All God's Children

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." ~Psalm 139:13-14

When I was in seminary, I volunteered one weekend to do yard work as ministry to area shut ins and area ministries.  We ended up raking leaves and painting walls at a house called “All God’s Children.”  They were a home for women who were pregnant but without resources.  The director explained that she was convicted/convinced that if she was going to take a stand against abortion, then she would also need to take responsibility for crisis pregnancies.  Women were invited to stay in the home for the duration of their pregnancy, and up to 6 months after the baby was born, whether the baby was surrendered for adoption or not.  Her only regret was that she could only house 6 mothers at a time.  Her story, and the beauty of her home, made a lasting impact on me.

Fast forward a dozen years.  As I was getting to know the community ministries in my new parish, I learned of Women’s Resource Center, a place for women facing a crisis pregnancy where they can get pre- and post-natal support in a loving and godly environment.  From their website: Our mission is to uphold the sanctity of life while encouraging the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual well-being of the whole person. Through collaborating with organizations that share similar values, we work to promote personal health, strong family units, and thriving communities.  They offer counseling classes, necessary referrals for medical services, housing, and treatment.  They offer clothes, baby supplies, birth partners, and mentors.  A visit will include a free pregnancy test, confidential peer-to-peer counseling, and advocacy.  Over the years I have hoped to become more involved in their mission, but I’ve only managed to support them as a pastor within a supporting church.

I am blessed by the relationship that one of my friends and church members has with the WRC.  The following is a transcription of our interview about her work there.

What has been your primary task when you volunteer at WRC?

I teach pre-natal classes to pregnant teenagers.

Did you get trained to do that? That sounds specialized.

I’ve had the overall training for the center which includes how to interact with all the women who seek help through the Center.  Classes are a very detailed set of DVD’s and informational work sheets that we go by. I guess my primary job is to be a support system and encourager more than a teacher. The videos pretty much do the teaching and then I let them talk and share with each other and tell me the things they want to.  And we always pray before they leave.

Why did you decide to volunteer there? How long have you been doing this?

I think it’s been about 7 years. I believe God led me there. Because I was going through such a difficult separation to be followed by divorce, I knew I had to find something to help others in an effort to get my mind off my own situation.  If I didn’t change my focus I knew I was going to sink deep into a place I might not be able to recover from. For years I passed the building every day as I drove to work so there was a frequent reminder.  When God kept tugging on my heart, I went there to learn about what goes on and met with one of the volunteers. She was so compassionate and filled with love for God and also helped me spiritually to accept and deal with my circumstances.  I felt like I belonged there. Even though I knew I was a mess, I also knew God was directing me there. I really never envisioned myself teaching classes but after doing other various things, that’s just where God placed me…and I love it! Not only do I help others but God blessed me with an awesome group of Christian sisters who love and support one another.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Just the heartbreak of seeing young women go through the process of having to suddenly grow up too fast. They are precious, and for the most part try their best to rise up and become good moms. They are almost always without the support of the father of the baby. Most do have support from family though. We talk a lot about how they have to take on such a huge responsibility because of the choices they made in life. They amaze me with the strength and determination they have, and they do become good moms. My job isn’t difficult at all. The hard part is trying to convince them that they are valuable to God no matter what.  And their child is valuable to God!

What does a person who wants to volunteer need to know or need to do?

They must profess faith in God and just be willing. An application must be completed. It is a thick one and does require a written testimony. Someone interested would then go with their application to the Center for an interview and tour the facility. There is a job for everyone from the simplest tasks like sorting and packaging diapers to very challenging tasks like counseling clients.

Check out this link for more information about volunteering, supporting, or receiving the resources that Women’s Resource Center has to offer.

https://www.wrcgulfport.org/