days in the life of a
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Henry County Pregnancy Care Center
August 18, 2009
MY MONDAYS
Whew! Big sigh of relief.
This teenager can start her junior year in high school, relieved that she is not pregnant.
Another line appearing in that window would have changed the course of her life. But thankfully, she is not expecting a baby.
This time.
For many years now, I've spent my Monday afternoons volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center, doing pregnancy testing and counseling for young mothers in need.
(For those of you who may not have had a pregnancy test for a few years...praise God!...these are urine collection cups. You stick the end of the test down into the urine and wait 5 minutes. One line = negative, two lines = positive. Things have changed... 20+ years ago, I had to get a blood test to find out if I was pregnant!)
Working at the Center is a rewarding, frustrating, never-a-dull moment ministry filled with opportune moments to share Christ's love with the young girls that walk down this sidewalk and into our lives...
...and our hearts!
Just yesterday, I was in line for lunch at Wendy's and one of my clients smiled at me and told me she had heard her baby's heartbeat just that morning. She was one of the few clients that I've had recently who is actually married and they are trying to make it in tough financial circumstances.
Sometimes a girl like that just needs to know that someone cares. That somebody will pray with her. That she has someplace to go when she needs help and encouragement.
We are that someplace and those somebodies.
Our Center is located in a beautiful, historic home that makes the girls feel at ease as soon as they walk in the door.
It's not like a doctor's office. Far from it!
The reception and waiting area is warm and comfortable.
And the wait is very short, if at all!
I told you...it's NOT LIKE a doctor's office!
Meet the two beautiful ladies I am blessed to work alongside every week, Janet and Janice. Janet is the Director of the Center, Janice is a volunteer receptionist during my shift, and I am the counselor.
None of us are nurses or have any medical training. We are not a medical facility and are not intended to replace medical care.
But we provide things most doctors and nurses don't. Like a listening ear when a gal just needs someone to talk to.
A shoulder to cry on when things seem hopeless.
Information about their unborn child and a prayer for God's love and comfort and wisdom in decision-making when the news of an unplanned pregnancy rocks their world and they don't know what they want to do about it.
A gift bag of goodies to celebrate with them when their baby arrives.
Food or diapers when their finances are stretched and they don't know where to turn.
A room of used clothing when there's no money left to buy clothes for their little ones.
For the many Christian volunteer workers and board members who invest so much time and energy in the Center, there's no financial compensation or benefits.
Often, not even a "thank you" from a client.
But we don't work here for money or benefits or even a pat on the back.
It's all about these precious, newest children of God! Even being able to help them just the tiniest bit is a privilege for us. It's why we do what we do.
And it's what makes my Mondays one of the best days of my week!
September 15, 2009
WALK FOR LIFE, 2009 EDITION
A celebration of life! That is the best way to describe the Henry Country Pregnancy Care Center's annual "Walk for Life."
Yes, it is a major fundraiser for the non-profit Center. Through donations and pledges,
this year's Walk raised $10,000 for this outreach ministry.
Yes, it is an opportunity for Christian fun and fellowship with others who know God as the Creator of all life.
Yes, it is a chance for families to share time together, for parents to show their children the importance of supporting God's work.
Yes, it is a witness to the community that we are strong in numbers and dedicated to our ministry.
Yes, it's all those things.
But mostly....
...it's a celebration of life!
Every little face reminds us what a precious gift life is!
And that is the heart of this ministry!
Thanks favorite daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Zach, and wonderful friend Peggy for giving up your Saturday morning to walk with me and support the Center!
One more thing...
If you love hummingbirds (who doesn't?!) and want to support the Center, here's a great opportunity that incorporates both! Our very own local artist and my good friend, Vicki (who lives less than 2 miles from me, as the crow flies), has created this limited edition print to benefit the Center. Let me know if you're interested!
January 12, 2010
LESSONS IN PATRIOTISM
We live in the greatest country the world has ever known and we take it for granted.
As I listened to Winnie tell his story to me recently, I realized once more how people will go to incredible lengths and considerable trouble and even risk their lives for just a chance to live in the United States.
When I've gone to villages in India, I've been treated like a rock star just because I'm an American. People jostle for a chance to talk to me and be photographed with me. I've been treated with the greatest respect and awe, many times to the point of embarrassment, simply because I live in the United States.
While I'm proud to be an American, most days I don't think much about it.
But yesterday I was reminded once again how privileged we all are to be American citizens.
A married couple and the new grandmother came in to the Pregnancy Care Center to show off their newborn baby.
It's my favorite part of working there. I love seeing the precious little ones! We tell the expectant mothers to bring back their new little ones after they are born and we give them a huge gift bag full of all sorts of new baby goodies, write down all their vital statistics, and take a photo of the infant for our bulletin board.
Before the mother and grandmother could even begin unwrapping the baby so we could see her, the very proud and grinning father quickly pushed the birth certificate into my hands.
He beamed as he proudly pointed at the piece of paper and proclaimed in broken English, "United States of America!" He clearly wanted me to see that his new daughter was an American citizen.
In all the years I've worked there, it's the first time a new parent has ever showed me their child's birth certificate. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it so I smiled and as I began to give it back, he looked at me and nodded expectantly, indicating that I should be doing something else. So I asked him if I could make a copy of it for our files.
The new father was clearly pleased, and I did just that. As I was photocopying it, I noticed that it listed the country of birth for both parents as Peru. It was then that I understood the father's excitement. His new baby girl was born right here on American soil, automatically bestowing US citizenship upon her.
Of course, the baby was beautiful! Smooth dark skin, a headful of jet black hair, tiny and healthy, a bundle of hope and promise. I took her photo, "oohed and aahed" over her preciousness, and gave them the gift bag which overwhelmed and delighted them to the point of tears. They were so appreciative, and the grandmother cried and hugged me over and over.
I know nothing about the history of this family...how they came to be here, how long they've lived here, the circumstances of their lives. Their English was poor and the grandmother spoke little English at all. But it was clear that this citizenship status was a very big deal to them.
As it should be to us.
While this new baby represented a legitimate opportunity to live the American dream for this family, we live that opportunity ever single day and yet we complain and gripe about everything under the sun.
This morning, I'm just thanking God for using this newborn baby to remind me of the tremendous blessing He bestowed on me merely because I was born right here in the United States.
Because despite our troubles, the poorest of us would be at worst middle-class in most of the world. We are wealthy and privileged beyond our appreciation, and the vast majority of people on the globe would trade places with us in a heartbeat. Every day, people willingly risk their lives to have a chance to live in America while every day most of us take it for granted.
Yesterday a proud Peruvian father holding his newborn American daughter taught me a valuable lesson in patriotism!
April 26, 2010
INSTRUMENTS IN HIS HANDS
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;"
Jeremiah 1:5
God's hands are all-mighty and all-powerful, creating the world and all that is in it.
God's hands are all-tender and all-loving, molding and holding each one of us from the moment we are conceived until we take our last breath on this earth.
And God calls each of us to be instruments in His Hands every day, ministering and serving the vulnerable and the weak and the least of His children.
What a tremendous calling and honor we have!
Every moment, God's hands are knitting together His most precious and vulnerable creations of all.
These tiniest of His children and their families are what these hands serve every day.
Janet is the Director of our local Pregnancy Care Center. I've known Janet for umpteen years and had the privilege of working alongside her as a Bible Study Fellowship leader years ago and now at the Center.
What a beautiful servant of the Lord...and I am so blessed to have her as my friend!
Behind the scenes, supporting the Center with prayer, leadership and vision for the future, and fundraising is an incredible Board of Directors, who serve this ministry without pay but with an amazing passion for God and His children. Tom and Rick are two members of this special group of Christian men and women dedicated to saving lives and serving God.
Each year, the Board hosts an Appreciation Brunch to thank all of the Center's volunteers... although I don't know who appreciates who more...they may appreciate us, but we volunteers SO APPRECIATE all they do to keep the Center up and running!
Every Monday afternoon, Janice and I volunteer together at the Center. Janice is the receptionist, organizer, and general office manager during our shift while I do the pregnancy testing and counseling. We make a good pair and have become close friends working together for so many years.
We're all from different churches with diverse backgrounds and unique stories.
Some have been involved in this ministry for a long time...
...and others are relatively newbies,...
...but we all have one thing in common.
We all share a love for God and a desire to serve Him,...
...helping to save and change lives...
...and shine God's light in our community!
What a humbling privilege to be serving as instruments in His Hands!
Work of His Hands by Gary B. Clark
unborn baby 10weeks after conception from clinicquotes.com
Work of His Hands by Gary B. Clark
September 14, 2010
TEAM SULPHUR'S "WALK FOR LIFE"
Every year, the Henry County Pregnancy Care Center (where I volunteer and have served in various capacities for the past 15 years) sponsors its annual fundraiser "Walk for Life."
And while it's a terrific fundraiser (this year they raised over $12,000!!!), just as important is the community show of support for this wonderful ministry.
About 165 walkers of all ages participated in this year's walk...
...including our very own 10-member Team Sulphur!!!
That's me with Lee Ann and her girls Hannah and Ashley, CJ and Leann with their daughters Anna and Abby, and my BFFs Brenda and Peggy...Team Sulphur!
Before the Walk started, the girls got tattoos. Abby waits for hers to set as Anna chooses her design.
Hannah...
Ashley shows off hers!
Aren't these two just the CUTEST?! They were walking so fast I could hardly keep them in focus!
Halfway through the 1-mile Walk it started raining...the first rain we've had in weeks and the first time in its 17-year history that it's rained during the Walk.
But a little rain never hurt anyone...nothing that a good old sugary donut can't fix!
Hannah was so cooperative when I asked her to show me her tattoo.
But Ashley LOVES having her picture taken!
Our little walkers...what a group of cuties!!!
Thanks so much to Team Sulphur for your support...of me as well as this important outreach!
Our team came in third place for Most Walkers this year (yay!). Watch out next year...we plan to take home the brand new traveling trophy!!!
