Birth mothers make choice for life, and Louisiana family benefits

Published: 2005-01-28

BATON ROUGE, La. (CNS) -- The Robert Manuel family is decidedly pro-life. However, they speak a lot about "choice." Their daughter Kayla is a choice. And so are their two sons, Jordan and Nicholas, and their other daughter, Tegan. All of the Manuels' four adopted children were born to women who could have chosen abortion. Instead, they chose life. Kayla Manuel, 16, is a junior at Bishop Sullivan High School in Baton Rouge. She recently won second place in the Diocese of Baton Rouge's Respect Life Oratory Contest. "I am a choice," she wrote. "I was born in South America to a young teenage mom. She could not afford to raise me and the father was out of the picture. Instead of getting an abortion, she made the decision to put me up for adoption. It is this selfless act of my birth mother that allows me to be here today. Because of her choice, I am able to live a full and happy life and I am able to fulfill the plans God has for me."

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