Andrea's Prayer: a Personal Experience with Abortion and a Test of Faith

Andrea was a 15 year old. She was a good student and an artist. She loved her family, loved God and listened to her heart. Andrea was a small, slender girl with a quiet sense of humor who was well liked by many different groups of people.

Shortly after Christmas she broke up with her boyfriend. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable around his friends. They were into sex and drinking. This was a scene that she wanted no part of.

Unfortunately, the boy didn't accept the break up very well. His friends harassed her at school. He threatened to beat up every boy she talked to. He even drove past her house in the evenings.

At one point he stopped in front of her house. Andrea's parents were gone. When she answered the door he explained that he just wanted to talk. Andrea was suffering from a bad cold and was a bit groggy from a prescription the doctor had given her. He seemed sincere enough.

With a box of tissue and a cup of tea, Andrea listened as he poured his heart out to her and apologized for his and his friends' behavior. He seemed harmless when he followed her when she went to feed her fish and take care of a load of laundry for her mom.

Andrea let her guard down after a coughing spell and let him give her a hug. The gentle hug suddenly turned aggressive.

"If I can't have you," he growled, "no one will."

What happened next was cruel and today would be classified as 'date rape'. Andrea weakly fought against him truly believing that nobody would believe her. He left shortly before her parents came home.

Andrea confided in a couple of close friends about what had happened. In the meantime, he spread rumors about her at school. Her reputaions was in ruin. She silently moved through the halls avoiding any confrontation.

Just before her 16^th birthday, she found out she was pregnant. Feeling alone and frightened, she went to a counselor at a family planning clinic. The counselor happened to be someone she knew; an older sister of a friend in her church youth group. Together they discussed all the options. The doctor had said that the baby could have some defects because of the prescription Andrea was on for her illness. She had a couple weeks to decide what to do.

Not telling her parents, Andrea kept going as if life was normal. She attended a youth function with her church group. She spent a lot of time in prayer and talking with a close friend she had confided in.

When Andrea had made the decision to have an abortion she went to her sister. Angie was much older and was married. However, they were sisters and shared a special bond that sisters do. Angie had been trying for a long time to have a baby but was unsuccessful. When Andrea told Angie about her situation they cried together.

Angie went with Andrea to break the news to their parents. It was a Friday night. A time when Andrea should have been out with friends having fun, being a teenager. Instead she was facing a difficult time.

That night she prayed. She prayed that God take the precious spirit within her and give it to her sister. Angie deserved to have a child to love and raise in God's name. She prayed until she feel asleep.

The next day, Andrea went to the clinic with her parents. As she lay on the table during the procedure she continued to pray. Begging God to take the spirit and give it to Angie.

Two days later, Angie conceived.

It was a dark, stormy morning in December when Andrea accepted a ride from an old friend to school. The two had grown up together and had a sibling-type relationship. She told him about a vivid dream she had that night. She had dreamed about a beautiful little girl with dark hair running down the hall in her sister's house.

At lunch time, Andrea called home and found out Angie had a baby girl that morning. Later, in the evening, Andrea visited her sister and new niece in the hospital. Fresh fallen snow covered the earth. A pure and innocent time, preparing for the changing of seasons. Perhaps a sign from God.

Years later, that little girl with thick black hair came running down the hall in her parents' house and into the arms of her aunt. A living angel to Andrea and Angie. An answer to Andrea's prayer.