By Laura L., volunteer sidewalk counselor
On November 18, I was out on the sidewalk in front of the St. Paul Planned Parenthood (PP) with sidewalk counselor Heidi and the prayer support of Stella and Karen. A car pulled into the lot and a lady walked into the building with two young kids. I called out about looking at your ultrasound and that we were there to help.
She came back out of Planned Parenthood about 10 minutes later and stopped as she was leaving. I asked her if she was pregnant and she said yes. I told her about Abria, the free pregnancy resource center across the street. I then asked her if she wanted to meet me to talk further at a nearby parking lot and she did. She said she was four weeks pregnant and knows that it’s a baby. I showed her one of the baby models and the baby feet pin that I had. She did take the pamphlets that I had.
I asked her why she felt abortion was the answer for her. She said she had no help or support from the father or family, especially with two young children already. I told her that I knew she must feel overwhelmed, and I explained the help that is available. I asked her what she had done inside Planned Parenthood and she said she was just a walk-in trying to get an appointment, which she made for a couple days later. She did not want to go to Abria then, but she had tears coming down her cheek.
I took down her name and phone number and asked if I could pray for her which I did. I told her that myself and the other ladies on the sidewalk would continue to pray for her. I did send her a text and voicemail later that evening, and the next day she texted me back that she was going to keep her baby and not keep the appointment at Planned Parenthood. I then called her to congratulate her and offered her support. She said my conversation with her made her decide to keep the baby.
