For the past several months a beautiful young lady has been coming each Thursday to the prenatal program. Every so often she needs to miss class due to appointments with a counselor. We're normally very strict about attendance but in this case we understand the importance of counseling. It is so rare for someone in Haiti to have the great benefit and gift of caring for their mental health; we'd never want to stop anyone from seeking that.
A little more than nine months ago her next door neighbor, an adult man with a wife and children, began to force himself on this precious young woman, just a teenager. When the family of the young woman found out, they had the courage to press the police (in a broken system) to intervene. When the police questioned him, the man took his opportunity to avoid the possible consequences. He left Haiti and fled to another nearby island.
The family made every effort to love and support their daughter and when they found out she was pregnant they enrolled her in the Heartline Prenatal Program.
A few weeks ago I asked her, "Do you think you'll raise your child, or have you been thinking about adoption?" The brave young woman looked me directly in the eyes and said, "The baby is not at fault for what he did. I am going to care for this baby."
"You have a lot of courage." I said.
"Wi" was her solemn and resolved reply.
This young woman, just a girl herself, is laboring today.
Will you pray for her?
She's about to do something that will require every last ounce of her physical and mental strength and courage. She's about to attempt to love her baby unconditionally in spite of this very unfair and unkind circumstance. She's about to show us all what love looks like.
