This woman chose life after reading an Aleteia article

When the Lifestyle editor of the Spanish-language edition of Aleteia asked me to write an article on how I raised my children alone, after giving it a lot of thought I accepted. It was a very personal assignment, and I never imagined it would give me the greatest joy of my career. And that joy has a name: Juan Ángel!

One day, a woman named Carolina sent me an invitation via Facebook. She greeted me saying that she’d read my article about my children, and that she was desperate.

She felt alone and abandoned. She was a single mother with a beautiful 13-year-old boy. She had only been 15 when she became pregnant with him. The father of the child wanted nothing to do with him, and never took care of him.

Carolina knew all too well the work and effort involved in bringing a child into the world alone, providing for him, and taking care of him so that he would grow up well ... That's why she was completely overwhelmed with fear and worry when she found out she was pregnant again.

She surfed the internet looking for a place to have an abortion and "unintentionally" (here I can only think of divine providence) came across my article.

She decided to write to me and tell me her story. She said, "I’m so ashamed and afraid."

I consoled her, listened to her, and understood her, because at one point in my life I also felt the same way.

She told me that she’d already seen her baby in an ultrasound and he was beautiful, already formed in miniature. She knew well that abortion wasn’t a good option, but felt that the very difficult moment she was going through was forcing her to do it.

I continued to reassure her, emphasizing what she herself had said: "Abortion isn’t a good option.”

That day I worried. I worried a lot. I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about them, and I asked my Aleteia editorial team for help.

The Lord's ways are always wonderful. Our dear photographer Marko Vombergar had the phone number of a person who might be able to help us: Nany.

It was as if Nany had been sent by the angels. She was able to step in and help Carolina through her difficult situation. I asked her to tell us how the story continued after I put her in contact with Carolina, and she sent us a beautiful audio, commenting on what happened after I had spoken with her.

She said:

That's how Carolina made the best possible choice, and she’s so proud of having done it. Today she looks at Juan Ángel and remembers the words that struck her most in my article:

And how do you get through all this? How did I manage it? I just looked at them with that look, the most powerful of all, a mother's gaze. That look that has a supernatural strength, a look of incalculable love, a look full of pride and gratitude to God for such a beautiful gift.

Carolina, like me today, has two beautiful gifts, two little men: Manuel and Juan Ángel. She’s a very determined and happy mom, and she keeps in touch with us. Nany says:

And to this day, three years later, this friendship continues. These are treasures of love that the Lord gives us and that allow us to grow in faith.

I’d like to express all the happiness and pride that this experience has caused me, but I can't do it ... it’s beyond my ability. Because one of the most wonderful things that God has given to humanity is to "give life."

Thank you, Carolina! Because of your courage, today we can see the beautiful pictures of Juan Ángel.

Thank you, dear God, because today I can tell this story and I’ve been able to be an "instrument of your peace."

Nany continues to evangelize and help people, encouraging them to encounter and love God, as He Himself urges her to do.