Beyond the Box

Redemption Through Abandonment: The Safe Haven Baby Boxes Story


Listen Later

Every revolution begins with a moment of clarity. For Monica Kelsey and her friend Pam Stenzel, that moment happened in Cape Town, South Africa, where they encountered their first "Baby Safe" – a simple device allowing desperate mothers to safely surrender infants they couldn't care for. That discovery, sketched on a Delta napkin during their flight home, evolved into Safe Haven Baby Boxes, now operating in 22 states across America.

This deeply personal conversation reveals how two adoptees transformed their own stories of redemption into a movement saving countless newborn lives. Monica and Pam candidly discuss the philosophical battles they've fought since day one: prioritizing a child's right to life over debates about heritage and medical history. As Pam shares, "My biological mother was 15 years old and was raped. She was in foster care at the time... I was the poster child for abortion." These personal perspectives powerfully frame their compassionate approach to women in crisis.

The friends explore critical distinctions between confidentiality and true anonymity, challenging the traditional Safe Haven model that requires face-to-face surrenders. Through poignant stories of mothers they've counseled – from the woman who YouTubed how to cut an umbilical cord to another who walked miles to avoid surrendering in her own neighborhood – they illuminate why anonymous options matter. Despite persistent opposition from adoptee rights groups and regulatory hurdles in various states, their mission remains unwavering: baby first, mother second, with support for whatever choice each woman makes.

Whether you're interested in adoption advocacy, crisis pregnancy support, or simply the power of friendship to spark social change, this conversation will leave you contemplating what other "crazy ideas" might transform lives. As Pam wisely reminds us about their decade of work: "God did not call us to be successful, He called us to be faithful." That faithfulness has created a legacy of lives saved and mothers supported through their darkest moments.

Support the show

shbb.org


Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on:

TikTok

Instagram

Youtube

X

Facebook


Find Monica Kelsey on:

TikTok

Instagram

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond the BoxBy Monica Kelsey

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

4 ratings


More shows like Beyond the Box

View all
20/20 by ABC News

20/20

11,771 Listeners

ADOPTION NOW by April Fallon

ADOPTION NOW

154 Listeners

Coffee Convos with Kail Lowry and Lindsie Chrisley by PodcastOne

Coffee Convos with Kail Lowry and Lindsie Chrisley

22,396 Listeners

Crime Junkie by audiochuck

Crime Junkie

366,047 Listeners

IDIOT with Laura Clery by Laura Clery & Studio71

IDIOT with Laura Clery

905 Listeners

I Want to Put a Baby in You! by I Want To Put A Baby In You

I Want to Put a Baby in You!

81 Listeners

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast by Sarah Jefford

The Australian Surrogacy Podcast

2 Listeners

Dateline NBC by NBC News

Dateline NBC

47,886 Listeners

Dumb Blonde by Dumb Blonde Productions

Dumb Blonde

8,448 Listeners

Karma & Chaos with Kail Lowry & Becky Hayter by PodcastOne

Karma & Chaos with Kail Lowry & Becky Hayter

8,837 Listeners

Predators I’ve Caught with Chris Hansen by Chris Hansen

Predators I’ve Caught with Chris Hansen

1,436 Listeners

The Southern Tea by PodcastOne

The Southern Tea

4,091 Listeners

The Embryo Adoption Podcast by National Embryo Donation Center

The Embryo Adoption Podcast

34 Listeners

Barely Famous by PodcastOne

Barely Famous

6,288 Listeners

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce by Wave Originals

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce

9,964 Listeners