BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — It all started with a phone call to the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, but little did the people at either end of that line know it would lead to an unbreakable bond.
A woman, who 23ABC is calling Jane Doe in order to guard her personal safety, speaks in Spanish as she talks about being a scared 18-year-old at 24 weeks pregnant when she first arrived at the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center. With no parents here, she didn’t know how she would have a baby alone, but found comfort in one Spanish-speaking staff member who understood her.
Doe says she initially wanted an abortion, but after speaking with the staff member who understood her culture and situation, she realized giving her baby up for adoption was the right choice for her, and it was the option she decided to go with.
She adds that her and the staff member continued to communicate throughout her pregnancy, saying the staff member became like a mother to her. So much so that she was there in the room when Jane’s baby was born.
That staff member, receptionist Otilia Curiel, was moved by the experience.
“To be a part of the delivery, being there and see this life come out of this tiny little body, it was an experience I have never had in my life and it was an amazing experience,” said Curiel.
Curiel had never been present for the birth of a client’s baby before, but says there was a special bond between the two, and being able to break the language barrier was the key.
“Being able to open up, and the trust,” said Curiel. “We love them. It is a genuine connection. I see her as an adoptive daughter.”
The pregnancy center does not usually get involved in the adoption process, but given the bond they already shared, Curiel helped the young mother through the process, translating anything that she needed help understanding.
Jane Doe’s baby is now with a family, and the woman who gave birth is able to get pictures and updates. She feels that she made the right decision.
There are many more young women like Jane Doe who go come to the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center not really sure who could help them. To help others like her who may face a language barrier, the pregnancy center uses a translation service so they can help as many people as possible.
For more information about the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center, please visit their website.
