Dateline: Granite City, Illinois abortion mill Tuesday afternoon. We set up our pregnancy /ultrasound van outreach as the abortion bound were arriving. MANY were late term , some quite proud that they waited so long to kill, or bragged they already had several abortions and waved at us. Thirty-one, so far. Clients from AR, MN, 17-MO,12-IL. One late term kept coming out she had come with another abortion bound mother. We encouraged her to go back inside and bring her friend back out also. We promised to give her an ultrasound if she did.  Meanwhile, an abortion bound girl from Belleville, Illinois, came out and stood there waiting for her accomplice to return so she could proceed with abortion. Drivers are supposed to stay on the premises.

I asked her "what would it take to save this baby? Could I do anything for her"? She kept her head down but kept looking over trying to ignore me, but God told me to keep trying. "Did you get to see your baby on the ultrasound?" I asked her, this got her attention. She whispered "No”, "Would you like to see your baby"? she looked over thinking,.."It won't take but 5 min", I said.  She looked around for her driver , then she walked over.  I quickly brought her in the van and quickly scanned. "There your little one is", I said and pointed out the baby's features. "Oh my!" Shaneice said. She already had two little girls.  I told her it was too early to tell, but this may be your boy, you never know. I then asked her "Which one of your little girls would you kill if you had to do it all over?" She gasped, "neither one!" “Then why would you kill this one”? She couldn't answer.  I went on, “this one is as precious as those two back home”. We went over resources and she thanked me just in time as her driver arrived, she bent down and spoke to the driver a couple minutes, and she got in the car and they left.

The Arkansas couple in the black truck, came back out and yelled over to us that, “They kept their baby and were leaving”. “Praise God!” we replied. We prayed and interceded on the front sidewalk. I looked up just in time to see both pregnant girls standing in front of me.  I commented, "Well then, I see you brought her out, and a promise is a promise, let's have a look at that baby".  I asked her friend if she wanted to come inside also, she shook her head no and held her eyes down. "Ok, if you change your mind just knock on the door ," I told her.  As we climbed up the steps I turned to close the door and the other abortion bound girl was behind me coming inside. I quickly scanned, but God was speaking to me.  He told me, I really need to work on the second girl.  He was right. I did a cross section and showed the 1st pregnant girl her baby and all the toes and fingers and turned the screen so the other pregnant abortion bound girl could see, but, she kept her head down. As I was scanning in a soft voice I heard girl #2 say, "You don't remember me, but you and your husband saved my first baby, lil' over 5 yrs ago". I looked up and then I saw those beautiful dark eyes filled with tears.  She told me her name, "Brittney *****" I thought for a second still scanning pregnant girl # 1, then I remembered, "Oh my God, I do remember you A baby girl, we helped you" , "Yes ,You helped us alot" . I asked the little girls name, "Kelsey".  "Do you have a picture"? she came closer and showed me a beautiful 5.5 yr old giving the peace sign.  I stopped scanning and wiped her belly off apologizing, but went over to Brittney and put my arms around her . Suddenly in that corner of our ultrasound van, I was flash backing when we first met this little angel. She was approx 18 weeks pregnant and inside Hope Clinic preparing for the two day abortion. Brittney's mom came out, and Daniel convinced her to go back inside and bring this pregnant daughter out to us so we could save the baby. He offered to reimburse them the cost of the ultrasound fee the abortion mill had already charged them.

A few minutes later, the mother and daughter came back out and into our van where we were able to view little “ Kelsey”,  where she was auditioning for her life. We convinced them not to kill her and took action. Daniel set up her physician appointment and took them to our staff obstetrician to reassure them the baby was okay from the prepping of her scheduled abortion. We continued to support her and made sure she got to her doctor appointments and had clothing and much needed baby supplies, and tried to keep in touch after the baby. Now, here I was again, six years later, looking into those beautiful tear filled eyes once again.

"Why Brittney"? She said , "I cant keep it, its too hard". "Brittney you’re like my daughter" I cried, "please don't do this, let us help you with this pregnancy also". "I can't" , Did you start the abortion", "Yes, I got the ultrasound. How far along are you? 6.5 wks",  she said. Pause.. I went over resources with the 1st girl and she seemed accepting of her pregnancy and said "I'm going to keep mine." I turned to Brittney and pleaded with her "please, what can I do to save this baby"? I then stood up and cried "Brittney, you’re breaking my heart , we could adopt this little one, or take custody of the baby till you get on your feet, but please don't take this child life." . She held her head down and mumbled "I don't want to hurt you",..it got real quite, as I dried my tears and I then asked her , "Does your mother know your here"?.." No", she said,.. long pause, then I asked her, "What would she do if she knew you were here"? Brittney answered, "She would be real mad"..

Timing was perfect; Daniel came inside and I reintroduced him to Brittney and he was shocked.  He spoke quietly to her as I helped the first girl outside. Then I came back inside and said, "I love you like a daughter, this is going to kill me", and I began cleaning the equipment , when all the sudden, Brittney put her arms around me and started crying "Then I won't do it, I won't do it!"  I held her for a long time crying and professing our love and support for her and her baby. Daniel inquired how much she paid to start the abortion? “$137.00”, she said.  We were all crying at this point. She told us she works two shifts to make ends meet .  We came outside the ultrasound van and looked at her vehicle.   It was bad, really old car with rope and tape holding things together, but it gets her back and forth.  We prayed . Another prayer warrior was witnessing all this and taking it in.  We decided to try and get as much of her money back as we could. “Would this help you “?  “Yes”, she said, then all four of us pooled our money on hand and came up with approx $70.00 dollars . We promised by weeks end, we would get her the rest.  We would help her with other needs as well,. and be on the look out for a better car , her’s was pitiful. We hugged her and exchanged contact numbers . Her pregnant friend was sitting in the car smiling with tears rolling down her cheeks.  I thanked her for bringing her out, and for saving both babies. Brittney promised to call us when she got back home. She hugged me and asked me if I was okay, she was concerned. “Of course”, I kissed her cheek and a tight hug back. "I love you".

I remembered a website for another Metro East pregnancy center that advertises itself as a "health center" only doing pregnancy test/ ultrasounds.  No other assistance.  Options Now in Godfrey/ Alton, Illinois, states on website that it cost $1200.00 a day to save a baby -send us donations ect.. well, today,  we had busted that myth with door buster prices.  HA!! $137.00 saved just this one child's life this day.  We went on to rejoice with 5 babies saved in all and 3 ultrasounds  I apologize this is sooo long, but, I don't know how to stop loving on mothers and their babies . I don't know anything else, but to love and to share that love to those who didn't think they were even worthy of love. Unconditonal love.  It's not perfect .  Coming from someone who was never taught how to love. This is what we do, this is my life. What is so troubling is why can’t others reach out and help? You understand why women feel abortion is their only option when legalism and policies and empty promises go unfulfilled. Jesus is the real deal. When you put your walk with your talk, it saves lives and empowers women. 

“How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?”  1 John 3:17

~Angela