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Be Not Afraid Couragenever understand why she had been subjected to sucha burden, she was determined to accept it, and tocarry her baby to term. It was, very simply, a matter of“reverence for God’s gift of life,” she says.Once she made her decision, Ramona had to defendit. First her doctor reminded her that since the fetuswas less than twenty-four weeks old, state laws madeabortion a legal option – and gently recommendedexercising it. Friends and acquaintances, too – evenmembers of her church, which is Catholic – asked herwhy she didn’t “do something” about it. But she wouldnot be swayed: “I never once thought of abortion as anoption. As I explained to my doctor, and to folks whoseemed baffled, my baby was still alive, despite hiscondition, and as long as God willed that he should goon living, I would go on caring for him.”Ramona’s attitude may seem matter-of-fact. Inreality, however, it took courage to hold to her decision,and endless prayer. When she flagged, it was the babywho helped her up again: “I could feel him movinginside me, and each time I’d feel a kick, I felt he wasreminding me to pray.” Asked what she was prayingfor, Ramona says it wasn’t only for her own peace ofmind. She also hoped her decision might encourageothers to question the widespread belief that abortionis the best solution to prenatal deformities – or at veryleast to respect her belief as a valid one.16