“Deja” was just 15 years old and was raped by a stranger while staying at a family member’s house.  Scared that others would find out, she had been hiding her unwanted pregnancy for nearly 5 months. The only other person who knew, her cousin, had tried to help Deja months earlier by taking her to the abortion clinic, which rightly denied Deja the procedure.  Being a minor, Deja’s parent needed to give permission for the abortion and Deja was terrified to tell her mother…so she kept her agonizing secret to herself.

When Deja and her mom came to Gateway, her mother was clearly shocked by the news she had just found out and was determined her daughter would have an abortion.  When the ultrasound showed her beautifully formed 23 week old baby, Deja cried openly as this meant a late term abortion out of state.

“This is my baby too and I don’t want to have an abortion”, she sobbed through her tears.

After talking with Gateway’s nurses and staff, Deja’s mother found the time to process  and was able to move past her own shock and see the value of the little life inside her daughter.  She let us know the following day that their family was rallying around Deja to support and care for her and her baby!

They are now bringing Deja regularly to Gateway for childbirth and infant care education.

Praise God that this family found Gateway and for the courage of one young woman who spoke up for the voiceless, innocent one she carried!