“Bethany” looked down at the positive pregnancy test in disbelief. She had her suspicions, but the test confirmed what she hoped wouldn’t be true.
Bethany was a single mom of three already, and her youngest was still an infant. She thought she was done with the newborn stage. She thought she was done having children altogether.
The Pennsylvania mom was working part time, already struggling to make ends meet. Putting food on the table for their family of four was becoming more and more difficult. She brainstormed creative ways to stretch her dollars. All she could think about was the financial strain a fourth child would add to her plate.
My kids go hungry some days. Our car is falling apart. Their shoes are worn. This isn’t fair to them, and it isn’t fair to this new baby. No one would want to be a part of this family.
Lies were constantly washing over her … and Bethany started to believe them.
She tossed the pregnancy test in the trash, hoping to forget about it for the rest of the day.
But the next morning, she knew she had to face reality. She felt the need to schedule the abortion as soon as possible, out of fear of changing her mind.
Searching online for an abortion, she found the phone number to Human Coalition’s contact center and decided to call.
It was on this call that Bethany learned more about the abortion process and what it entailed. The nurse on the line was full of compassion for Bethany’s circumstances and was unassuming in her approach. By the end of the call, Bethany said she needed some time to think and really consider what to do next.
Bethany remained seated in her chair, afraid that if she stood up she would collapse under the weight of what she was feeling at that moment. What was she going to do?
I never knew that much about abortion. I never fully understood how it was done. I really didn’t know that much.
I never knew that much about abortion. I never fully understood how it was done. I really didn’t know that much.
“Bethany”
Within the next hour, Bethany knew she couldn’t go through with an abortion. No one had ever explained the procedure to her before. All she ever heard was that her baby was just a fetus. It was not “technically” yet a human life. At least that’s what’s paraded around as truth. But after the conversation, she couldn’t deny or ignore the fact that an innocent life was inside of her.
And that’s when she had made her decision. Bethany chose life for her baby!
Bethany still had to deal with her present circumstances, but with the assistance of her Continuum of Care team, she created a plan with her social worker to attack her obstacles one by one. She received information about full-time job postings in her area of expertise. She also learned of low cost/no interest loans to begin her car’s much-needed repairs.
Bethany had kept only a few baby clothes from her last child. A fourth baby was not in her plans, and she had closed that chapter of her life. So, her social worker provided Bethany with the essential baby items she needed, as well as shoes and backpacks for her older children, too.
Bethany smiled with tears in her eyes as her children received their new shoes. Bethany didn’t realize that people existed who cared for the well-being of her family. But of course, they do, because this type of Christlike, loving care is what you provide through your prayers and ongoing support of Human Coalition every day. Not only did Bethany feel supported and cared for, but her children felt secure too. She could now provide that same support and care for her newest bundle of joy.
Bethany gave birth to a healthy baby girl and has gracefully transitioned into a successful mother of four.
Had Bethany not found Human Coalition at the moment she did, she could’ve immediately scheduled an appointment at an abortion facility. She wouldn’t have received all the support she did or have the truth about an abortion explained to her. Your support gave her the time she needed to make an informed decision that she could not only live with—but one that would help her whole family thrive in ways she did not imagine possible.
When it comes to unexpected pregnancies, many moms just like Bethany are frightened and wondering how they’re going to make ends meet with a new life on the way. Decisions can be made in haste and information regarding an abortion is often kept from them. Long after the abortion, many moms suffer from depression, guilt and regret, feelings of loss, shame, and even a phobic response to infants.
It’s our goal at Human Coalition to provide all moms with all the information they need to make an informed decision. And we pray they choose life, knowing that they have a support system surrounding them for as long as needed.
Thank you for reaching moms like Bethany and making them fully aware that abortion is not their only option. You’re giving them a better option instead — one that keeps their entire family together and sets them up for long-term success!