Pro-life pregnancy centers may be a best-kept secret in America. But even more unknown are the hundreds of maternity homes, many that provide desperately needed help on a level that may surprise you.
The false accusation is well known. “Anti-abortion people only care about the fetus. They don’t support women or the baby after delivery.”
That is so not true!
Many of these entities of love serve those society deems unlovable or unworthy of our time, attention and resources. We’re talking about homeless and drug-addicted pregnant women who often have other children.
Journey Home, a Houston area maternity home, defines the compassionate care we’re talking about. They received a desperate call from a woman who was living in a camper in winter with no electricity.
The Center for Great Expectations, located in Somerset County, New Jersey, does an exceptional and highly professional job of ministry to the unloved. Their specialty is providing “transformational mental health and substance use disorder treatment to women, children, men and families impacted by trauma, abuse and neglect.” Their mission states that they seek to “form a partnership with homeless pregnant and/or parenting women and adolescents, men, and their children” with services provided by a dedicated team of professionals.
There is often a continued need for assistance after these individuals leave the housing provided to them, and an emerging trend of maternity homes are there to meet it. In this case, the center provides an outpatient program called Roots to Recovery. They serve as a bridge to independent living, assuring them they are not alone.
The statistics for Foundation House Ministries give you a clear understanding of their mission in the Cleveland, Tennessee area. 89% of their clients are former drug users, 85% were raised in chronic poverty, 23% were homeless and pregnant, and 8% were former prostitutes.
A sentimental favorite is Good Counsel Homes, run by my humble friend Chris Bell. Currently they have four homes located in the greater New York City area. Of the women they serve, a significant majority have struggled with homelessness, drug addiction, addiction recovery, and mental illness. Several years ago, we featured one of the homes in our weekly half-hour TV program, Facing Life Head-On, where every resident was striving to defeat these demons.
Chris says, “We never turn pregnant women in need away” and estimates there are over 230 maternity homes across the nation. Good Counsel has helped 10 of them to open in nine different states.
The HopePlace Pregnancy Care Center in Warren, Arkansas has expanded their non-pregnancy services to include the town’s homeless population. An impending cold snap during the winter motivated the Center’s director, Wendy Curry, into action. With the help of her church – Immanuel Baptist – an anonymous donor, and volunteers, they were able to provide warm housing and meals to those without homes. HopePlace also offers the homeless a place at the center to shower and wash their clothes. Through their efforts a young woman was reunited with her family on Christmas Eve after a five-year search for her.
Another emerging trend is adopting the foster care model instead of a group home model. This, they say, provides a more welcoming, intimate and effective environment.
A Pennsylvania maternity home called House of His Creation expanded to Pensacola, Florida where they launched the foster care approach with a focus on victims of sex trafficking. Florida is ranked third in the nation for sex trafficking, and abortion is the machine that keeps sexual predators in business. Teaming up with local law enforcement, pregnancy centers, and the state’s foster care system has been a winning combination for this new lifesaving endeavor.
One can’t help but be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me.”
Then in verse 40, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (NIV)
Contrary to the lies we hear from pro-abortion activists and their allies in the media, these loving pro-life people are the hands and feet of Jesus. By serving “the least of these” we serve our Savior himself.
In loving service for LIFE,
Bradley Mattes
President, Life Issues Institute
Life Issues Institute is dedicated to changing hearts and minds of millions of people through education. For 32 years, organizations and individuals around the world have depended upon Life Issues Institute to provide the latest information and effective tools to protect innocent human life from womb to tomb.