FPA Miramar Road, San Diego – April 30, 2011
Almost as soon as Roger arrived, he spoke with two young women driving in the side entrance. The driver was playing the “protect my friend” role, and was trying to act disinterested and in a hurry. However, the woman in the passenger seat leaned over with a look of horror in her eyes as Roger spoke about the litigation history of the abortionist, and about the women we knew that had come back to FPA with post-abortive complications, including one where a woman was suffering from a severe infection because fetal parts were left inside her. As Roger started to show them a picture of a 6 week old pre-born baby, the driver said “No thanks” and started driving away, but he managed to hand her a card to COLFS before they drove into the lot. Apparently the woman in the passenger seat was so disturbed from the information that they didn’t even stop to park, but drove straight to the front entrance of the parking lot at left.
Soon after Anne arrived at FPA, she tried to stop two young women driving into the lot. They said they were on their way into FPA. She could tell they were in a hurry so she tried to quickly inform them of the doctor. They listened for a few seconds and then said they had to go. Very shortly after, they pulled out and left.
Anne met up with a young woman all alone in a cab going into FPA. She talked with her in the lot, and the woman told Anne she would be OK. Anne told her she could take her to COLFS, and they talked briefly about life. She seemed unconcerned and left. She also met a man coming down the steps after dropping his girlfriend off. He said he did not get any information on FPA and was very concerned about the history of the doctor. However he said his friend was in there for about an hour. She told him it was not too late, but offered him information on Rachel’s Hope anyway. He pulled his truck farther into the lot and went into FPA. However he came out again alone.
Soon after, Anne met a young couple crossing the lot to go up the steps into the mill. She asked them if they received any information on the doctor’s medical record and they both said “No”. She told them how awful this doctor was and showed them a brochure on his lawsuits. Anne told them she had personally met women who had come back here because of complications. She asked the woman how far along she was, and she said “12 weeks”. Anne could not find her baby model so she showed them a picture of a 6-week old baby, and they could not believe it. She told the woman that her baby was at least double that size now. The woman stepped aside to call her friend, and Anne then talked with the young man. She asked him where he was from, and he was from the same area Anne grew up in on the East Coast. They talked and laughed about some areas they were both familiar with, and she told him she could see he was a nice person, and that she knew he did not want his baby to die. Anne told him it could be a boy and a great MLB player someday. He agreed. He said he was Catholic, and so she gave him a very special Rosary and told him this baby was a gift, and he needed to pray. She also told him that abortion was a mortal sin. He said they were planning to marry, and Anne assured him that their relationship would not survive if they killed their child. When the woman came back, they agreed to talk it over. They stood in the lot for a while and then returned to their car for sometime. They then drove close to Anne and stopped, and said they would not be going in, and that they would most likely call COLFS. She told them they were a beautiful couple and gave them her phone number. She assured them that only good would come from keeping this baby and they both agreed.
Roger saw that a couple had come in from another driveway that was not covered by a sidewalk counselor, so he approached the couple as they were heading up the steps toward FPA. The boyfriend was carrying a 2-year old and went ahead while Roger spoke with the young woman, who appeared to be in her early 20′s and was already halfway up the first flight of stairs. She was anxious about being late for her appointment, and took the flyers from Roger and said she would read them, but that she had to go. The couple walked inside FPA, and about 10 minutes later the man returned with the 2-year old and sat down inside the car to wait. Roger hesitated to approach the car, since the couple seemed very disinterested in what he first had to say when they were at the stairs. However, since he didn’t really get at chance to talk with the young man earlier, he walked over to the car and asked the man if is girlfriend had discussed the litigation history of the doctor with him. The man said she didn’t, so Roger started telling him about the doctor, the risks of an abortion, and the regrets she will feel later. He told the man that they would probably not stay together if she went through with the abortion. When Roger asked the man how far along his girlfriend was, he said “about 3 months”. Roger showed him a picture of a 6-week old as well as a rubber model of a 12-week old pre-born baby. The man said little, but seemed almost embarrassed that he did not realize how well developed a pre-born baby was at this stage. Roger asked the man why they were having an abortion, and he said in a defeated tone of voice “I don’t know, it’s her decision”. Roger told the man that it was not too late to get her out of there, as she had only been up there about 15 minutes. Roger told him that his girlfriend was in a crisis and probably not thinking straight, and that it was his job to protect their child, and that she would love this child as much as her 2-year old. The man pulled out his cell phone and started texting her. Then he called her, and said, “Why don’t you come down here? Come out and talk to me”. She hung up on him, and he called her back again, but she hung up again. Roger said, “Just go up there and bring her out. Let me talk to her for a few minutes”. The man said nothing, but picked up his child, opened the car door, and walked over to the elevator and went up into FPA. A few minutes later, Roger could see them talking on the balcony. They talked for about 10 minutes, then the woman came down the elevator carrying her 2-year old, and walked toward the car where Roger was still standing. Roger said “God bless you for coming out of there. You made the right choice, and you will never regret having this baby.” The woman was wiping away tears, and he could see that while she chose life, she was overwhelmed with the troubles that lay ahead. He tried to talk her into going to COLFS for a free ultra-sound, and that seeing her baby move would put aside any future thoughts of having an abortion. She said she just wanted to go home and have some time alone. Roger told her, “You’re probably overwhelmed at the thought of having another child while you are so busy taking care of this one. I know it may seem like it will be too much to handle, but your 2-year old will love having this brother or sister, and things will get easier as they play and grow up together.” He told her that family and friends would be there to help her when they saw the beautiful newborn baby. He asked her if she loved her boyfriend. To Roger’s relief, she smiled through her tears and said “Yes”. He told her, “God gave you both this child for a reason. This baby will draw you and your boyfriend closer together”. He gave her a 12-week old rubber baby model and told her to hold it. He said, “You will get through this. If you have any anxiety, any thoughts of coming back here, I want you to look into your 2-year old’s eyes, and then hold this little rubber baby in your hand and look at it. That’s what’s inside you. You will love this baby, and only you can protect it. He gave her a COLFS card and said, “Call this phone number if you ever have a need to talk to someone. They can help you get through any difficulties that you are having”. He gave her a Rosary, and told her he would be praying for her. She thanked him and left, still wiping away the tears.
Just moments before this, Anne saw two women getting out of their car to go into the mill. She stopped them and told them about the doctor’s record. They both looked shocked, but the older woman said to the younger one, “It’s up to you”. She said she was the girl’s mother, and Anne told her she was shocked that a mother would want her daughter to go into this place after just hearing how awful the doctor was. The woman said she did not want her daughter to have the abortion, but it was up to her daughter. Anne asked the girl, who was only 15, how far along she was, and the girl said ”12 weeks”. Anne gave her a 12-week old rubber fetal model and showed her how big her baby was. The girl said she wanted to be a fashion model. Anne told her there was no reason she could not pursue modeling after the baby was born if she had family support. The mother went to the car and Anne talked with the girl. The girl told Anne that even her friends wanted her to keep the baby. Anne asked her if she would at least go to COLFS and see her baby, and she finally agreed. The mother was shocked that her daughter changed her mind, but seemed relieved, and had tears in her eyes. Anne followed them to COLFS and when they arrived, they revealed to her that they did have an ultrasound the day before, but the doctor would not let her see the baby. Anne told them how horrible that was. Upon seeing the baby in the ultra sound at COLFS, it was made clear that she was now at least 14 weeks along. Both the girl and her mother cried. The girl wanted to know if it was a boy or girl. She sat up and the doctor asked how she felt now. She said she wanted to keep the baby!! They passed many hugs around and and the Doctor gave them a baby basket. They told the girl and her mother that they could find help for them in any way needed. Anne told them that she had planned to be out of town this weekend, but felt a tug at her heart to be there at FPA that morning. They thanked her for not going out of town this day because they were meant to meet. Anne told them she didn’t believe meeting them was an accident, and that they both were so beautiful to support this little baby and the life it deserves.
God needs us when we least expect it, and when we show up miracles happen that we never anticipate. The hymns of the prayer warriors sang so beautifully on Miramar Road this day and their voices swept clear across the parking lot to FPA. God indeed blessed us this day. Please remember to pray for all of these women, that they continue to choose life for their unborn babies.
Roger, Anne, and Luis
