A Father's Goodbye
Day 18
Often, people say abortion is a woman's issue. They're forgetting someone.
Theo brought his girlfriend to a local pregnancy center to explore alternatives to abortion. From the start, he wanted the child and pledged his support. His own mother offered to help too. None of that mattered. His girlfriend was bent on abortion, even after the ultrasound. Theo described what he saw: Our child was at 8 weeks gestation and had fingers, toes, eyes, everything. I saw and heard my child's heartbeat, and I cried. It was an overwhelming and beautiful experience for me until my girlfriend looked at me and said, "what are you crying about? Worms have heartbeats too." She insisted on an abortion as soon as possible. Her sister was paying for everything. She then informed me our relationship was over.
I called the abortion clinic and asked about my rights; they said "You don't have any and don't call back." I then asked "What do you do with the aborted babies? I want to bury my child." They told me that it wasn't a child, it was a fetus, and to never call again or they would involve the police, and if I showed up on Saturday to try to stop my girlfriend from having an abortion, they would have me arrested. My hands were tied. As father, I had no legal right to protect my own child from a death committed by a "doctor". I called everyone imaginable to see what my rights were, and I got the same one, "You have none."
The week before my child was aborted, I tried one more conversation with my girlfriend. Buy she was adamant about having an abortion and told me to leave. I asked her if I could do one last thing before departing. I got on my knees and kissed the stomach of the mother of my child and said, "I love you, and Daddy will see you in heaven." I then took the ultrasound pictures and left.
Theo's child was aborted on the afternoon of December 2, 2006. He found no support from his friends and even contemplated suicide.
But God didn't abandon Theo. In the midst of the pain, he was invited to a post-abortion Bible study. "Those were the only people who understood me." Theo said. Today, he is a healed man. He's married and serves as the Executive Director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center, where his own story saves many from abortion.
Theo brought his girlfriend to a local pregnancy center to explore alternatives to abortion. From the start, he wanted the child and pledged his support. His own mother offered to help too. None of that mattered. His girlfriend was bent on abortion, even after the ultrasound. Theo described what he saw: Our child was at 8 weeks gestation and had fingers, toes, eyes, everything. I saw and heard my child's heartbeat, and I cried. It was an overwhelming and beautiful experience for me until my girlfriend looked at me and said, "what are you crying about? Worms have heartbeats too." She insisted on an abortion as soon as possible. Her sister was paying for everything. She then informed me our relationship was over.
I called the abortion clinic and asked about my rights; they said "You don't have any and don't call back." I then asked "What do you do with the aborted babies? I want to bury my child." They told me that it wasn't a child, it was a fetus, and to never call again or they would involve the police, and if I showed up on Saturday to try to stop my girlfriend from having an abortion, they would have me arrested. My hands were tied. As father, I had no legal right to protect my own child from a death committed by a "doctor". I called everyone imaginable to see what my rights were, and I got the same one, "You have none."
The week before my child was aborted, I tried one more conversation with my girlfriend. Buy she was adamant about having an abortion and told me to leave. I asked her if I could do one last thing before departing. I got on my knees and kissed the stomach of the mother of my child and said, "I love you, and Daddy will see you in heaven." I then took the ultrasound pictures and left.
Theo's child was aborted on the afternoon of December 2, 2006. He found no support from his friends and even contemplated suicide.
But God didn't abandon Theo. In the midst of the pain, he was invited to a post-abortion Bible study. "Those were the only people who understood me." Theo said. Today, he is a healed man. He's married and serves as the Executive Director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center, where his own story saves many from abortion.
What to Pray for Today:
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1. Pray for Dads who have no Voice
When it comes to abortion, grieving men are told to get over it. They are shamed into silence. Pray that hurting men find caring mentors and strong fellowship to facilitate healing. |
2. Pray for Cultural Change
Our culture rightfully expects dads to pay child-support when they father a child, but gives them no rights as to whether that child should live. men are expected to have no voice in the cultural debate over abortion. Pray that men courageously speak up, and that their voices are heard. |
3. Pray that God Redeems the Stories of Post-Abortive Men
Men who have experienced the loss of a child through abortion can have a powerful voices to other men in similar situations. Pray that men who have experienced healing would be willing to help others. |
