Victoria

The special story of Victoria began with a confidential phone call on our Help Line. A young mother-to-be needed our support. She was in her early twenties and looking forward a full and promising life ahead of her. 

Suddenly things changed. A pregnancy test and two blue lines threw Victoria into a sea of trouble and panic. How could it be?!

She felt she had too many problems. She wished to escape. She was seeing all her life fade away before her eyes. And she felt it was all her fault. She could not believe that she had let this happen to her – she thought she had a perfect plan and now, after one night, it had all disappeared!! 

She spent a day trawling the internet and she decided to seek help. She contacted us via Facebook messenger.

Victoria first visited our office accompanied by her mother and partner, the baby’s father. Instinctively, she was greeted with a sympathetic hug! Around a table, in an atmosphere of calmness, she was able to explain her problems, one after another, without feeling judged.  This included the way she came to be pregnant, unexpectantly. 

She was deeply upset and didn’t know how to face this situation. In this calm atmosphere, the process began. It was long but sympathetic. All the problems were identified, one at a time, and solutions discussed for each. This time-consuming process was most worthwhile. 

Accommodation was also offered, yet Victoria’s family also wished to help. And Victoria explained that she wished to be able to support herself and become financially independent. By the end of our first meeting, Victoria had begun to smile again and appeared less anxious. She left feeling positive and ready for action!

Victoria says that at first, under great shock, the many problems seemed insurmountable. She could not see a way ahead. This is why she recalls wanting to escape! However, she was in a stable relationship with the boy’s father and she was determined about the importance to become financially independent. 

After a long first meeting Victoria called to say that she had decided to keep her baby. 

She also asked if she could stay in touch with us. Of course, we accepted. In fact, that is what happened. She kept us informed every step of the way, sending us scans and news throughout her pregnancy, including the occasion when she discovered the gender of her baby. At the birth, we were the first people that she sent a picture to, plus a short video, and this really filled us with joy.

Our accompaniment of Victoria continued until she returned to work. With her child in childcare, she has been able to return to paid work and is now financially independent, as she had she would be: no longer needing any financial support. 

She has also remained in a healthy relationship with the baby’s father and they plan on officially becoming a family in the very near future. 

Victoria has asked us to continue staying in touch. It has been an honour and a pleasure for us to keep contact with Victoria and her family, whom we have also been able to help. They have become part of our extended family. It is also very encouraging for us to see them succeed in life and become integrated back into society and normal life. 

We really admire the courage and determination of Victoria and all the girls, who, in similar challenging circumstances, choose life for their babies. 

Today we look forward to celebrating the first birthday of this precious boy!

 

Maria

Maria came to Malta to work. She was accompanied by her three-year old boy, from a previous relationship she had had. She was excited to be here and full of hope for their future. She had always been a busy person, very capable and ready to work. 

However, after one night of extreme entertainment everything changed!! She was supposed to be ‘safe’ and responsible. But she immediately missed her period and her pregnancy test was positive!

Maria called us in a great panic. She could not believe that she was pregnant, after a one-night stand with her old boyfriend. 

Unfortunately, she was sure that he would leave her again, as this is what he had done on a previous occasion. At once she thought that she had only one option available to her – to get rid of the baby. She felt desperate and she desperately wanted to find a way out of her situation – yet she could not see it. 

Maria was alone with her little son in a foreign land. She had no one to turn to – no family or close friends – no support or even a friendly face! As for her boyfriend, he turned away from her too, the minute he heard the news. Maria was completely alone with her young son and she felt that her world was collapsing all around her. 

She worried that she might lose her job and she worried about how she would look after two children alone. She also needed help to find a place to live as her rent was too high and she was drinking three-quarters of her miserable pay!

We met Maria at this stage of her life. One of our counsellors sat down with her and together they drew up a realistic plan, considering the time before and after her due date. The most urgent problem appeared to be housing. 

However, the maternity home in Mosta was still not ready, as it had just been rented and required a great deal of maintenance and painting work. Therefore, we found temporary accommodation for her and one month later, when our home opened its doors, Maria was our first resident. She was welcomed with open arms and received shelter, medical care and child care for her little boy. In this way, she was able to continue working and continue with her pregnancy. 

We accompanied Maria and gave her the emotional support she needed. We also assisted with her medical appointments, including her ultrasound, when she found out the sex of her baby. This was a major turning point for Maria – when she found out that she was expecting a baby girl. Suddenly, the baby took on a real identity. She began to take courage and even to look forward to the day when she would see her baby daughter face to face. Maria had long had a dream to have a baby girl, and now this was coming true! This pregnancy was just meant to be!! 

At the time of the birth, Maria had the support of our entire team. Someone was with her as she gave birth to her baby girl. She received all she needed at hospital, including one of our signature hospital bags, food, clothes, toys and real love. 

It was a privilege for us to see Maria meet her baby. It was love at first sight. 

Just recalling the scene arouses warm emotions in us again, recalling Maria with her baby girl. What a sight, what beauty, what a gift!

Maria was glad to have chosen life. Yet she still had to take another bold decision. Maria decided that putting the best interest of her baby girl first would mean that she would need to be adopted. 

Now, almost two years have passed, and Maria is in a stable job, working and supporting her son. Although Maria had decided that it would be best for her daughter to be adopted, due to her financial situation, Maria has kept in regular contact with the family who was raising her daughter and following her progress closely. 

Maria feels happy and at peace with the decisions she has made, especially when she meets her daughter and sees how she is growing up. She also feels at peace with the family that loves her daughter and is doing such a good job of raising her. At the same time, she continues to be able to look after her own son.

Maria is delighted that she has chosen life.