Witness to a Miracle

Several weeks ago a young woman walked into the pregnancy center that I volunteer at and her ID and form were handed to me to take on as my client. What made her different than any other client I had personally dealt with up until that point was that she had checked the "unsure" box answering the question of what she plans to do about her pregnancy. When checked it most often means that abortion holds a lot of sway as an option. It was a moment that I was reminded of my inadequacy as well as the great weight of the ministry of the center: it is a matter of life or death.

Scared, I went out to meet this young lady and led her back to a counselling room. What she wanted was something we couldn't offer: abortion referrals. What I could offer I was limited to give because we can only provide information and help so far as the client gives us permission, and that permission was not granted me. (Legally and to protect the organization from being shut down or slandered by those in opposition of it we are at liberty to share only that which the client gives us permission to share.) So our meeting was very methodical, me leaving out any religious opinions, as she requested as soon as we had sat down, and she being very closed to share much of what was going on in her heart and life. Our conversation remained at the surface, primarily focused on what the abortion procedures are and the risks involved, information that the majority of abortion clinics do not offer to their clients. At one point she broke down crying so I did see a little glimpse of the battle going on in her heart, but she told me she still didn't want to talk about it. Following the positive pregnancy test results I offered her a sonogram appointment which she reluctantly accepted but told me she probably wouldn't keep. I left that time with her feeling drained, discouraged, and pretty sure that I would never see this young girl again.

I continued to pray for this young girl over the next days, but with little expectation. We tried to contact her via phone several times but she never answered and never returned a call. A couple of weeks later her sonogram appointment came and went. I left the pregnancy center that day after my shift discouraged but honestly not very surprised.  But half an hour after I got home the client advocate director gave me a call saying that the nurse had managed to get ahold of this girl, found out that she had not yet had an abortion, but had been told by her that she could not talk at that moment and would give the center a call back. I continued to pray for her that evening, hopeful in the fact that she had not yet made an irreversible decision but still doubtful that she would give that promised return call.

I was scheduled to be back at the center that next morning and shortly after I walked in the door I was greeted with the excitement of some of the staff members who had just received a call from this girl. Together as a group of women we lifted the appointment scheduled for that afternoon to the Lord. I was afraid to hope in too much of a change of heart. I had seen the hardness of her heart firsthand, yet I knew the fact that she had not yet gone through with an abortion had to count for something or rather, Someone at work in those weeks since I had last seen her.

Sonograms are handled primarily by the nurse so I was not there for the initial part of their counselling session. I had asked if I could witness the sonogram, though, so I could at least try to touch base with this young lady again. When the nurse came to get me I was nervous but she was smiling. Upon entering the room I was shocked at the young woman I saw sitting before me. She looked so beautiful and so joyful! I would honestly have probably not recognized her had I not known going in that it was her. The nurse asked her if she felt comfortable sharing with me all that had gone on in the weeks since I had last seen her. With a huge smile on her face she told me about how a few days before she had gone to the abortion clinic for her scheduled appointment and upon arriving there she was told that the actually procedure could not be carried out for at least 24 hours following this initial visit (a new law that came into effect on October 1!). Her next appointment happened to be scheduled on the same day as the sonogram appointment we had scheduled for her and it was when she was on her way to the abortion clinic that the nurse had managed to get through to her on the phone. That was the evening before the very moment that we found ourselves in this room together. Many other things factored into this change of mind including her family, who are believers, finding out about her pregnancy; several friends who were standing against her in her decision to abort; as well as, I believe, the work of the Lord in her own heart because as far as we could tell she was a believer throughout all of this.

Out of all the sonograms I have witnessed this one by far was the most joyful and exciting, not just because I felt that way but because this young woman could almost not contain herself. She was laughing, nearly crying, and talking constantly and asking questions about the little baby she was seeing and little heartbeat within her that she was hearing. I'm humbled and amazed that I got to be a witness in this choice of life. I'm ashamed at my lack of faith in the power of the Lord who is at work both at the pregnancy center but also in each and every life that leaves our doors. I'm so thankful that He graciously let me watch His power at work, inspite of my own unbelief. It's not only that young girl who experienced change yesterday, but myself too!