Georgette interviews Diana:

Why did you have an abortion? 

At the age of 18, I was already a single mother, I had my first child when I was 16, actually a week shy of my 17 birthday. And at 18 when I got pregnant again, I was forced, really influenced by the people closes to me, that should have protected me, influenced and pushed me into making that decision to have an abortion.

While you were in the clinic, what did you feel, what was the experience itself like?

I was taken to the clinic by my father, and it was very traumatizing, I arrived at the clinic, I was not really given any counseling from anyone. I spoke to one person, she really just reiterated the same thing that my father had already said to me in the car on the way there. That I was already a single mother, a teenage mother, and that this has to happen in order to protect the child that I already had. At that point, once I was taken into a room with other women, we were all in gowns, and I was number 2 that day, on that Saturday. I was taken into a room and when I entered the abortionist was taken a bite of a sandwich, so this wasn't a nice clinic, I can imagine that there are other clinics that seem really clean on the outside, but this clinic physically didn't look nice, and we know that spiritually there was hell going on in that place, while I entered and I laid down, they only gave me a valium, I was awake during the procedure, the abortionist began, they had an ultrasound, I heard the nurse say 10 weeks, and so I realized that I am 10 weeks, I already had an ultrasound of my baby, because at first I was planning to have him, but unfortunately, because of coercion, and the influence of my father I was there, the abortionist began, I told him to stop, he told me in Spanish, don't do that, don't do that or you will hemorrhage, because I was moving around and getting up. At that point, I laid back down and the nurse held by hand. She told me to just stay still, that it would be over quickly. And, it actually felt like it was an eternity. It didn't feel so quick like they said and at that point, I put my head back and I began to cry. When it was over, I felt as if my soul had been ripped out from my body. 

Immediately after the abortion, did you feel the sense of relief, immediate regret, angry with your father?

I felt immediate regret and anger towards my father, and towards the child's father as well, because of the abuse that I was sustaining during that time. I even ended up having a restraining order against this man, I was 18 years old and this man was 33 and my father really was against what was happening at that time. 

What were the long term consequences for you?

You can imagine already being a single mother and not knowing the Lord and His goodness and faithfulness, I turned into a deeper sinful life, I spiraled out of control, I became more promiscuous and had an anger toward my child that I already had, almost like survivors guilt, so I chose life for one and death for another. It was very painful, because I did not know how to express that with my words so it came out in other ways. And, I know that is something very common.

How did you find healing and wholeness?

Years later I found the Lord, I became saved and Jesus Christ washed my sins, the blood of Jesus Christ washed my sins and I felt peace and I felt lead to share my testimony and my story and open up with others and I was led to a bible study on Forgiven and Set Free, It was amazing! Martha is here, she is the director of Heartbeat of Miami, and she really encourage me to go to this bible study and I was really able to receive so much healing through this bible study. And, I want to say that there are so many things, distractions going on, but let me tell you something, but looking over there and it says equal justice, God is a just God, and He will not be mocked, I'm here with my husband, and my 20-year old daughter, and I 'm so proud to have them here to support me and to be with me and strengthen me. I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of us that brings us healing and wholeness in Jesus Christ.