"Celina" almost experienced the agony of abortion last week -- but she wasn't pregnant. Celina and her husband "Manny," who live near Delano, traveled to Bakersfield's abortion chamber on Monday.

After they parked their car, Tim* offered them literature, encouraging them to come to the LifeHouse for help. Manny accepted the literature, and tried to convince Celina to go to the LifeHouse. But FPA security guard Teresa Avlos said "if you go, you have to move your car." Celina thought that would be too much trouble.

Once inside the waiting room, Celina was surprised to see so many women waiting to have their children killed. She watched in astonishment as a woman led a 12-year-old girl in for an abortion (see story). She was beginning to realize that she was in an evil place.

Soon Celina's name was called. An abortion staff member drew blood from Celina's arm, and asked her to provide a urine sample. Then Celina was brought to an inner waiting room, where an abortion "counselor" described the bleeding and cramping she would experience after the abortion (without mentioning the long-term physical and emotional consequences of abortion).

"All of the girls in the waiting room were crying," Celina later recalled. Every few minutes, an abortion staff member arrived, herding three girls at a time downstairs. As Celina sensed the imminent danger, a girl stood up and quickly left the room. "I shouldn't be here," Celina told herself.

Celina hurried out of the abortion center, being met by Manny, who was rushing in, hoping to talk her out of the abortion. She told Manny that she had changed her mind.

Debbie* sent Celina and Manny across the street to the LifeHouse, where Terri* talked to them about their situation and showed them the abortion video. After watching the "awful" video, Celina and Manny were thankful that Celina had escaped from the abortion chamber.

Terri gave Celina and Manny diapers and other baby items for their other children, and they left the LifeHouse, looking forward to having another child.

The next day, Celina went to her obstetrician for prenatal care. The doctor informed Celina that she was not pregnant.

Celina returned to the LifeHouse for a pregnancy test. The test results confirmed that she is not pregnant.

According to a former FPA staff member, it is not uncommon for FPA to commit abortions on women who are not pregnant. Often when the pregnancy test results are received, the women have already entered the "surgery" room. FPA receives full price for every abortion, whether or not the woman was actually pregnant.

"It makes you wonder how many girls live with the guilt of abortion when they weren't even pregnant," Terri commented.

Working in the area near the abortion chamber for the past several years, "Gretchen" has gained a close perspective on LifeSavers' sidewalk ministry activities. This week, she stopped by to talk to Terri for the first time. Gretchen explained that she just found out that she is pregnant. "I had thought about abortion, but after seeing what goes on over here there's no way that I'm going to do that. I'm glad I had the chance to hear you."