Rachel’s Story

Part of my life from 2017 until now –

My name is Rachel, 37 years old, married and mother of 3 children.

The story is, I left my native country in 2017 to visit the USA for a period of 15 days, at this time I was pregnant with my first child, a girl and now she is 5 years old. Given the situation of my country it was impossible to live at the point I could say unlivable. I was working but the salary was really poor and the unemployment rate, stress and insecurity were very high which meant I had to accept what I had in hand, like a job. With all these problems that my country was facing I started to think about how I was going to live with a baby no health care, no electricity, scarcity of food and water etc…, for the goodness of the baby I decided to stay in USA in order to give her a better life and I gave birth to her in October 2017.

In 2018, my husband and I got married and he applied for a request of residence for me, after 3 years in 2021 I had received my residence approval, December 2020 my dad passed away and I was still waiting for my residence approval. I could not travel yet which means I couldn’t see his face for the last time. It was very hard for me and my family but thanks to God, we are still holding on. In the beginning of 2021 I was pregnant with my second child, a boy, april 2021 I was 2 months pregnant. I started working in a restaurant where I get paid 10 dollars per hour and then after a few months 13 dollars per hour, in November 2021 baby was born. When baby was 2 months old I started working as an home health aide (HHA), with the objectivity of introducing myself in the nursing field, April 2022 I decided to travel with my husband and the kids to visit my mother after the death of my father, I was supposed to have my menstruations in this period of time which was not done since I was stressed giving the insecurity that was raging in my country, I thought it was stress the reason for the absence of my menstruations or because of my monthly calendar was changing time to time.

After 15 days, at the end of the visit we were back in the USA to our daily lives, I was in great shape, no discomfort, no nausea, any symptoms nothing, I was back to work 8 or 10 hours a day. After 1 month, I noticed a tiny bit of reddish blood which made me feel that everything was normal… but no, I was wrong all along the line and I remained in the dark until the beginning of the second month. 

There now, I started to worry while wondering am I pregnant? It was then that I started to think about the probability of being pregnant but I was not convinced, also my second child was 4 months old, I was still breastfeeding, at the end of the week I decided to  buy 2 pregnancy tests, I was so shocked that I did the first one between 11 pm and 12 pm since i was working 2 pm to 10 pm. Guess  what, what do you think the result was?…, It was positive, surprising, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I spent a sleepless night thinking about what I am going to do with 3 children and on top of that there will be 2 babies, I will have to pay daycare $440 every week plus diapers, etc… with a salary of 13 per hour, oufff! It was total chaos for me, the end of the world. The next morning, I did the second one, euh… yes, it was still positive, my husband and I couldn’t believe it but it was indeed true. I started thinking and rethinking I came with the conclusion to go to an abortion center since there’s one very close to my house, I never thought that one day I would be able to set foot in such place, passing  by the street that leads to this abortion center I always saw a group of people with signs in their hands saying no to abortion I am talking about you who are doing superb and courageous job, and at moment in my mind, I joined you wondering why to have abortion, why extinguish a life if having a child is a gift from God? After all, I was almost going to make the same mistake that others did, I was overwhelmed by the cost of life and my situation at this time I went to and I did make an appointment. To go in this place, it did cost me a lot of effort because I wanted avoid your eyes and your messages saying no abortion,  you made me realize that I was doing something wrong, my husband was against my decision too but I was only thinking about just one question how are we going to live with 3 children. And I started to test God, I started talking to God telling him with tears in my eyes that if he wants this child to live he has to make his way in my life for the goodness of this child. 

Well you know what, every time I had to go and started with the process there was always a problem of money, the work of God, the first appointment coincided with the payment rent, second appointment the date couldn’t be favorable for me, they were already full with other customers, after each appointment when out of the center in the parking lot I always stayed in my car for a few minutes to analyze why this group of people always were there at the entrance, sun or not bad treatment or not they were always in the same place every day. They made me think about what I wanted to do is it right or not?  Between the abortion center and the the group of people in the entrance saying no to abortion which of those 2 biblically and biologically was doing good?

With these doubts and concerns, I felt more and more on the wrong path every day.

Until the fourth appointment, I asked them to change the date for me another time and at this moment they let me know that this fifth appointment will be the last one because the following week will make me more than 15 weeks of pregnancy and and there is a new law that had been passed in Florida that with a pregnancy of 15 weeks in plus will no longer be able to have an abortion. 

The fifth and  final date I went to the place, I stayed in my car for a few minutes like I always did and I was still thinking to what I was going to do, and I just looked at the messages saying no to abortion and some pictures in signs I was telling myself that I will not do that and at this same moment a woman came with a pink umbrella in her hand and asked me if I want her help for privacy to go inside. I only replied “no I am fine”, and after a few minutes I left the parking lot and went back home, I called them to let them know that I will not perform the abortion anymore, I will keep the baby. 

September 2022, five months of pregnancy, I had been involved in a terrible car accident, I hit another car in the back and my airbag went off and hit my belly, my car was totally lost but God had wanted that this baby, (my last child) to be alive, now he is 6 months old. 

Thanks to God, my family and thank you to you too guys, you played a big role in the story of this child, never stop doing what is good. You’re saving lives that you are not even familiar with. 

I hope my story can help another person in a similar situation to choose the right path.

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The above was written by Rachel to The United Prayer Vigils for Life, which is a group of Pro Life Catholics who stand in the breach every day at The Planned Parenthood abortion center in Fort Myers, FL and reach out with love and compassion to abortion minded women, many of which are walking in for an abortion and we are the last line of defense for the voiceless child in the womb. Rachel’s story is one of many abortion minded women who have thanked us for simply being there and who had no idea there was anyone to help them, to walk with them, and to support them throughout the pregnancy and beyond. We provide financial assistance, job training, housing, diapers and more. I am also blessed to be a small part of not only this pro life group in SW Florida but with Pro Life Philly group as well who also does tremendous work in saving souls and lives. There are more pregnancy centers throughout The United States then abortion centers and a multitude of pro lifers who give so much of themselves to help save the babies life and assist the mother. I have never met a group of people more devout and helpful then pro lifers who to a person would give his or her shirt off the back to help anyone in need from womb to tomb. I encourage anyone reading this to spend one hour praying outside and abortion center in your local area and if you do you will make friends immediately with the greatest group of human beings you will ever meet, pro life sidewalk advocates and prayer warriors! God Bless you and God bless Rachel and all the Rachel’s of the world and tomorrow morning, Friday July 28, 2023 right on the sidewalk in front of The Planned Parenthood abortion center in Fort Myers, FL we will have a celebration of life party for Rachel and her family with cake and presents for her.