that the first-trimester abortion was a blind procedure, and the risks involved.
The counselor then directed the conversation to the wife, who was walking behind. The counselor gave them a card to Culture of Life Family Services, and told them to talk to Dr. Delgado. The family went upstairs, but when the husband came to the front door of the clinic, he stopped, looked at it a moment, and then turned and walked away, with his family following. On their way back to the car, the counselor tried to talk to the wife, but she looked irritated and would not talk. We think perhaps the wife was hiding the reason they were going to this clinic from her husband. The family drove away.
Another couple pulled into the opposite side of the parking lot and briefly talked with a counselor. The counselor began to talk to the woman about the record of the doctor. Both she and her husband appeared to be in a hurry. The counselor knew there was not much time to discuss anything, so the counselor told the husband that on the eve of Father’s Day, this was not a good place to be. The counselor asked them to search their hearts. They had a bumper sticker on the back of their car that said, “baby on board.” They walked up the balcony embracing each other and went in. Less than 15 minutes later they came out telling the counselor they changed their mind. The counselor gave her a hug and they drove off. Please pray for this couple that they remain strong in their decision.
Mid-morning a couple drove into the parking area, parked below the main entrance. After they exited their vehicle, one of the counselors approached them and noticed a military sticker on the vehicle, as well as a pullover shirt worn by the man, with “Navy” written on it. Asking the gentleman if he was in the navy, the counselor shared that he too was once in the navy. Then he asked if he could share the information about the doctor and clinic. The couple were polite, stopped briefly, listened, and took the handouts. But when asked “how far along she was” the women got a little upset and said, “let’s go,” pulling her male friend with her up to the clinic.
A short time later the man came out and went back to wait in his vehicle. The counselor again approached him and asked if he could speak to him. He rolled the window down and a discussion ensued about the clinic, the doctor (whom the counselor has spoken with many times) being an avowed “population control freak” and about this industry being all about money with a total disregard of the people who come here and of human life in general.
The counselor pointed out why we are here, and our deep faith and belief in God, that life begins at conception, and each human being is a created being, a “gift from God” that needs to be protected, nurtured and loved. The counselor pointed out that history has shown that when a country does not have basic respect for the most innocent and helpless of life, it goes on to destroying others as well, such as the elderly, the sick, the mentally disabled etc. An example was what Hitler did. Then the counselor reminded the man this was Father’s Day weekend, and this day will be remembered as the time his son or daughter was killed, and not the day when he could be holding them in his arms.
After listening patiently, the gentleman said thanks, got out of his vehicle and went back up to the clinic and went inside. About that time one of the prayer warriors was leaving and drove by where the counselors were working, stopped to chat briefly and was asked to pray for a couple upstairs. Shortly thereafter, the Navy man and his girlfriend came out of the clinic and were observed on the balcony speaking together. They soon walked to the elevator and came down, got into their vehicle and left.
