if i were a painter…

Last Monday I sat in my General Practice surgery and watched as my GP spoke to a 17 year old girl concerning the options she had regarding her unplanned pregnancy. She is of mixed English and Turkish parentage and though her parents were pushing for her to have an abortion, it was clear to me that she didn’t want to abort the baby. But she was afraid of being disowned by her family, afraid of being left to herself to fend for her baby, and afraid of being ostracised by her friends.

The GP told her that abortion was killing a human being inside her, and warned her of the potential consequences of guilt and depression that she may have to live with for the rest of her life. However he also said “Life will be difficult if you choose to go ahead with the pregnancy. You will have to work hard to support the baby, and being a young single mother isn’t easy.”

I felt very sad, helpless, and indignant as I observed the situation. Sad because the girl has found herself in that situation, and helpless because the GP didn’t offer her any hope in terms of keeping the baby. And though I am opposed to abortion, I felt helpless and indignant because I was unable to suggest a practical and compassionate alternative to it. I wish I could’ve said “I know a nice place where you can go to have your baby, and after that you may give baby up for adoption, or even take baby home when things have settled at home. If you want, the people there will take care of baby till you are able to support baby.”

I’m a strong believer in the love and power of Christ to redeem broken people and situations, and I believe that as the body of Christ, we are the ones with the ability and with that, the responsibility to intervene and express God’s compassion in this situation.

I sat in the park and prayed for her, the unborn baby, her boyfriend, her family. I thought about the whole thing. I wish there was such a place where people could go, and where kids who would otherwise be aborted have a chance at LIFE.

Is it purely a mother’s right to abort the child? Does the baby have absolutely no right to live? Isn’t it ironic that neonatal units exist to save the very small lives that are being snuffed out as a matter of ’social inconvenience’? (By the way, ’social reasons’ account for 99% of abortions).

Today, the girl came in with her boyfriend. She decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. Oh man, that made my day! Because she was brave enough to keep her child, because the baby has a chance at life, and because her boyfriend was there to support her. Praise the Lord!

Her due date is in October, and that’s when I will be doing my Obs and Gynae rotation. Would be so cool if I actually come across her. Who knows..

I am overjoyed

And the weather’s been sunny And I discovered a nice park where the sun shines bright and warm, and where I can sit for 2 hours without getting cold. Life is beautiful…