Heaven and Veda

I had an incredible conversation with a dear Stanton client, Heaven. She has bravely asked me to share her story so friends like you can understand the eternal impact of Stanton’s ministry. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged. 

Heaven’s journey with Stanton Healthcare began when she found out she was pregnant and made an appointment for an abortion at Planned Parenthood.  

When she became pregnant, Heaven was partying and drinking “all the time”, trying to drown her depression and suicidal thoughts. The last thing Heaven thought she needed was an unplanned baby. Encouraged by the father of her baby, she made the abortion appointment. 

But when Heaven drove down Park Avenue toward Planned Parenthood on a hot August day, she saw the Stanton Mobile parked along the road. Heaven was familiar with the name Stanton Healthcare after hearing about Stanton from a church leader and at Rose of Sharon pregnancy center. When she saw the Mobile, Heaven knew she couldn’t ignore the internal struggle.  

As Heaven puts it: “I was debating back and forth between abortion or not.” 

That day, Heaven had a life-or-death choice to make. On one hand, she was being pressured by the baby’s father and her friends to just have the abortion. On the other, Heaven felt the tug of “what if” -- and knew the Stanton Mobile would provide a glimpse into her womb through an ultrasound exam.  

Heaven didn’t drive into the Planned Parenthood parking lot.  

Instead, she and her best friend entered the Stanton Mobile and found a friendly team of client advocates and medical staff. For the first time in a long time, Heaven wasn’t pressured to do anything. She was encouraged to relax and take a moment in the safety of the Mobile.  

And then, when Heaven was ready, Stanton sonographer Jo gave her that glimpse into the womb. Heaven’s baby was tiny on the ultrasound screen – she commented that the baby looked “like a little dinosaur.” But that little dinosaur shape was Heaven’s baby, and she knew it. As she lay there on the exam table with ultrasound gel on her stomach, Heaven thought, “I’m not going to be able to go through with it because it’s actually a baby inside of me.” 

In that moment she resolved to cancel her appointment with Planned Parenthood, and she did!  

Unfortunately, Heaven still faced an uphill battle after she chose life for her baby. She is one of many women who do not want to have an abortion but are pressured and pushed from all sides into believing abortion is the best answer to an unplanned pregnancy. Heaven lost the support of her baby’s father and most of her friends told her, “You’re not going to be able to do it.”  

However, Heaven had the support of Stanton, and she didn’t give up. Her experience with Stanton was so impactful that she recommended Stanton Healthcare to other women. Each time Heaven recommended a pregnant friend to Stanton, she accompanied them to the Mobile and would ask to see her baby through an ultrasound. She developed a relationship with the Stanton staff throughout her difficult pregnancy, and they didn’t let her down.

Stanton Baby Veda entered the world through an emergency cesarean.  Heaven’s grandma supported her during the procedure. Once in recovery, Heaven was able to hold Veda. As they spent their first moments together, she recalls, “It was just me and her and I feel like that kind of helped me. I got to reflect about everything that brought me to this point. But I’m glad that I chose to have Veda.” 

As Heaven shared all these details, sitting across from me in the Stanton SoCal office, I could see the emotions play across her face: the hurt she felt when she was rejected by Veda’s father, the vulnerability of stepping into the unknown in the Stanton Mobile, and the joy of seeing her sweet baby for the first time. I also saw her face change when she spoke of her relationship with Stanton’s team – I saw the HOPE in her eyes.  

Heaven gave me permission to share her story because she knows that if the Stanton Mobile was not parked in front of Planned Parenthood on a certain sweltering day, a sweet little girl named Veda would probably not be here today.  

And Heaven knows that the Stanton Mobile was only parked there on that particular day because friends like you made it possible.  

On behalf of Heaven and Veda, thank you.  

I hope you will make a special gift to Stanton SoCal in honor of Heaven and Veda. If you already give regularly to Stanton, please consider a special donation, fully tax-deductible. If you have not yet committed to a monthly donation, please consider taking that step – we need you on our team! Please visit our secure online donation page to make your gift today.  

Thank you again for partnering with Stanton Healthcare! 

For Life,

Sienna Melendez
Executive Director

P.S. The Stanton Mobile Clinic, where Heaven chose life for Veda, is only open because of generous friends like you. Please join our key team of monthly donors who make possible Stanton’s life-saving ministry to precious moms and babies like Heaven and Veda. Make your commitment via our secure online donation system or by sending your support via check to P.O. Box 189, Wrightwood, CA 92397.