VHI's office

When Mrs. Magaly Llaguno founded Comite Pro Vida Internacional in 1972, it was the only organized pro-life effort in the U.S., to reach Hispanics with the pro-life message. She translated pro-life materials into Spanish, in order to facilitate educating Hispanics on the abortion issue, and disseminated them throughout the U.S. and Hispanic countries as donations allowed, working out of her home in Miami, Florida. In 1982, Father Paul Marx asked her to come to work for HLI, and to found its Hispanic Division: Vida Humana Internacional (VHI) . The first office that VHI had was in a bedroom in Mrs. Llaguno’s home. The first bilingual conference that HLI and VHI put on was in Mexico City in 1984. Many other international conferences followed, in the U.S. and in Hispanic countries. Since it started, VHI has taken the pro-life message to countless Hispanics all over the world, via printed materials, radio, tv, and the Internet. In 1991, in Rome, during the first world meeting of pro-life leaders organized by the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, His Eminence Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo; Mrs. Llaguno delivered to the Holy Father John Paul II, an album containing pictures of the work VHI has done in Latin America, and of the main leaders of the pro-life/family movement, with whom VHI has been collaborating for so many years.

VHI has now expanded to a multi-nation educational effort that is reaching Hispanics as far away as Australia, through the use of modern technology. In December, 1999, VHI moved into its present office, which has 2500 sq, ft..a small media room where radio programs are taped weekly for WEWN World Catholic Radio and a small but beautiful chapel. The larger facilities respond to the need for extending VHI’s educational efforts in the Hispanic world. VHI is meeting a great challenge and filling a very great need.

The population control movement is constantly launching campaigns in the Hispanic countries, for the widespread promotion of abortifacient contraceptives; as well as hedonistic sex-education programs. The anti-life movement, which has been at work in all these countries for many years, is promoting all of these evils which pave the way for the legalization of abortion.

A big battle is constantly underway in most Latin American countries, to liberalize abortion laws. According to their pro-life leaders, abortions are already being performed in their countries - where abortion is illegal for the most part - through "emergency contraception" and "menstrual regulation" or "induction". These are euphemisms for early abortion. The first one, caused by the pill and the IUD; the second one, using suction equipment supposedly imported into Latin America and other developing countries, to "treat incomplete abortions". In fact, Latin American doctors have been encouraged at U.S. conferences as early as 1976, in the performance of these "menstrual inductions".* In order to counteract these anti-life attacks on Latin America funded by countries like the U.S., Canada, Japan, etc. and by many American anti-life foundations; pro-life and family leaders are in desperate need of help. This is the reason why Human Life International launched Vida Humana Internacional (VHI), its Hispanic Division. It provides assistance, training and educational materials to those leaders in 21 countries. Hispanics in the U.S. are also being targeted by anti-life organizations like Planned Parenthood. VHI offers excellent materials and assistance to them and to those who work with them. The importance of the missionary work that VHI does in the Hispanic world, cannot be underestimated. More than 48% of the world's Catholics are Hispanics.

VHI's website in Spanish at www.vidahumana.org, is constantly being enlarged to include all the most important aspects of every topic related to the defense of life/family, which can be downloaded free. In one month alone - May 2001 - VHI's website received over 927,618! That's almost a million visitors in one month! There are now over 22 life and family issues in VHI's website which include Catholic Church doctrine. VHI's Chapel

VHI's Spanish language trimonthly newsletter, "Escoge la Vida", is now also reaching countless thousands through Internet, and being used in the preparation of radio and tv programs, etc. VHI's articles and news are being reproduced by important publications, including major newspapers in the U.S. and a number of Hispanic countries and read on radio. Its radio and tv programs are reaching millions in the Hispanic world. VHI provides assistance and educational materials to pro-life and family groups and individuals. It organizes pro-life and family conferences and training sessions for leaders. It collaborates with Latin American bishops, some of whom support VHI not only with their prayers but also with their donations.

VHI is not only providing valuable resources in Spanish (both printed and on videotape) on life/family issues, as well as information in English on these issues; but also the latest updates on all the subjects connected with the life/family apostolate through a free information service (in Spanish), which is sent to thousands by e-mail and posted in the "Noticias" (news) section of its Spanish language website.

Because VHI has been so actively involved in establishing pro-life/family groups throughout Latin America, those groups don't just fight surgical abortion; but also contraception, sterilization and hedonistic sex-education. Pro-life and family leaders in those countries are very aware of the connection between all those evils. Because of VHI's help and guidance, they fight not just one of the consequences of the breakdown of the family - surgical abortion - but also the anti-life mentality and its underlying hedonistic view of marriage, children and the family. VHI promotes the teachings of the Catholic Church.

VHI thanks all its benefactors, who through their generous donations have made it possible to do such incredible work throughout the Hispanic world.

However, much is at stake at this moment, the next few years will be crucial. Please pray for VHI and all the pro-life and family leaders it provides assistance to. If it is possible for you, please send us a generous donation so that this work can not only continue but even expand.

Meet our President

* "The Physician's Responsibility in the Provision of Menstrual Induction/Early Abortion", Malcolm Potts, M.B.,B.Chir.,Ph.D.,"New Developments in Fertility Regulation - A Conference of Latin American Physicians",Airlie House, Airlie, Virginia, March 28-30, 1976.