Turning Pain into Purpose: Personal story of a SALI employee
I have been a part of the SALI team for six months now, but it feels like I've always been a part of the wonderful work of saving babies because my own story is a testimony that stands for life.
Yulia with her mother Yana Kozyrkova
“God loves me and my baby just the same, and I can’t take away the life of a little human whom God certainly has a plan for.”
The story is as old as the world: a sixteen-year-old small-town girl who was never really loved by her family nor ever saw what real love looks like falls in love with an older guy who promises her dream life. Which stayed a dream only since he decided to turn his back on her as soon as he found out she was pregnant. Small towns don't keep secrets like that for too long, so sooner than she could realize it, her friends and family had turned their backs on her, too. The only option that the father of the baby found right was an abortion, and so thought her parents too. But something about it didn't feel right. Since she was a kid, she knew that there is a God and that He values the life of every living being, even the ones that have not been born yet. She was too young to understand a lot, but she remembered these words from some Christian girls visiting her small town to share the Gospel. Now, these words sounded very vividly in her head: God loves her and her baby just the same, and she can't take away the life of a little human whom God certainly has a plan for.
This is how my story starts. My mom gave birth to me when she was seventeen, and none of the people she knew at the time could understand or support her decision. Now, twenty-five years later, she says that the most difficult decision of her life gave her the most significant blessing she ever had - watching me grow up and live this life for the Lord.
I know how much a woman sacrifices when she decides to keep a child, especially when the circumstances around her tell her not to do so. I know that it takes courage and hard work to not only give birth but also to raise a child, especially when a woman is going through it alone.
We all have moments of courage and weakness, and my heart is breaking for every woman forced to make a life-changing decision with no one by her side. It takes one person, one word of action of support, and one prayer to show one that they can do something that scares them.
I have the blessing of enjoying life with its ups and downs, while some will never see the light of this world just because so many women are left alone with the struggle that is new to them. I will never know the names of those girls who preached the Gospel to my mom in her childhood. Still, I know how I can thank them for it: I am continuing the work that they started, sharing the story of God's Grace in the life of my family, and praying that every woman who is looking for encouragement and support - finds it in the work that we do.
Yulia Kozyrkova at the SALI Annual Banquet
Working at Save A Life International has opened my eyes to how big the problem of abortion is and how small resources there are for young moms. Nevertheless, Save a Life International spends significant time with moms, providing not just psychological support but also crucial education on newborn care. I am constantly in awe of all the beautiful changes in the lives of moms-to-be who come to us seeking help.
There are so many misconceptions and fears about pregnancies that our clients hear from people around them, and it is so valuable to share the truth about the miracle of childbirth and motherhood.
