In the Christian church we call attention to the sanctity of human life in the month of January because almost forty years ago a law was passed that made abortion legal.  It is so heartbreaking to think of the thousands of babies that have died at the hands of abortionist since that time. We at LifeCare have been seeing to the needs of young single women experiencing unplanned pregnancies for almost twenty-five years.  Our purpose is to help them choose life for their babies by giving them hope.

Let me tell you about one of those young women.  She was a twenty-one year old who found herself in Brandon after hitchhiking from Pennsylvania.  The first time I saw her she was black and blue after having been beaten by the man she was staying with.

We tried everything we knew to do to keep a roof over her head and in a safe place.  One day when she was in her seventh month of pregnancy she was hitchhiking even though we had warned her over and over again about the dangers of riding with strangers, and got in a car with two men who were up to no good.  She was able to jump from the car, run to a pay phone and call the police.  When the police arrived they found her in hysterics and obviously pregnant.  They took her to Tampa General and she was placed in the hospital.

We contacted her parents finding that they would not take the baby in.  She was counseled to place her baby for adoption, which she did.  A young couple adopted the baby and we sent her back home.  We knew the adoptive parents and have kept in touch.  For several years they would come to the Center to visit and the little girl began calling me Grandma Cookie.  They moved away but we heard from them now and then and received pictures.  The little girl grew into a lovely young woman.  I received a wonderful letter from her when she was sixteen.  She was doing well.  She had become a Christian, was a very good student, and volunteered at a Pregnancy Center where her mother worked.

This past summer she wrote to me telling me about a mission trip she was going on.  She was seeking donations to help her with trip expenses.

Just last week she wrote saying she was getting married in two weeks to a young man she met on the mission trip.  She sent a picture of her and her fiancé.

It has been so rewarding to follow this girl’s life for over twenty-one years.  Just think, this is just one story.  There are so many more.

-Cookie