Each story of a save is unique and inspiring. Thanks to the prayers and compassionate words of Sidewalk Counselors, the four more women and their children in the stories below were spared from abortion one Saturday. These stories are just a few of the many fruits of your labors as Sidewalk Counselors!
It is different when you’ve been raped
One young woman pulled into an abortion facility in south Austin. As soon as she got out of her car, a Sidewalk Counselor reached out to her to let her know that there are so many better choices than abortion, but the Sidewalk Counselor was met with the hardened words, “It is different when you’ve been raped.”
The Sidewalk Counselor felt nothing but love and concern for this young woman. She told the young pregnant mother, “An abortion will only add to the pain you are already carrying.”
As the pregnant mother and her friend entered in the abortion facility, the Sidewalk Counselor realized it was in God’s hands, and her intercessory prayer was deeply needed. She prayed fervently for the mother, for her pre-born child, and for all the people she was interacting with inside the facility.
An hour and a half after being inside, the young woman was leaving, and told the Counselor, “I didn’t do it. I just couldn’t do it,” and quickly drove away.
While the rape had traumatized the young woman, she realized that the abortion wouldn’t undo the pain of the rape, and her baby should not be killed because someone else committed a crime.
She chose life!
I already have six children
A couple of miles north of that abortion facility, there were other people standing and praying at another abortion facility.
Irma pulled up to the abortion facility, alone and about to abort her seventh child. A Sidewalk counselor was able to talk to her for more than 15 minutes before she even made it into the parking lot. Slowly pulling away from the Sidewalk Counselor, Irma parked, but never got out of her car. She was reading through some of the brochures the Sidewalk Counselor had given her about local crisis pregnancy centers.
Five minutes later, Irma drove away leaving the abortion facility. But another five minutes later, she had come back. This time, she got out of her car and was gathering her things to enter the abortion facility.
Another Sidewalk Counselor asked Irma if she would talk with her for a second. Irma approached the fence, with a blank look on her face. The Counselor realized she didn’t speak any English.
In Spanish, Irma said, “Look, I have six kids already and I just can’t have another.”
The young Sidewalk Counselor tried to piece together bits of her own Spanish to attempt to encourage Irma to change her mind. She started out by asking Irma if she knew about the serious physical and emotional side effects of abortion.
Surprised to hear about the facts the Sidewalk Counselor had to share with her, Irma asked, “Well, is the baby fully formed right now?”
After telling the Sidewalk Counselor that she was 6 weeks and 3 days along, she was even more surprised to find out that her baby already has a heart pumping blood through its body, and that its brain had already started to function. The Sidewalk Counselor showed Irma photos of what her baby looks like at 6 weeks, and even showed her some pictures of what a baby would look like after being aborted at 6 weeks.
When Irma saw those photos, it solidified her discomfort she first displayed upon hearing about the side effects of abortion. She asked the Counselor, “Well, what can I do then?”
Thank the Lord for the local crisis pregnancy centers that provide free ultrasounds, material assistance, and educational classes to help women in crisis pregnancies. Irma was glad to hear about the services they have to offer.
She got in her car and left without coming back.
She chose life!
Neither of us have jobs
Not moments after Irma arrived, another couple pulled into the abortion facility. From Haiti, both the pregnant 22-year-old and her boyfriend were without jobs, and had an 18-month-old child at home. Even though the young woman admitted to being scared, the friendly boyfriend initiated a conversation with one of the male Sidewalk Counselors.
A surprisingly long conversation eventually resulted in the young couple entering the abortion facility even though they were told of their better options.
All the volunteers who were standing and praying were surprised to see the boyfriend, Lesly, come outside for a smoke break to continue talking to the man who had reached out to him before they went inside.
Lesly’s smoke break had left him with some seriously challenging thoughts. He had no clue how the abortion procedure was actually done. He had no clue about the side effects it would have on his girlfriend.
He went inside and was told he was not able to see the ultrasound of his baby. When the ultrasound was actually done, a black mass was identified as Kattie’s 14 week baby on the screen.
Lesly and Kattie kept talking. Lesly told Kattie about what the man on the sidewalk had told him about how abortions are actually done. In the end, they decided they couldn’t do this to their child, and they walked out. Not as scared this time, Kattie was willing to talk with one of the female Sidewalk Counselors telling her, “My biggest worry is that neither one of us have a Job, and we can’t afford a child right now.”
The Sidewalk Counselor encouraged her by letting her know that they will do everything they can to help Lesly find a job because the little baby that is already alive and growing inside of her deserves to live.
Lesly and Kattie didn’t have a car and instead of waiting on their ride to come pick them up, the Sidewalk Counselor offered to drive them. Before going home, the three went to the crisis pregnancy center that is open on Saturdays.
Given a top priority (since they had literally just Come from the abortion facility), Lesly and Kattie were welcomed in and prepared for an ultrasound. This time, Lesly and Kattie were both there looking at the screen. The 14 week baby was jumping around with a strong heartbeat. Lesly laughed heartily at the thought of having a little daughter. The baby’s hand was waving around, and she was even sucking her thumb for a couple of seconds.
This clear and fully formed baby’s body was a stark contrast to the blurry blob the abortion facility identified to Kattie as her baby.
The joy on their faces upon seeing the ultrasound was indescribable.
They chose life!
I’m already late for my appointment
Another couple pulled into the abortion facility shortly after Lesly and Kattie (the Haitian couple). A long conversation at the driveway with a Sidewalk Counselor led the young couple to pull in and park. Another young female Sidewalk Counselor decided to try and reach out to this young pregnant mother, saying, “Hi sweetie, I know you had a chance to talk to my friend Jim at the driveway, but I’d also love to talk with you for just a couple seconds.”
“I’m already late for my appointment,” Ashley sadly told the Sidewalk Counselor.
“That’s OK if you’re late, you don’t even have to show up. You don’t even have to go through with this today. You really deserve so much better than having to put yourself through this.”
Ashley and her boyfriend went inside.
Both couples were in the waiting room at the same time. Lesly and Kattie, and Ashley and her boyfriend.
Ashley’s boyfriend saw and heard Lesly. He decided to come outside and talk to the same man Lesly had spoken to. A long conversation led to the young man eagerly telling the Sidewalk Counselor that his girlfriend was still inside and getting ready to leave. After being reached out to by the two Sidewalk Counselors, and seeing and hearing Lesly in the waiting room, they realized aborting their child was not the right decision.
Ashley may have been late for her appointment, and she may have not responded verbally to what the Sidewalk Counselors were telling her, but their words and compassion left so much of an impact that she was given the empowerment to choose life for her and her child.
She chose life!
Recent Comments