A few weeks ago, I attended a dinner for a local pregnancy resource centre. An eclectic crowd of warm-hearted men and women filtered into a beautiful room to celebrate another successful year. Wine glasses clinked and servers bustled in and out as various speakers shared their thoughts on the state of the pro-life movement and the nation itself.
Then the noise died down. A young woman handed a sweet little girl to her neighbour at the table and approached the podium. She began sharing her story of experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, and how the centre hosting the event had helped her keep her baby, overcome homelessness and work towards a stable job.
She paused several times throughout her speech to choke back tears. Her voice was thick with emotion as she gestured towards the blond child just a table away, telling guests that her daughter would not be alive without the help of the centre.
The scene made my own eyes well with tears, even though I have spent the past several years listening to similar testimony from dozens of young women across America.
In recent years, I have spoken with countless women who experienced unexpected pregnancies and suffered from fear about the unexpected, abortion coercion or abortion regret. I have heard from women who were living behind dumpsters, or who had escaped domestic violence or sexual abuse. I have spoken with a woman who had been sex-trafficked for most of her life and faced an ultimatum from her “pimp” when she became pregnant.
These women shared a common belief: nobody was looking out for them, and they were on their own. Motivated by fear, many felt pressured to consider abortion. If their fears had proved true, they would likely have joined the majority of American women who say that their abortions were inconsistent with their values and preferences, or that they were coerced.
Instead, these women discovered the hidden hope sustaining America: the vast network of pregnancy resource centres.
Across America, there are more than 3,000 pregnancy resource centres and maternity homes that exist to provide expectant mothers with the resources they need for long-term success. These organisations annually provide more than $450 million worth of material resources, such as clothes, food and diapers, typically free of charge. They connect women with professional and educational opportunities, help them overcome homelessness, addiction and abusive relationships, and much more.
The best part? They are almost completely run by altruistic volunteers. They are run by ordinary people like those at the dinner I attended – men and women whose convictions stirred their hearts to make a difference in their fellow Americans’ lives. They are run by people who care enough to spend their time – whether a young woman’s free weekend, a middle-aged man’s or woman’s day off, or an elderly individual’s retirement years – giving out diapers, counselling scared young women, driving clients to doctors’ appointments and even crying with women after loss.
They ask for nothing in return. Most receive no compensation or awards. They carry on with their humble daily work anyway. And, far more than most Americans, they quite literally see the fruits of their work firsthand.
The young woman who spoke at the dinner that night was one of them. As she spoke, I glanced around the room and saw that others were similarly overcome to witness her genuine gratitude. The centre staff present beamed with pride.
When the young woman finished speaking, the room erupted with applause. Chairs were pushed back as the entire room stood to honour her courage. I found the scene incredibly moving, and the ovation well deserved.
This young woman is just one of thousands who have been saved by the national pro-life safety net. For generations, volunteers in the pro-life movement, like my grandmother, have sacrificed time, energy and money to counter young women’s despair with hope and life. They are teaching women every day that death and despair are not the only option. They are giving women the courage and support to choose life and blessing generations in the process. They are proof that humble, loving service will do more to build a culture of life than any policy or legislation.
As America approaches the 250th anniversary of our great nation, I believe theirs is the work that deserves the greatest celebration. America was founded on the belief that every human being is endowed by God with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The pro-life safety net embodies these values perhaps more than any other institution or cause. It is saving American lives every day. It is helping families free themselves from poverty, addiction, domestic violence and more.
Best of all, its loving service is healing generational cycles so that every human being in its care can freely see and pursue the happiness God has planned for them.
