A few weeks ago, as a volunteer at Carolina Pregnancy Center (CPC), I met a young couple. They were parents expecting their sixth child. He was a veteran of Desert Storm, out of work due to an injury to his back. They came looking for a proof of pregnancy to give to Medicaid in order to obtain medical care.
As we talked, he said to me, “This place is so nice. Everyone is friendly. We have been to a lot of different places to get help, and people treat us like we are bothering them, but everyone here really cares.” As we talked, I found out this couple did not know Christ. While they did not accept Christ that day at CPC, they were able to catch a glimpse of His love through the volunteers and staff they encountered.
At Carolina Pregnancy Center, clients come in for many different reasons. Some, like my client, come in for a free pregnancy test. Others need diapers, formula, clothing, and other baby supplies. Some need information about abortion or adoption. Our clients are pregnant or have young babies. They are single or married and cross many cultures. They are often young, but not always. Some are unchurched, while others attend church every Sunday. Each one has a story to tell. As counselors help meet their physical needs, they are able to share Christ in a way they could not using just words.
CPC is a pro-life organization, but not just in the way that you first think. The help we provide does not end with a positive or negative on a pregnancy test. While giving accurate information about the consequences of abortion and saving babies is important, the primary goal of the center is to share Christ’s love in a tangible way.
Working at CPC has made me think of the term pro-life in a whole new way, a way that encompasses a woman’s whole life. Mentors and counselors want to help a woman live the life God has for her. They can be cheerleaders, spiritual counselors, advisors, and friends.
One of the unique ways that physical needs are met at CPC is through a program called Earn While You Learn (EWYL). Through this program women are able to earn the baby items they need as they gain parenting skills.
“In the EWYL program, clients are able to meet with a mentor; watch parenting videos; and read books, pamphlets, and magazines as well as participate in live classes,” said Becca Friend, program coordinator. “They earn ‘mommy money’ for each of these things as well as for being responsible in other areas, like staying in school, working, keeping doctors’ appointments, having a savings or checking account, etc. The clients are then able to shop in the store which is stocked with new and gently used items they need for their baby.”
The store looks much like a boutique. Clients work hard to earn the items they need. “The neat thing about this program is that clients have a real sense of pride about what they are able to provide for their baby rather than feeling like it is a handout,” Becca said. “We have seen many clients overwhelmed with tears as they thank us for helping them to be able to earn all these great things.”
Women and sometimes husbands or fiancés learn and grow in their relationships with God while at the center. “We have also seen many clients begin to regularly attend Bible studies we hold in our office, and several have been saved in our program,” Becca said.
Others see God work in many powerful ways, providing exactly what women need at just the right time. “A family randomly donated a full-size bed to us,” said staff member Hayley Hewitt. “Within about 24 hours a client came in for an Earn While You Learn appointment. She saw the mattresses sitting in our office and asked her counselor who the bed was for. Come to find out she desperately needed a bed. She did not even have one. So we let her have it. We really felt like that spoke volumes to her heart that God orchestrated this random donation which normally we wouldn’t even have; and she was going to be here at that exact time and had that exact need. We just love seeing how God shows Himself to the clients. He makes a way to speak His heart to them.”
Jennifer Weaver is a wife, mom and writer living in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She looks forward to seeing what God has to teach her as she volunteers each week at CPC.
