Crisis Pregnancy Center
By Marjorie Anne Pegram

With fast beating heart, Josie approached the door of the Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC). It had taken a lot of courage to get to this point. She had berated herself--and him--a hundred times for getting pregnant. It had terrified her. Mom and Dad would be devastated. She couldn't face classmates' varied reactions as so many other girls did these days. Bad enough that Nicky had cooled off since she'd told him their secret. She just had to finish high school with her class.

But to abort this baby? Should she? Could she? Time was running out, and how many more late passes could she get because of morning sickness? She'd postponed the decision too long already. Only yesterday she'd stood across the street from the abortion clinic and debated back and forth. There was an alternative, she knew. It was here. At 3202 West Cary Street in Carytown.

Josie pushed open the door and ascended the stairs. Gingerly opening the door on the left that said "Welcome," she gazed around the attractively decorated waiting room with its flowered drapes, comfortable looking upholstered couch, and a large coffee table covered with magazines. A wide bookcase contained pamphlets covering various topics: pregnancy, drugs and alcohol, STD's, AIDS awareness, forgotten fathers and abortion. This stood across from a cabinet with a small bell to summon help from beyond the door ahead of her.

Mary, a volunteer, quickly entered the room and invited Josie to follow her to a counseling room decorated with the same rich colors as the waiting room. Even asking a series of routine questions, Mary somehow seemed warm and cordial, and Josie became more at ease. After hearing her story and listening to her concerns, Mary offered Josie a free pregnancy test. "But I already know too well that I'm pregnant." "Well, you may as well be double sure, if you want to."

Waiting for the test to develop, Mary probed further into Josie's situation--her fears, doubts and life desires. Noticing how much stress Josie seemed to be under, Mary gently began to tell her about a heavenly Father who wanted nothing more than to share her burdens. Sensing an eagerness to hear more, she began to explain the love of Jesus Christ and how He could be her forever Friend and Savior.

Sure enough the test turned out positive, but now, Josie felt somehow different. Together Mary and Josie watched a video that showed the process of the baby growing in the mother's womb--a real baby, not just "a blob of tissue."  Later, she saw the other counseling room, as attractive and comfortably furnished as the waiting room. Across the hall, she got a tour of the "Material Goods Assistance" rooms, one filled with maternity clothes of all sizes, another with baby clothes up to size 5, and the third filled with all kinds of furnishings, carseats, cribs and other baby equipment. Everything had been donated.

Josie learned that day about all the other services given by the CPC:

Employment Assistance: helping pregnant and parenting women in finding suitable employment.

Client Advocacy: friends, surrogate sisters, birth coaches, and budget counselors are available for clients

Referrals: networking with public and private agencies to find shelter, medical care, adoption, counseling, housing, food and financial help.

Not only did Josie go on to carry her baby to term, that day at the Crisis Pregnancy Center she also found deep cleansing and forgiveness through the One who gave His life for her on a rugged cross. She got Nicky to take the counseling course with her, and she was able to finish high school.

They still faced a tough road and a host of decisions. Should they try to parent the new life? Or perhaps place their baby in the care of a mature Christian couple who would love nothing more than to have such a precious gift to cherish? Hard choices still, but things were different now. She was no longer alone.

**In 1999, CPC helped 1,475 women in 2,277 client sessions and handled over 5,400 client phone calls.