Despite imprisonment, attempted suicide, and fierce family rejection, they chose life.
When we met them, they had an appointment to end their baby’s life the next day.
Priya and Arjun came to the United States from southern India to build a new life, each pursuing their own master’s degrees. But they were also escaping a terrifying reality.
In their culture, where 95% of marriages are arranged, choosing their own spouse was viewed as a crime. They faced the very real threat of an “honor killing” by their own family if they returned home with a child.
The pressure was so immense that at one point, Priya felt her only escape was suicide, running into the ocean before Arjun saved her.
A Desperate Race Against Time
Isolated in the U.S., living with four other people, struggling with finances in a roach infested apartment, they felt cornered.
When they discovered Priya was pregnant, fear took over. They believed abortion was their only way to survive.
- They called random clinics, desperate for an appointment.
- They were told it would cost up to $9,000 for an abortion in Chicago.
- They had an appointment scheduled for the very next day.
The Encounter That Changed Everything
Before driving to Chicago, they decided to stop at the Planned Parenthood in St. Louis. That is where they met the Coalition Life team.
Our sidewalk counselors didn’t meet them with judgment. They met them with a listening ear and an invitation. They offered free resources and a simple request: “Just give it a try”.
Inside our pregnancy center, Priya and Arjun agreed to an ultrasound. The image on the screen shocked them both.
Priya was 30 weeks pregnant. The baby was fully formed. The realization of the baby’s size was so overwhelming that Arjun nearly passed out in the exam room.
In that quiet moment, the wall of fear crumbled. Arjun asked a question that changed their future: “How can I adopt my baby?”. He realized that here, in America, he didn’t have to give his child up. He could choose to be a father.
Because of supporters like you, our team was there at the exact right moment to intervene.
We didn’t just offer words; we offered a way forward. In addition, we provided them with the essential supplies they needed to welcome their son, Cherish, into the world.
Today, Cherish is alive, healthy, and deeply loved. As Rena, our Director of Client Services, says: “The love they have for him is so big and full, it fills a room”.
