Face of Compassion

I've started volunteering at the local Life Centers branch near my home (you probably know them by their former name: Crisis Pregnancy Center or CPC).  Hearing that someone's started volunteering might sound like a simple statement, but for me, it's been a struggle.  Something I've resisted in my heart.  Simply because it's meant going deeper. It meant getting personally involved. 

I grew up in a home that believed in life (thank you mom and dad!). ... not just for us kids but for all unborn lives.  (I hate the current term fetus.  I know it's a medical term.  But it very much feels like it's taking away the feeling of knowing that there is a living, human being... a miracle! ... growing inside of you.) I digress... Anyway, I grew up with a strong desire to see things change.  I stood outside for CPC's silent vigil for the unborn.  I've gone to fundraisers and run in 5k's to raise money for Life Centers.  I even wrote my Senior paper on Partial Birth Abortion (this was before it was banned by the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003).  I've even felt so strongly that I got involved in campaigns with political candidates to help the cause.  All of this to say that I've been "involved" in helping the Right to Life movement. 

But before 2011, I had never visited a Life Centers branch.  I had never spent time seeing what they see day in and day out.  Of course, I've also had a full time career for the past 8 to 10 years.  But by going to the building and seeing who works there and who comes in for help... This organization is beginning to have a face. 

It's always been the face of innocent babies for me but now, it's become also the face of each mother.  It's the face of the hispanic married woman who only has a grade level education and is looking for a free pregnancy test. It's the face of the unbelievably filthy woman who's smell stays in the room much after she's left, and yet wants to be pregnant for the fourth time. It's the young girl who's only a freshman in high school and is relieved to find out that she's not pregnant.  There are so many faces and so many scenerios. 

And as each face comes into the building, she's greeted by a Life Centers counselor.  Since volunteering at Life Centers, I've been amazed by the compassion of the counselors and their willingness to share the Truth in love. That means loving each woman enough to allow her to walk out of the center and make her own decision. That means trusting that God will be glorified through the organization. It's truly the face of compassion.

The women are offered so many tools to help them with not only the choice of life but also learning of Christ.  It's best described by the following image from Life Center's website...

 On a side note, I also visited The O'Connor House last week. It's a home in Carmel that serves pregnant women over the age of 18 who are in a crisis pregnancy and need assistance in order to choose life for their unborn child. The home also provides shelter and aid to the existing children of these women, which is unique to The O’Connor House.

I hope to share more about this organization in the future.