By Aaron Bullock, Men’s Program Coordinator
Some clients tug at your heartstrings more than others. We care for all our clients and want the best possible outcome for each of them, but there are moments when you connect on a deeper level. There are individuals that you find yourself rooting for, like your favorite character in a movie. You see the possibility of hope, and you pray that they grasp that hope like a string on a balloon and hold on.
It’s why my heart sank after a follow-up conversation with “Sam”. It was two weeks after I had met with him. He had witnessed the ultrasound at that appointment and was hopeful that his girlfriend would change her mind about having an abortion. Sam looked at me in that appointment and said, “I know I can provide for a family. I want her to have this baby.” Sam was still in high school and working almost full-time hours on top of school. When we spoke a couple weeks later, he shared that even though he wanted his girlfriend to carry the pregnancy, he did not want to pressure her to choose something that she was not ready for. I was positive that Sam could cast a vision to his girlfriend about parenting. A key part of my work with fathers is to help coach them on how they might approach that conversation.
On that phone call, however, Sam shared that though his girlfriend was still pregnant, she had decided she was going to abort. He told me that he thought it might be the best outcome because of their situation. He had let go of the rope. I asked Sam if he had someone that he could talk to about their situation. He stated, “There is not a single person in my life that I can trust.” My heart was pierced. I assured him that
I was here if he ever needed to talk. We ended the conversation, and I began to pray.
Several months later, I ran across Sam’s file. I had not been able to connect with him since that last phone call. I called him and explained who I was and that I was checking to see how he was doing. He remembered who I was and stated, “We have a little boy.” I was shocked and elated. My prayers had been answered! He said that they are doing well and getting by. They are working toward securing a place to live, and he and his girlfriend are still finishing school. Sam came by the clinic this week to pick up some baby supplies, which gave us the opportunity to remind him that we are still here, ready to help. My hope now is that I can enroll Sam and his girlfriend in our parent mentoring and discipleship program and help provide them with a more secure rope to hold on to. Prayerfully, we hope it becomes a cord of three strands–the father and the mother together with God–that cannot easily be broken as an anchor of security and hope for this family. Will you join us in praising God and praying for this young couple, their son, and their future?
