Leah was one of the first moms to be helped through Operation Moses which began twelve years ago. A 30-year old single mom with a young son, she was dating a Muslim man, when she realized she was pregnant again. Her boyfriend told her to abort, saying that he wouldn’t help her with anything because he had no money.
Leah did not want an abortion. Her friend, Valerie, who had been helped by Be’ad Chaim through “Operation Moses”, asked her how she would manage with a new baby. Leah had been working cleaning houses, however with the pregnancy she had to stop. She got a job at a local supermarket. Valerie gave her the number of a Be’ad Chaim counselor, with the advice to seek assistance there. Leah became part of the Operation Moses project, and she and her counselor were in touch often both by phone and personal visits. Several months later, after a phone call in the middle of the night, the counselor drove her to the hospital and stayed with her during the labor until her doula arrived. The doula was very sweet and gentle, making the birth a very special experience. Baby Anna was born a beautiful fair skinned child and a delight to her mom.
Leah recently said: “From the moment that I was pregnant, I felt that I needed to have this baby. Now, I think that the baby helped me to come to know God’s love. I knew that God existed, but only because of the baby, I came to know him in a personal way. I call her the gift of God to me.
Just after the birth, our staff brought her a bed, stroller and bathtub filled with beautiful baby items. For the next year, she received, diapers, formula and wipes every month. She felt so much love. She thought to herself: “Why would anyone do this for me? Who am I to you? You’re closer to me than aunts or relatives…. You behave like a mother toward me.” Outside of Be’ad Chaim, she had no other support. She was pressured from all sides, even her mom, her boyfriend and her situation, yet she didn’t want to abort.
Six years previously she had an abortion. It had been a very difficult pregnancy. The morning sickness was terrible. Her son was only three years old and she could not take care of him. She could hardly even eat. It was too hard, she felt like she was dying. The father of the baby gave her money for an abortion. She felt relieved and didn’t understand that it was a baby. Only when she came to know God’s love after Anna’s birth, did she understand that she had taken the life of her baby. Without knowing God’s love, she hadn’t wanted to understand, she disconnected from the pain – didn’t want to open the doors of her heart.
Two years ago, Leah became a Be’ad Chaim counselor. She was invited to join a support group for hurting women post-abortion. Leah shared her experience: “The post–abortion Bible study helped me to become a different person. I asked God to forgive me and I found freedom and release. I felt God working in my life, and I felt like a different and confident person. Before I was “lost”, ashamed and didn’t know where I was going. I was ashamed and guilty all the time. Now everything is different. I am thirsty for God. I read the Scriptures every day. I turn to the Bible for all of the answers and pray all the time.This relationship with God is so amazing. I hear His direction. Before being emotionally healed, I couldn’t hear Him. Now I feel His warmth, His love and His life in me. It’s so wonderful. I know that God isn’t done with me and has so much more for me to accomplish.
“There is a season for everything. …. A time to laugh and a time to cry…”
This article originally appeared in Be’ad Chaim’s newsletter, Spring 2018, and reposted with permission.