About two weeks ago we tried to track her down. She and her friend had been at the abortion mill a couple of days previous; that day we had met with the friend, who in turn had told us where to find Mattie. She might be at the laundromat, the friend had told us; and if she’s not there, check the house. Well, we searched three different laundromats, without finding Mattie. Then we went to the house. She wasn’t there, either, but a fellow who identified himself as her boyfriend sat on the front porch. We weren’t sure exactly how much to say to him, since as far as we knew he might not even know that she was pregnant or that she had been to the abortion mill. He told us she would be there soon and that we could return in about an hour. When we did so, the house was deserted. Afterwards we tried to reach her by phone, but failed. Then, after we had abandoned our own efforts, she suddently called. She had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend. He had hit her, smashed her plates, sent her out of the house.
About the same time another young woman who had gone weeks without returning our calls suddenly contacted us. She was done with her boyfriend, she told us.
In both cases the baby is still alive. And now that the boyfriends are gone, the threat to the babies seems to be over. And now I think about these words as I write them, and I think how terrible it is, that the greatest threat to these children comes from those who should be their greatest protectors. What has become of manhood?
The work to Guadalupe House has almost been completed. A crew of Gabriel Richard students came in last week to complete most of the painting. Other helpers have installed floor tile and finish molding. The house looks good. It is ready to greet its first guests.
