No matter the stresses and strife of the past, providing hope for those to have a future is its own reward.
Rae Bagus and her sanctuary for women seeking an alternative to abortion, Lil Choices, are pushing through the challenges. The Dan Pienaar Avenue facility currently has three boarders, with one more expected in the coming week, and is monitoring two pregnant women. “This has been the toughest time period we have ever experienced in our existence,” said a resilient Rae.
The anti-abortion facility relies solely on sponsors, and some of their core contributors are the premier lycra-clad cyclists of the West Rand. Alchemy Cycling Club is the merger of two local cycling clubs, New Horizons Cycling Club and Esmero Cycling, with the inspiration for the name coming from the synergistic coming together of two elements.
Embodying the Lil Choices spirit of determination and self-sacrifice are two Alchemy Cycling endurance athletes, Imran Abbass and Firoze Limalia. Using distance running and off-road cycling as a platform, the pair have managed to raise enough funds for Lil Choices to build a dormitory to increase Rae’s capacity to offer her anti-abortion services.
Imran ran the virtual Comrades Marathon last year, doing the entire downhill run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on a treadmill. “Whenever there was a downhill section we had to get off to do squats in order to simulate the downhill running,” explained Imran. Firoze demonstrated his ability to suffer punishment, completing the 1 121km Munga Mountain bike ride through the Karoo. Not even halfway through the ride, Firoze would injure his foot, but taped it to his pedal in order to complete the over 600km left.
Alchemy Cycling has more than 200 members and in addition to conventional road rides, they also gather at Nasrec to offer novices or those looking for a safer ride in a less intimidating arena. The club has a strong humanitarian focus, providing cycling opportunities and equipment for the less fortunate, while their connection to Lil Choices is cemented by their religious convictions. “Alchemy is a multi-faith organisation and abortion is against all religions,” said Imran.
Thanks to their efforts, the facility is now primed to house over 10 women, but every little bit helps in the mission to give expectant mothers a humane alternative to abortion. “We are so extremely grateful for their efforts and everything they do for us. We do not know how to thank them enough,” said the kind matriarch, Rae.
Life is precious, but the fight to ensure one has a life is divine.
