Lauren Bell

Marcella's Story

Marcella and Yvette

Showlow

My name is Marcella Coto-Leon. I was born in El Salvador, a small country in Central America. Our family was very poor. There was a civil war going on and violence was everywhere. At eighteen months old, God spared my life. I was walking and my mother told me to stop. Amazingly, I stopped still. A bomb went off and a large piece of shrapnel landed where my next foot fall would have been.

Our family fled El Salvador on a nine day journey that was full of danger and risk. But we made it and found sanctuary in this country. Like many families, there was laughter and fun but this was mixed in with chaos and problems. While my childhood memories have some dark places, one of the bright spots was when my mother and I would volunteer at Living Hope Women's Centers. I was ten and loved helping mom sort baby clothes and make the mommy store beautiful. I also loved the women there. They were kind and took the time to talk to me. After a few years I had to quit. Between work and school I had no time. But those memories of that wonderful place stayed with me.

I entered into the next stage of my life thinking I had all my ducks in a row. But the ducks didn't cooperate and my life spun out of control. The seeds of anger, sown in my childhood blossomed. At 18 I was pregnant and in crisis. Even knowing what I did about abortion, I wanted to have one. My first instinct was to run back to Living Hope Women's Center. Of course, the ladies at the center loved me through my confusion while speaking truth about abortion. My father was rightfully very angry about my pregnancy. They even sat down with our family and helped my dad come to acceptance. They were there for my labor and delivery and lessons on parenting, something I knew nothing about, afterwards. I earned enough mommy money for all of my baby furniture and supplies.

My boyfriend and I moved to California with our growing family of two daughters. Away from my support system, things again spun out of control. I became pregnant and with a chaotic life, I reached bottom. Guess where I turned to? They offered me refuge and hope through Hope House Maternity home. Though the girls and I were only there nine months, it was the turning point of my life. Intensive counseling and Christ's love, lavished on me by everyone in the ministry finally brought down my walls and released my anger and my hurt.

I began to trust in God. I also witnessed a healthy marriage in our houseparents, Ken and Peggie, and healthy families as homes and hearts were open to me and my girls. During that time, they even helped me become a citizen - something I am very proud of! While I was at Hope House, God was also working on my boyfriend, Miguel's heart. He came to visit and we met at the clinic. He was afraid he would not be treated well. What he found was the same kindness and acceptance and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This brought our family back together, me at the Hope House and Miguel with his family. We didn't want to make the same mistakes we had made. We wanted a new beginning doing things God's way.

Miguel and I stood before a pastor in a beautiful ceremony put together by the staff of Living Hope, with our three children, pledging our love and commitment before God and our friends and family.

If you knew me as a toddler in El Salvador you would have said, "there is no hope." If you saw me as a rebellious and angry teen you would have said, "there is no hope." If you had seen Miguel's and my life in California, you would have said "there is no hope." But I am here transformed by hope - Living Hope. They have seen me through my darkest times, have loved me in spite of my mistakes and because of them have something I never dreamed possible - a loving marriage, a truly happy family, a sense of belonging and a knowledge that I am loved. And because of them, Miguel and I have the greatest hope of all, eternal life through Jesus Christ. I love this ministry.

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Meet Our Moms 2015

Meet Our Moms - Babies Go to Congress 2015

Khalilah and Ashton

Laura and Mason

April and Derrick

Victoria and Christiana

Marcella and Yvette

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Khalilah's Story

Khalilah and Ashton

Lafayette

Almost a year ago, I had my beautiful, happy, crazy, yet very high-maintenance baby boy, Ashton. Before I found out I was pregnant, I was scared. I had no idea how I was going to do this alone, with no job, and trying to finish high school. At first, I hadn’t planned on parenting Ashton, and was leaning towards adoption. Adoption seemed like the best option at the time because I didn’t feel ready to have a child, and had not even planned on having children. I wasn’t ready for the late night poopy diapers, the sleepless nights, the tears, and most of all- I wasn’t mentally or emotionally ready to be a mother. I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s source of reliability!

The September before Ashton was born, I started a program at Matrix, called Earn While You Learn. It was easy to open up to my mentor as the time went on. The more classes I took, I felt closer and closer to my Matrix family. They cared about, comforted, and informed me about so much regarding caring for my son. Through an ultrasound, they showed me that the baby growing inside of me was so much more than just a fetus or “tissue”. I learned that I have many other options besides abortion. I learned there is so much more to parenting than I thought, but that with a little help I could really do it. I eventually decided parenting was the best choice for me and Ashton.

Almost a year later, I feel like being Ashton’s mom is a job that comes so naturally now. It can be easy at times, but it can also be hard. It can actually be harder than most people think. It takes everything in me to keep up with Ashton, be emotionally and mentally prepared for the good and the bad. I think I have grown with my son so much. I’m honestly so proud of both him and myself as we have grown and continue to grow together and keep up with each other. Something about carrying Ashton for 9 months and being his mom has changed my life so much. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. With my Matrix family and the crazy amount of support I have, I can say I honestly wouldn’t have made it alone.

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Heartbeat Welcomes New International Program Specialist

Welcome Carrie!

Heartbeat International welcomes Carrie Beliles as our new part-time International Program Specialist. Carrie will now be the primary liaison and consultant for Heartbeat'sInternational Program outreach.

Originally from the U.S.A., Carrie's travels and interests have taken her far and wide. From running a pregnancy help center in Rammstein, Germany to advocating against sex-trafficking in Asia, Carrie's passion for life-affirming ministry is evident. She has 5 kids (all under the age of 8) and now makes her home in Virginia with her husband, Ben.

Carrie joins the Ministry Services Team and takes over the role from Molly Hoepfner, who will now be more focused as Heartbeat's Event Planner, especially our Annual Conference.

We are so excited to have Carrie on the team that we decided to do a quick interview so you could get to know her too.

Carrie can be reached via Heartbeat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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RESPONSE: Eight Additional Women Come Forward Against OKC Abortion Practitioner

“Women deserve better than abortion and the predators who profit from this deadly practice.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday | December 15, 2014
CONTACT: Jay Hobbs, Director of Communications & Marketing (media@HeartbeatInternational.org)

COLUMBUS, OH – Responding to breaking news over the weekend of eight additional victims coming forward against the alleged Dr. Nareshkumar Gandalal “Naresh” Patel in Oklahoma City, Heartbeat International has released the following statements:

“Women deserve better than abortion and predators who profit from this deadly practice,” Heartbeat International President Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D., said. “The shared story of these eight women points to the very reason Heartbeat International’s network of pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and non-profit adoption exist, which is to provide a pregnant mother with all the information she needs to care for herself and her family during an unexpected pregnancy.

“Women deserve to know the whole truth. Abortion facilities—Mr. Patel’s is merely the example of the day—often leave out the truth, putting abortion profits above what’s really best for mothers and their babies.

“Our network of pregnancy help organizations offers free services because the life of a mother and her baby are worth more than an abortion facility’s bottom line,” Hartshorn said. "It is tragic, in the case of these eight women, that they were reached by a preditory practicioner in an hour of great vulnerability, rather than a life-affirming voice in a local pregnancy help organization."

Patel was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 9, on charges of “fraud for prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to patients who are not pregnant,” according to a press release issued by Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. While further investigation is ongoing, Patel’s original charges could result in a three-year jail sentence and a maximum fine of $15,000, according to the press release.

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Security Alert: Third Party Fundraising

SecurityAlert It has come to our attention that an unknown third party committee is actively using Heartbeat International’s name and identity to solicit funds in a national campaign.

In order to safeguard your security, we want to make it clear to you that Heartbeat International does not authorize or utilize third party fundraising entities in any way.

If you would like to make a donation to Heartbeat International, please visit: www.HeartbeatInternational.org/Donate.

Thank you for all you do to support our vital ministry, which is saving a baby from the violence of abortion every 4 minutes in the U.S. alone.

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The Selfless Selfie

Take a "Selfless Selfie"!

Let everyone know how you are participating in #GivingTuesday and that you support Heartbeat International by taking a Selfless Selfie.

Step One: Click here and print your selfless selfie page.

Step Two: Hold the page up and take a selfie.

Step Three: Post the selfie to Heartbeat's Facebook page with the hashtag #heroesforheartbeat

Step Four: Share your selfless selfie with your friends and family and encourage them to do the same!

Step Five: HAVE FUN!!!

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Heroes for Heartbeat

WHAT IS #GIVINGTUESDAY?

You’ve heard of Black Friday. You’ve heard of Cyber Monday. Maybe you’ve even heard of Small Business Saturday. But have you heard of Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back.

On Tuesday, December 1, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

For the third year in a row, Heartbeat International is thrilled to be a part of this day of giving. Now, YOU can make Heartbeat your charity of choice on #GivingTuesday by donating on December 1.

Your donation will reach and rescue lives from abortion around the world through our network of 1,800 life-affirming pregnancy help locations. Through this network over 3,000 babies are saved each week!

You can continue to be a vital role in this great work by supporting to Heartbeat on Giving Tuesday.

It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving to Heartbeat.

Be sure to follow Heartbeat on Facebook, Twitter to learn more about how you can be a Hero for Heartbeat on Giving Tuesday.

Join us and be a part of a global celebration of a new tradition of generosity!

Thank you for your support and generosity. With your help we are making abortion unwanted now and unthinkable for future generations.