After having two abortions and giving birth to two children, “Samika” discovered she was pregnant a fifth time. It was the perfect storm; Samika was on birth control but had just gotten off it. She immediately got pregnant, and she was crushed.
Overwhelmed and unsure if she could handle the pregnancy, Samika didn’t want to go through another abortion, either. She felt there was no solution and no light at the end of the tunnel. She felt stuck, as if her feet were trapped in mud and unable to take a step forward.
But which direction was forward?
She wasn’t sure.
Samika shared the news with the father of the baby, desperately wanting to process everything with him. But he wasn’t hearing her. He seemed numb and apathetic. She was desperate for an answer from him, anything to point her the right way. He made her feel that the child was her problem and, therefore, her choice. He wanted to be kept out of it. He wanted no connection and no relation. His silence angered and confused Samika even more.
She was at her wits’ end.
Wanting to end the torture in her mind, she googled abortion options nearby. She didn’t want to include the father in her decision-making anymore. She would do what was best for her.
Thankfully, Samika found Human Coalition online. Over the phone, she let it all out to the kind stranger. The nurse sympathized with Samika, assuring her that she had the power to choose what was best for her child. No one could make that choice for her, but she would have to live with whatever choice she made. Samika knew that part all too well with her previous abortions. However, going through another pregnancy and raising the child without a father was an overwhelming thought.
Samika agreed to a free ultrasound appointment at a local clinic. Maybe somehow it would provide clarity to her decision. Samika believed she couldn’t be very far along, so she had time to make her decision.
When she arrived at the appointment, she laid back and tried to forget about everything. If she were to gain clarity on what to do, she first had to clear her mind. For the moment, she just wanted to focus on the baby. The scan, however, proved that Samika was fourteen weeks along with a baby girl.
A girl!
With two sons at home, she couldn’t deny her first reaction was excitement at that news. She allowed herself to feel the joy that comes with hearing the heartbeat and seeing her wiggles. A daughter to dream with, to dress up, to watch grow into a woman. It had been some time since she last felt such joy and happiness. It felt foreign at first. She completed her appointment and by the end, Samika knew she would be choosing life for her child. The thought of having another abortion made her sick. Samika understood that life existed inside her, and this life was precious.
She had already been growing this girl for fourteen weeks. Samika wanted to enjoy the remaining two trimesters.
Samika got connected with the Continuum of Care program, which provides an array of support services. She was supported throughout her pregnancy and after the baby was born. There were some things in her life that Samika had tried to let go of before, such as smoking and drinking. But with the newfound support and the encouragement she gained through the program, Samika resisted the urge to smoke and drink while pregnant.
Her daughter was born a few months later. Both she and Samika are healthy and doing well! Samika was overjoyed when she learned how to breastfeed her baby successfully, something that she had struggled with in the past.
Samika has returned to work and continues to pump and breastfeed her daughter.
“I love my little buddy and am so sad when I have to leave her at daycare.” – Samika
“I love my little buddy and am so sad when I have to leave her at daycare.”
Samika
Samika realizes that her life would look much different if she hadn’t found Human Coalition. She had been alone in her pregnancy and sure she would end it. She had chosen abortion twice before, so not much was standing in her way of doing it again. Your prayers and support make these stories possible.
Thank you for championing life for preborn children and helping Human Coalition reach moms in their darkest moments with the love and compassion of Christ.
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” – Jeremiah 29:12