Choosing Life: Crisis Pregnancy Centers and their enemies - Statistical Data Included

CPC counselors in New York City say that blacks and Latinas are more open to the pro-life message than white clients-this, even though they tend to be poorer than white women seeking abortions, and therefore less able to provide for their own material needs. "A good CPC director knows how to take advantage of the public and private resources to help these women," says one volunteer counselor. "Some of these women are asking for abortions because they simply can't figure out how to navigate the bureaucracy. I've seen women look at me and go, 'Oh, I guess I really could take care of this baby.'"

It's also a matter of simply listening sympathetically and respectfully to the women, counselors say. It helps, too, when women in crisis can see women who have been in the same dire circumstances, chose to keep their unborn child or children, and thrived. Marilyn Vega is herself a CPC success story, in more ways than one. She became pregnant at 15 and considered abortion, but-with the help of a CPC-chose to keep her baby. Her son is now seven, and will see his mom graduate from college this spring.

"When Jeremy was a year old, I was trying to put him to bed, and I started crying," Vega says. "I couldn't believe I really thought about aborting him." Ruth Yeboah's triplets were born prematurely, but are doing fine; she eventually married her boyfriend in Ghana, and moved back there-with her kids-to start a CPC. "They're doing the right thing at the Life Center," Yeboah says. "I can't believe the state doesn't think so."

COPYRIGHT 2002 National Review, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group