| One of our most wonderful and active Sidewalk Advocates in the South, Joel, recently signed up to be Santa at his local mall — and he truly is the quintessential Santa Claus.
Though his white beard and friendly smile would convince anyone, what makes him fill the role is his unmistakable kindness and desire to serve, something his “elves” caught onto fairly quickly, including two of the female elves working alongside him.
In time, each one shared that she was expecting!
Excited but nervous, one woman told her new friends that her boyfriend wanted to abort their child. The other voiced her boyfriend’s hesitation toward being a dad.
Confident he could help, Joel easily shifted into “Sidewalk Advocate” mode and told both mothers about nearby pregnancy resource centers: “I told them they weren’t alone and that there were people waiting to help,” he said.
The three quickly built a strong bond while Joel walked with the young mothers through their challenges and even met with their respective boyfriends to encourage them in fatherhood. “There are too many single mothers out there. These young men need to know that they can do it and being a dad is greater than they can imagine.”
“It’s a boy!” one of the young mothers called Joel right after she left an ultrasound appointment.
Knowing both moms would deliver soon, our Santa Sidewalk Advocate shared the stories with family and friends who eagerly gave supplies for these precious preborn children (mothers and gifts pictured below).
As soon as they’re born, each baby will be all set with diapers, clothes, and — thanks to Santa Claus — parents ready to love them. |
