Fame and Frustration

Ever since our ship left for Portugal on the 23rd of august, the papers in Portugal are full of discussion about legal abortion and news about the Borndiep. In the day and in the evenings, all tv-channels are covering the political developments and any movement around our ship. They follow us with their cameras and sattelite transmitters. Speculation about government crisis is beginning to appear in the media. Over the last 10 days, abortion has become a fashionable topic in Portugal and the pressure from the media on our little organisations is becoming unbearable.

Although this seems a success: getting the abortion topic on the agenda in Portugal again, we are frustrated. Our ship cannot come. We cannot help the women that are calling our hotline all day. What good is fame and glory, when a government is abusing the law to stop you from doing what you believe is necessary?