Centers help women find value in Christ
- Jan 31, 2008 - 1
Unplanned pregnancy is not just a teen problem, workers at Baptist supported pregnancy crisis centers say.
Asheville Pregnancy Support Services, which is supported in part by local Baptist churches, helps pregnant women from 14 to 40 years old, according to Deborah Wood, chief executive officer.
“Unplanned pregnancy is not just a teenage problem, it’s an every age problem,” she said.
Wood said even women who are 65 and widowed are being pressured to think that any relationship involves sex.
“I think our society has created an environment where a woman finds her value in a relationship,” she said. “The women we see don’t see themselves as having value without a man in their life.”
Staff members try to help women find their value in Christ, Wood said.
Churches across North Carolina and around the globe will be sharing about Sanctity of Life Sunday, Jan. 20. Pres. Ronald Reagan declared National Sanctity of Human Life Day in 1984 to celebrate all human life. In his declaration, Reagan referred to Roe v. Wade, which was decided Jan. 22, 1973. The ruling said that most laws against abortion in the United States violated a constitutional right to privacy, thereby legalizing abortion.
Lisa Bradle, office administrator at the HELP (Helping Every Little Person) Crisis Pregnancy Center in Monroe, said that while the largest age the center serves is 18 to 24 years old, the group helps older women, couples and even a few single dads.
“I don’t think we have any limits,” she said.
The center, which Bradle said is supported in part by the North American Mission Board and local Baptist churches, has parenting classes and Bible studies that people can attend in exchange for such items as car seats, cribs and high chairs.
“They’re getting education, Bible studies, and they’re getting the equipment they need,” she said.
The organizations in Monroe and in Asheville perform ultrasounds for women. About 90 percent of women who see an ultrasound decide against abortion, Wood and Bradle said.
“When they see arms and legs moving, they know its life,” Wood said. “We no longer talk about life, we demonstrate it.”
Wood said staff members seek to steer women away from having an abortion.
“Our goal is to provide enough education and support to see that abortion is not an option,” she said.
Wood said counselors promote abstinence outside of marriage.
“We have women who say to us, ‘I’ve made a commitment that I’m not going to do this anymore,’” she said.
Bradle said the HELP counselors never recommend an abortion or contraceptives.
“It’s not just about counseling women against abortion,” she said. “We want to be there to help with the pregnancy and even past that.”
Asheville Pregnancy Support Services also provides ongoing support, such as maternity clothes, baby items and other materials, Wood said. The organization was planning to have a celebration of life worship service Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville.
Bradle said the workers at HELP try to help women who are hurting from past abortions. Some women are having troubles that can be traced back to abortions 10 to 15 years earlier, she said.
“They’re just hurting,” she said. “They need to know that God loves them and forgives them.”
This article is reprinted from the January 19, 2008, issue of the Biblical Recorder, the newsjournal of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
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1 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Feb 3rd, 2008, at 11:08am, Thomas C. Abney Jr. wrote:
My most heart felt thanks to all the Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Forgivness, healing and guideance be upon all who enter there.
God Bless and Keep you.