March 30, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) — The International Day of the Unborn Child, March 25, was celebrated this year by proclamations, speeches, marches, prayer services, and other activities.
About 150 people from 22 countries decided to celebrate the day in a novel way, by sending an open letter of love and solidarity to an unborn baby named Jose.
Jose is due to be born in a few weeks, but he is very sick. He suffers from anencephaly and may die very soon – either before birth, or soon after birth.
Jose lives in Chile, where an effort by the new government would deny protection to babies like Jose. He lives in a country that for a long time has had no legal abortion and protects mother and unborn child equally, but the new government wants to change that, and open up Chile to “legal” abortion in so-called “limited” circumstances. According to Christine Vollmer, president of the Latin American Alliance for the Family, the Venezuelan-based organization which helped organize the letter to Jose, “The government does not value the life of babies like Jose, if they are willing to take away his legal protection.”
Fortunately, Jose's mother, Bernardita Vial, would never consent to abortion, and has spoken out publicly against the government's efforts to approve abortion. Her powerful and moving interview on CNN – Chile can be seen (in Spanish) here.
Bernardita was very pleased to receive the letter of support for Jose, and greatly appreciated “the affection expressed by so many people from so many countries”, wishing she could thank each one personally, and saying “just think how Jose is feeling from all this attention!” She added that “we hope that Jose can stir many hearts.”
Here is the text of the letter:
An open letter to little Jose, care of his mother Bernardita Vial:
Dear Jose,
We want to let you know that we love you!
We have heard from your mommy that you are not well. In fact, you are so sick that you might die soon, maybe just before birth, or maybe right after birth. Some babies like you live for days, months or longer, but most die soon after birth.
Even though your life on this earth may be short, we rejoice that you are part of our world. We are so happy your mommy is committed to loving you as long as you live. She is a wonderful mommy who is taking such good care of you before you are born.
She has felt a lot of pressure lately. Some people, even some doctors and other important people are confused, and don't see the “whole picture”; they are good people but they do not see the value in your life, and they do not want to protect your life nor those of other babies like you. They probably don’t understand that they are really “playing god”. Fortunately, there are laws in your country to protect you.
Click “like” if you are PRO-LIFE!
We hope that those who want to change these laws to take way protection from babies like you will have a change of heart. We pray they will change their minds and be able to see the beauty of each and every baby, whether “perfect” or not. We hope they will understand the damage and the consequences that come to a country when babies like you are not welcomed. The mommies that are pressured to end the lives of their babies (called abortion) are also damaged when they reject the child in their womb. They suffer a lot, sometimes for years and years because they know deep down inside babies like you, and all babies, are precious and deserve to live as long as God allows, whether that be just hours, days, or for many, many years.
While you are safe now inside your mommy, and can hear her loving heartbeat, and hear her sweet voice, you are blessed. And you will continue to be blessed when after birth, you meet her and your daddy and big brothers. They will hold you in their loving arms, and care for you as long as you are in this world. You are a blessed child, and they are a blessed family.
We love you, Jose, and we are so happy to be your friends!
God bless you and your whole family.
God bless Chile!
With much love and affection,
Your friends from all over the world,
(Approximately 150 names from 22 countries)
Alexandra de Skinner-Klee/GUATEMALA
Sally Ladky/USA
Kerry Lawlor/USA
Shantel Jose/CANADA
Patrick Buckley/IRELAND
Denitze Veludo/VENEZUELA
Jose de Jesus Magaña Martinez/COLOMBIA
Roxanys Paredes/VENEZUELA
Thelma de Atha/NICARAGUA
Luis Fernando Calvo Díaz/COSTA RICA
Alejandra Marín Murillo/COSTA RICA
Marina Videgain de Españo/PANAMA
Christine Vollmer/VENEZUELA
Valeria de Salaverría/EL SALVADOR
Cruz Tovar L./VENEZUELA
Ana Maria Ramírez/COLOMBIA
Suyin Pariata/VENEZUELA
Allan López Saborío/COSTA RICA
Sandra Españo de Calderon/PANAMA
Karla Solís Marín/COSTA RICA
John Smeaton/UK
Anthony Murphy/County Claire, IRELAND
John Deighan/SCOTLAND
Dr. Majid Katme (MBBCH,DPM)/UK
Julia Regina Sol de Cardenal/El SALVADOR
Christine Zainer MD/USA
Patricia de Fortín/EL SALVADOR
Pilar Arango/COLOMBIA
Marcel Arguello/EL SALVADOR
Claudia Sol/EL SALVADOR
Paola Cholele Retana/COSTA RICA
Leonora de Bustamante/EL SALVADOR
Gabriel Esteban Rodriguez Escandon/COLOMBIA
Evangelina Sol/NICARAGUA
Carmen Margarita Mantica/NICARAGUA
Tatiana Alvarez Araujo/ PANAMA
Dr. Thomas Ward/UK
Georgina de Rivas/NICARAGUA
Sandilly Echeto Jorge/VENEZUELA
Nathalia Sandoval/COSTA RICA
Margaret McIntyre/USA
Yennileth Rivas/VENEZUELA
Ariadna Españo de Ponce/PANAMA
Edgar García/VENEZUELA
Fr. Louis Di Rocco/CANADA
Dr. Rafael Jose Cabrera Artola/NICARAGUA
Elida Solórzano/NICARAGUA
Irene de Alfaro/GUATEMALA
Miguel Jiménez Brenes/COSTA RICA
Jorge Roldán Carranza/COSTA RICA
Evelina Stagg/PANAMA
Ana Melissa Españo/PANAMA
Dan Zeidler/USA
Lenise Garcia/BRASIL
Marijo Zivkovic/CROATIA
Darka Zivkovic/CROATIA
Deny Dieleman/CANADA
Margaret Van Dyk/CANADA
Bryan Kemper/USA
Susan Roylance/USA
Alicia Miranda de Parducci/ECUADOR
Mary L Davenport, MD, FACOG/USA
Katharina Rothweiler de Gomez Serrano/MEXICO
Patricia Merino/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Viviana Gavilanes/ECUADOR
Andrea Gavilanes A./ECUADOR
Laura Linn/USA
Betty Boland/USA
Martha Peña Martinez/MEXICO
David Manly/IRELAND
Patrick Carr/IRELAND
Ryan Bomberger/USA
Bethany Bomberger/USA
Blanca Gonzalez Espinosa/MEXICO
Maritza Sialer/CANADA
Robert Cartwright/CANADA
Maria Ines Franck/ARGENTINA
Jorge Santana/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Pamela Santana/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Bradley Mattes/USA
Diego Romero/ARGENTINA
Florencia Castro/ARGENTINA
Mariel León/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Ximena Olavarrieta Gonzalez/MEXICO
Eric J. Scheidler/USA
Jill Stanek/USA
Lorena Lacayo/NICARAGUA
Maritza Grifo/PANAMA
Maria Auxiliadora Parducci Miranda/ECUADOR
Sonia Maria Crespo/ECUADOR
Dallys Grifo de Zuñiga/PANAMA
Dr. James Linn/USA
Jean Linn/USA
Gloria Grifo de Rodriguez/PANAMA
Jahzeel Perigault de Arango/PANAMA
Joe Brinck/USA
Troy Newman/USA
Martha Olavarrieta de Gomez Serrano/MEXICO
Dr. Ashley Harrell/USA
Rodrigo Gomez Serrano Olavarrieta/MEXICO
Patricia McEwen/USA
Maria Gomez Serrano Olavarrieta/MEXICO
Andrea Gomez Serrano Olavarrieta/MEXICO
Jorge Amione Cevallos/MEXICO
Charles T. Kenny, Ph.D./USA
Héctor Santana/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Moisés Almonte/REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
Matthew Wojciechowski/CANADA
Jim Hughes/CANADA
Chris Slattery/USA
Nicolas Lafferriere/ARGENTINA
Walter B. Hoye II/USA
Monserrat Barreto/ARGENTINA
Peter Smith/SCOTLAND
Olivia Núñez/MEXICO
Jo Tolck/USA
Cheryl Sullenger/USA
Marija Turčinović/CROATIA
Maria del Carmen Torras Mercader/MEXICO
Maria de los Dolores Azuela Bohigas/MEXICO
Xavier Ernesto Méndez Alvarado/MEXICO
Joe Austin/USA
Fr. Stipe Renić, USA/CROATIA
Stipe Jolić/CROATIA
Rebecca Kiessling/USA
Monica Migliorino Miller/USA
Thomas Glessner/USA
Jorge Eduardo Rivas Ch./ECUADOR
Lola Velarde/ESPANA
Ligia De Jesus/HONDURAS
Ma. Fenny C. Tadad, MPA/PHILIPPINES
Carlos Polo/PERU
George Archibald/USA
Julie Archibald/USA
Virginia Sandoval de González/MEXICO
Francisco Alejandro Velasco Sánchez/MEXICO
Gabriela González de Meléndez/MEXICO
Marcial Padilla González/MEXICO
Norma Treviño de Villarreal/MEXICO
Esperanza Puente Moreno/ESPANA
Ruth Heras Puente/ESPANA
Nieves Laporta Diaz/ESPANA
Maria del Mar Gómez Salva/ESPANA