A Weight Lifted

Afraid, trembling, and shocked, Daja sought guidance and answers at Hope Clinic. It was early one Thursday morning when she first suspected she might be pregnant—waking up at 1 a.m. with a familiar feeling she couldn’t shake. Memories of her first pregnancy flooded in. Two positive pregnancy tests later, she couldn’t sleep, her mind spinning with what-ifs.

Daja came to Hope Clinic that same day—seeking confirmation, clarity, and abortion education. Although she was leaning toward abortion, something in her heart wasn’t at peace. She had walked a hard road in recent months, but it was also one of transformation. A prior car accident and DUI had been a wake-up call. Since then, Daja recommitted her life to God, stopped drinking, completed probation, and had the charge removed from her record. Spiritually, she felt stronger—but still fragile. She was scared, wrestling with the emotional and spiritual weight of an abortion decision.

During her ultrasound appointment, she shared both her fears and a few flickers of hope—thoughts of giving her daughter a sibling and getting the chance to raise another baby. But when she left the clinic, she still intended to abort.

Daja wrestled with that decision for days. On Saturday night, she ordered abortion pills online, determined to end the pregnancy. Her anxiety grew, and the unrest in her spirit was undeniable. She couldn’t sleep or eat; her brain filled with the fog of an abortion decision. Then, on Sunday, something shifted.

“I just knew I couldn’t do it,” she told us.

She canceled the order and got her money back. The moment she made the decision to carry and parent, peace flooded in. “It was like a weight lifted,” she said. For the first time in days, she could rest. She began to feel joy—real joy—about the life growing inside her.

Daja returned to the clinic with a new light in her eyes. She shared that she had told her grandmother and friends, and to her surprise, they were supportive and even excited. The father of the baby also came around to support her decision, though they plan to remain separated. With new determination, Daja has chosen to pursue her original dream of becoming a teacher. She’s studying for her exams and working toward a stable future for her growing family. She even dreams of finding a godly man to share her life with one day.

When we reminded her about Flourish, our community support program, she smiled—hopeful about connecting with other women walking similar paths.

Daja left that appointment visibly relieved. She hugged her care coordinator with heartfelt gratitude and thanked Hope Clinic for meeting her in her moment of crisis with love, truth, and compassion—without judgment.

Because of you, our donors, Daja didn’t face this decision alone. Your support made space for hope to rise, for life to be chosen, and for a young woman to take her next steps with courage and peace.

Thank you for helping women like Daja choose life—for their babies and for themselves.