Maricel, a 31 year old widow from the Philippines, came to the Sacramento Life Center looking for answers.
She entered the counseling room, after a positive home pregnancy test. She was anxious to know if she really was pregnant. She had been trying to become pregnant for years and couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the positive sign. At the Life Center, Maricel’s peer counselor Ambar told her...
“It is positive!”
Maricel smiled and said, “I am pregnant.” She shared how very happy and excited she was.
This wasn’t Maricel’s first pregnancy. As a teen in the Philippines, she had become pregnant by her first boyfriend. Her relationship with him was not great, they didn’t get along, and he didn’t care about her pregnancy.
In the end he abandoned her while she was still pregnant. Since she lived with her single mom and five siblings, she didn’t want to add stress or worry to her mom’s life by telling her about the pregnancy.
She decided to get help on her own.
A social worker arranged for her to go to a convent that cared for pregnant women. Maricel lived in the convent until she gave birth to her son. They were together for two days. She left him there while she looked for a job in order to provide a home for him. She visited him weekly.
Arriving for a visit one day, she was informed that her son was no longer there.
He had been placed for adoption without Maricel’s consent.
Maricel was unable to locate her son.
Today Maricel believes he is in the US. She hopes he has a happy life and that one day she will be able to meet him.
Eventually Maricel moved to the US where she met her husband. Throughout their marriage they tried for a baby with no success. Maricel was discouraged; she thought she would never get pregnant again. Sadly Maricel’s husband passed away from pneumonia after just three years of marriage.
At the Sacramento Life Center, Maricel told Ambar her story of heartbreak and loss.
She shared that she was in a new relationship and had a future planned with her boyfriend whom she loved. Ambar provided a verification of pregnancy and helped Maricel find a doctor and get medical insurance. Maricel expressed her joy and gratitude for all the information and support she had been given at the Life Center. She said she finally felt listened too and had regained her lost hope. Maricel said the Life Center is a wonderful place!
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