Day 11 Paulette Chose Life because of a leaflet at the gate: 40 Days Celebrating Mums Choosing Life

 

"Why can't you just offer your help somewhere else? Why do you need to be right at the door of the abortion centre?" This is what buffer zone campaigners keep saying.

They don't seem to realise that many women will never find us online, or get our leaflet, or see our ads. In fact those in the most vulnerable positions are the least likely to find help before their abortion. Those with no money, no broadband, poor English, under pressure, victims of domestic violence, those from the strictest backgrounds where an unplanned pregnancy is unacceptable - they are amongst the groups that have least access to unfettered use of the internet.

Ane even those who hear about our support may be doubtful about it until they meet a real in the flesh person who can tell them about it.

It is not OK that ONE woman goes through an abortion because she has not got the help and support she needs to keep her baby. That is why we continue to fight for the right to offer help outside abortion centres.

Paulette, an immigrant with no rights to support and 1 child already with her unsupportive husband. She did find us online, read about the help we offer anddecided it was too good to be true. On the day of her abortion she met one of our volunteers outside the abortion centre and at that desperate moment she chose to come in to see us and give our help and support a chance. Here is what she said:

Outside the clinic, I was handed a leaflet. When I found out I was pregnant, financially my position was not that good. I booked an appointment for my abortion. When I went there, I found Good Counsel outside. At first I couldn’t believe the help, I never thought somebody would help you like this, would support you. It’s like somebody is saying it, but are they going to do it or not? That was the first question that came in my mind. So then I talked to the lady who was outside there, she just hugged me and she assured me that “We will support you with whatever you need.” So she told me that if I would like, I could come and talk more about my pregnancy and what are the difficulties I am facing. If I want to have the baby, what best can they do for the baby. So I went with them to the Good Counsel office and there we had a long chat. So then I decided not to terminate.

I feel, the abortion was quite a big burden for me, the whole night before it I couldn’t sleep because I was doing something which I didn’t want, but when I spoke to Good Counsel, I felt really good, I feel very light. It was great talking to them and after that I spoke to a few mums who Good Counsel had helped. I couldn’t believe what they were saying, I spoke to a few mums, I called them. They called me as well. They said “We are getting support for so many years.” So then I believed “Yes, they are there for me.”

Praying Pro-lifers offering real alternatives

I have been supported for more than 5 years.

The first thing that came to mind, because we were living in just a single room, my daughter was with me, I came here on a student visa, my visa conditions didn’t allow me to work, so I couldn’t afford two rooms for the family. My landlord told me “Too many people can’t live in one room, so you have to move out”. So GCN provided me with a two bedroom house. They were paying all the rent and everything, and even they were paying for all the groceries as well and diapers and, you know, baby cots. My child got everything. I couldn’t even believe…I couldn’t afford those things and he got all the things from there. From birth to now. Whenever he needs like winter coat or anything.

And I just want to add one more thing, because of my little one, my elder daughter is having a better life as well. Whenever I need something for her she gets it from them as well. No, even if I need something or my daughter, whoever in the family. 

My pregnancy would be terminated definitely if I had not met Good Counsel. When I booked my appointment I didn’t want to terminate the pregnancy, but I kept on looking everywhere for the help, but I couldn’t find any help. I even found Good Counsel Network on the website, but I shut it down because I couldn’t believe it. And then again when I was entering the gate, they handed me the leaflet. Because of that leaflet, when I went inside, I was thinking about that while waiting for my scan, they could not do the abortion that day so when I went out, I spoke to the lady from GCN who was on the door and she told me everything, so I did not go back again. So the leaflet – I think it is the most important thing, it saved a life. I couldn’t believe the website.

I don’t understand why people feel offended because if GCN is standing by the gate they are just providing more choices for people like us. They are not harming anyone and there is nothing wrong in it.