'Tis the Season of Hope

Ali walked into the Life Center and was greeted by a counselor; she quietly asked if she could have a pregnancy test.

Ali, a 17 year old high school senior and Adam her boyfriend, had been dating for three years. Ali, the oldest of three children, wanted to go on to college. She was not prepared to hear that the pregnancy test was positive; her parents would be very disappointed. The counselor assured her that we would provide whatever help she needed spiritually and materially to help her choose life for the baby she was carrying. A brochure on the development of the baby and other information was given to her. While Ali stared blankly at the brochure, the counselor asked if she wanted to have a sonogram; she said yes. An appointment was made for the test and Ali promised to let us know the results. We never heard from Ali and calls to her cell phone went unanswered. We prayed.

Five months later, the director received a call from Ali; she was five months pregnant, had just told her parents about her pregnancy and they asked her to leave. The director promised to help her and asked her to come into the office. Although Ali agreed to come in she did not keep her appointment nor respond to our calls.

Ali had been on the counselor’s mind and when a donor came into the office with brand new baby boy gifts items, she gave her a call. Asked about the sex of her baby, Ali said it was a boy. Later that afternoon Ali came into the office. She told the counselor that her parents had changed their minds after asking her to leave, but she and Alex were hoping to be married .before the baby was born. She also told the counselor she was in her first semester in college!

Ali expressed gratitude for the gifts she received. Before leaving the office Ali told the counselor, “Although we thought about an abortion, we never acted on it.” Ali and Adam’s son will be born this December, what a gift, a decision for life!