‘Jase’ was soft-spoken and barely said a word. Pregnant and scared, she believed abortion was her only answer. We provided services as always with compassion and offered open-ended questions to help her navigate her current circumstances. Most of the questions were left unanswered in Jase’s silence with her head hanging low. At one point, Jase’s care coordinator was at a loss about how she could help her feel comfortable and open up. Even when we asked common questions, Jase would answer quietly and keep her head down. She was shut down by fear.
Whispering a mental prayer, the care coordinator asked one more question and allowed the awkward silence to remain without trying to move forward too quickly. They sat in silence for five minutes, which is a long time when one is sitting in a room with the goal that the girl on the couch would bear her burdens about why she is overwhelmed. It is difficult to help someone when we don’t understand where the problem lies. At Hope Clinic, we know that each young lady that sits on the couch in the consult room is an appointed time by God. No one sits on that couch by accident. There is always hope and life that we can speak to each person we serve. But the silence and lack of information Jase gave made our task seem almost impossible. But she was here and did not get up and walk away, so the care coordinator held onto that as we continued providing clarity with compassion. We did learn that Jase had only told one other person about the pregnancy. She believed she would have no support and that she was not mentally prepared to raise a child.
After the long silence mentioned earlier, the care coordinator felt peace about what next steps to take. Jase was encouraged about her worth and told she was not at Hope Clinic by accident. She was also given information about the emotional and physical impact an abortion could have on her. Because she was not far enough along for an ultrasound, she returned two weeks later. When Jase came in for her ultrasound, she was a bit more talkative. Much to the sonographer’s surprise (who was also her care coordinator), Jase had decided to carry and parent her baby and was excited to see her ultrasound! Jase told us that the services she received helped her to make this decision for LIFE!! She even wants to continue coming in for emotional support during her pregnancy because she said, “I feel comfortable talking to you.” What seemed like one of the most unfruitful appointments because of the silence was one that bore fruit of LIFE and HOPE! Not because of one person but because the Holy Spirit was welcomed into the situation and did immeasurably more than we ever expected.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." Ephesians 3:20
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