Hi, my name is Chantal from Cochrane, AB.
The reason why I'm here today is to share with you a painful season of my life.
In my early twenties, I had an adventure with a man that wasn't serious for him, but it was for me. I became pregnant. We were both young, and he didn't want to pursue the relationship to become a father and take care of me and the baby when he found out.
I was deeply hurt and desperate, not knowing where to go, what to do, and having nobody to help me. The only advice I received from an older lady who I was working with on a ranch was to get an abortion, to give this soul back to the "universe."
I remember battling so much, crying every day. The young man wasn't in the picture. I was alone, by myself. I wanted to die one day and went to the river on the land to cry out with an immense pain in my heart and soul. Then I thought that I had no other choice, facing a wall, and took the decision to get an abortion. I wasn't able to see myself with a child, raising him without a father.
I called him to let him know my decision. He decided to come with me.
I don't remember the clinic where we went, in another city, but I do remember vividly that moment—the physical-emotional pain, huge emptiness after being so broken and vulnerable. I came out of the room, cried in my weakness, angry at myself, feeling guilty, sad, and ashamed of what I had just done.
The young man was waiting for me outside. When I saw him, I said, "It's my fault, it's my total responsibility. I forgive you…but hate myself". He cried and decided to bring me to visit some friends. That night, I was in pain, had nightmares of death, blood all over me and all over the room. It was horrible. I cried so much.
It didn't take long when depression took over me. The young man got closer after that. A love grew in his heart for me. Within a few months, we moved in together, had another child, bought a house and a farm, got married, and today we have four beautiful children.
It's only when I became Christian, a year after, that I understood what I had done and found healing, complete restoration, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. My husband, too. I also chose to forgive myself.
Today, I still cry every time I think and talk about it. Cry over the innocent life that I killed inside of me. It's a life, a human being right from the moment of the conception. There's a heart beating...
We have to share our story, to speak out, make others realize and stop it. Too many lives are killed, selflessly with ignorance. Too many children are conceived, not wanted and rejected.
I want to be a voice for those who don't have one!
Psalm 139:13-16 says, "It was You who created my inward parts, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I'll praise You because I've been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless."