Work continues on the manuscript of the groundbreaking pro-life book God Moments III: True Love Leads To Life. Many generous people have contributed stories for this life-changing and perhaps even life-saving book.Every single story reinforces the fact that abortion and euthanasia are not only injustices against human beings, they are the desecration of something holy.
The following story was contributed by Susan Schoenstein.
It was just a normal work day. I got to the hospital a little early just to make the day go smoother. As I was getting a report, my head nurse said to me, “Susan, you have a special little patient.”
“What do you mean special?” I asked.
“Well, when I said little, I meant it. She is eleven—almost twelve.”
I looked at her with a half smile in total disbelief.
“You are kidding, aren’t you?”
“No I am dead serious. She was gang raped by two boys on the way home from school,” she said sadly.
“O my gosh!” I said, almost in a whisper. “What is her condition? I mean, is she stable?”
“Why don’t you go and see for yourself; she has her call light on.”
“Okay,” I said.
Oh my Lord help me, I prayed, as I walked the long hall to her room. What am I going to find? I have had some strange cases but this one is so young. Poor thing.
My mind was swimming thinking of all the emotions this little girl must be going through. First, she must hate these boys and be so hurt that anyone would do such a thing to her or any other person for that matter. Also that her little body was going through these changes without knowing why at such a young age.
As I recall, it was a pretty day with lots of sun and a clear blue sky. But right then I was feeling dark and sad.
I opened the door to meet a little girl with not-quite-shoulder-length dark brown hair, clear eyes, and skin like a china doll. She was short, about 4 feet, 7 inches tall. She had a smile as big as the world. Her name was Wendy.
I said, “Hello, I am Susan, your nurse for today. How are you feeling?”
She put both hands on her large abdomen and, said with a slight sigh, “Big and very heavy! Susan, did they tell you how I got this way?”
“Yes, I said. “I was told that you had been raped by two boys as you were going home from school.”
“Yeah, that’s right I took the short cut through the field. I did that every day.”
“Did they catch the boys?” I asked.
“Yes she said. “The boys went to my school.”
“I bet you feel better about that.”
“Yes, but I don’t hate them. I have forgiven them,” she said.
She said she had forgiven these nasty people. Could I have done that even at my old age of twenty? That would be a lot to ask, I thought.
“I should have listened to my mom, but I liked that walk and it was so much faster.”
“I guess you’ll be listening more to your mom from now on, hmmm?” I said as I finished making her bed with fresh sheets.
“Yes, about some things I will listen.”
I was surprised to hear her say this. I was certain that she would be listening to her mom about everything after this happened to her.
I said, “Just some things? What do you mean some things?” I was still very startled by this comment from this sweet little girl with the huge belly.
“Well, she started, ”my mom wanted me to get rid of the baby.”
“You mean give the baby up for adoption?”
“No! She wanted me to get rid of it, as in an abortion.”
Just then, my whole professional demeanor fell apart and the tears just surprised me and started running down my cheeks. I turned away from her so she would not see my display of sorrow. This poor little kid didn’t even have the support of her own mother.
She‘s not even twelve until Monday. She will even be here for her birthday, I thought. No party for her this year. But she did not seem to care about that at all.
I finished helping her with her bed bath, mostly in silence as so many emotions were washing over my own mind.
Then Wendy said, “Do you know what I told my mom and our pastor when they told me that the best thing would be to terminate the products of conception?”
I said, “No what did you tell them?”
Wendy said, “You know what? IT WASN’T THE BABY’S FAULT! I will be having the baby in a few days and I will give it up to a very nice family who will love and care for it and raise it in a good family.” She said this without sorrow but with a satisfaction I had to admire.
At that moment the door opened and her doctor came in to say that he wanted to talk to her about the C-section as she was far too small to give birth naturally.
He said, “I will make a small incision so you can wear a bikini this summer and it won’t show.”
She said, “Not me; I will never wear something like that.”
This little girl was so modest and wise way beyond her years. In the many years since this page in my life has turned, I have often thought about Wendy and wondered what else God did in her life after this great test that she passed with flying colors. I know many adults couldn’t have done what she did. I wonder if I could have passed a test like this, but God has not given me this kind of test.
And when she delivered her child it was a healthy, beautiful baby girl.
What did this new life become? Her little birth mother gave her the very best she could.
She gave her baby LIFE!
Susan Schoenstein is a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, Marian Catechist, missionary, and Catechism teacher. She worked closely with Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., for almost ten years as his private secretary and as an editor. Susan is a writer and copy editor at Joseph Karl Publishing, and ensures that all its material conforms with Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. She and her husband Ronald are members of True Love Leads To Life's board of directors.
God Moments III: True Love Leads To Life,
written and compiled by Michele Elena Bondi,
will be available in October, 2012.
