No way out?

She called Dr. Marise on the phone on Tuesday.

I am coming over and want an abortion.

We had met them last year. He was sick. She was away. His parents said that she did not love the children and that's why she left him.

We started looking after him. He got a bit better. Our staff went to meet her. She had a different story. Abuse by his parents. Neglect by him. Alcohol in the mix.

After some time she came back. We were so happy. Her parents did not agree with it. They moved to a new place outside Thane. We lost contact with them.

She came and met Sheba. She had already tried using the freely available morning-after pills. It didn't seem to work. He is sick again. She is sick too. They have 2 kids - one of whom has HIV.

'Who will touch this child?' she asked. 'I want it removed'

She also said that since she had already used the 'medicine' to get rid of it - that it would not be normal anyway.

Sheba listened. What to say?

Sheba shared lovingly and carefully about life. How precious each one is. How others have been able to carry their children to term.

We have been on this road before. Everything looks lost. Horribly wrong. No hope. But we have seen some beautiful children born.

She told Sheba that they were dead-set on having the abortion. The government hospital had told her that they would not care for her. She is afraid of telling her parents as they had told her not to come go back to her husband. She said that he had forced himself on her.

Sheba humbly said that we cannot solve all her problems, but that if she decides to keep the child, that JSK will try to help in the way it can. By going with her to the govt. hospital for her Ante-natal care. By being there for the delivery. By supervising the medications which will greatly reduce the chance of the child getting HIV (we yet to see a single HIV positive child born to parents who have been using this medication). By helping out with infant feeding formula after the child is born.

Sheba shared that we have a beautiful child whose parents had also tried to abort her - twice - and not succeeded. Her parents were so ashamed to have another child - with all the relatives mocking them. But that God had helped them - and now they are so blessed with this beautiful little girl.

Sheba also told her that removing the child will not solve all the problems.

She asked Sheba what would happen if she went ahead with the abortion. Would we still look after her.

'Of course' said Sheba. We love you.

They left. Sick and tired. Seemingly hopeless.

That was on Friday. As of yesterday they still haven't gone ahead with the abortion.

As the child of an amazing father - who would have been aborted in 1941 if the MTP act as it is today were around then - I am so grateful that Dad was given life and not death in the womb.

Our prayer is that this little child - in the womb of that hurting HIV positive woman - would also get a chance for life.