A wonderful gift

Joanne Dieleman, volunteer director for the last 16 years at Toronto's downtown Aid to Women office, received a phone call from a woman asking if she could visit. "Are you bringing a baby?" asked Joanne, who is accustomed to having proud moms drop in to show her a baby saved from abortion. The woman replied that she was bringing in the child; however, little did Joanne know that "the baby" was now five years old. "Tuesday is my last day in the office," Joanne told her, "so please come in at 2 p.m., because I won't be here after that. I'm retiring tomorrow."

Mimi kept her appointment as scheduled. The dark-skinned woman came up the stairs with pretty five-year-old Katy. But Joanne did not remember Mimi. As she and Joanne chatted, Mimi refreshed Joanne's memory of her first visit and how by chance she had come to Aid to Women's door instead of the locked abortuary door. Someone had just picked up the mail at Aid to Women and had momentarily left the door open.

Only 19 years old at the time, Mimi, a shy, polite woman, was ashamed to learn that she was pregnant out of wedlock. An evangelical Christian, she attended church regularly, but had never heard that abortion was wrong from the pulpit. A friend suggested that she make an appointment at the abortuary because "she was beginning to show." Still, Mimi was uneasy with the idea "and didn't know what to do." In her confusion, she had been praying that the Lord would tell her what to do, "but He wasn't answering." She decided to call the abortuary and was scheduled for a "laminaria" abortion (several appointments). The staff warned her to buzz at the door because it was kept locked and only then would they answer.

When Mimi arrived at the abortuary, the door was locked, but strangely, the adjacent door was open, the door to Aid to Women. She wondered if this was a sign from the Lord, so she entered, came up the stairs and was warmly met by Joanne, who talked to her for almost two hours about her problems, about her life and even about Joanne's family. Mimi asked about the framed picture on Joanne's desk, a photo of a young man in a wheelchair. Joanne explained that it was a photo of her son, Adrian, who had been in a terrible car accident in his early 20s and had been left with paralysis of both arms and legs. However, now he was living a full life and even preparing for the disabled Olympics. A silent Mimi was wide-eyed. Joanne explained that at the time of his accident, all he and his family wanted was for him to live. "No one ever thought of killing him or denying him care. All he wanted was to live and, despite many problems of adjusting to a totally different life, we all knew how precious Adrian's life was.

Joanne will often tell about the experience of a family member or friend to make a point when she is counselling. This time, she had no idea what was going on in Mimi's mind. Mimi left the office uncommitted, but with an armful of baby clothes and Mrs. Notten's special prayer quilt. Joanne didn't hear from her again.

Five years later, on her second visit to Aid to Women, Mimi asked a surprised Joanne how Adrian was doing. It was then that Mimi reminded Joanne that on her first visit, Joanne had told her Adrian's story to explain how precious life was at all stages. At the time, Joanne didn't realize that Adrian's story might have touched Mimi's heart and encouraged her to continue with her pregnancy. As well, Mimi had remembered the large wall display in Joanne's office covered with photos of babies saved from abortion. Mimi brought a photo of Katy to join them.

In the 18 years that Joanne has helped women to give life and love to their babies, Mimi with her Katy is symbolic of many who are grateful and return to give thanks, even on the day before Joanne's retirement.