The Client Connection

by Leslie Hatcher, Center Director

Crisis: a dramatic, emotional, or circumstantial upheaval in a person’s life. ~ Dictionary.com

When facing a crisis pregnancy, there are both emotional and circumstantial upheavals in a young woman’s life – and there are no easy solutions. The very nature of a crisis pregnancy often involves loss, loss of hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. Although each person’s situation in unique, the common denominator of an unplanned pregnancy is grief, regardless of the ultimate pregnancy decision.

For some clients the loss seems too significant, and they choose to terminate the pregnancy. To obtain this immediate resolution to their “problem”, these young women risk delayed grief, depression, regret, and higher potentials for substance abuse. That is why we offer an abortion recovery program, Surrendering the Secret. It is designed to help women come to terms with the lifelong regret that often accompanies an abortion choice.

Even those clients who choose to parent face a host of challenges; physical, emotional, and financial, to name a few. The First Choice ParentCare program assists families in preparing for the birth of the baby and to help them process the life changes that accompany this choice.

Although adoption is recognized as a loving option, this choice is not an easy one, and often is a long journey for the young women. I met Sara* in May 2016 when she came to First Choice for a pregnancy test. Sara was initially excited about the pregnancy. Unfortunately her boyfriend was not. Off and on for 5 years, the father of the baby stated that he was moving out of state and that Sara should place the baby for adoption. He felt trapped. She was devastated. Though thankful that this couple didn’t choose abortion and the baby’s life would be saved, our hearts ached for this precious woman forced into the toughest decision of her life.

What followed were months of care for the client as she struggled with the decision between adoption and single parenting. We connected her with support agencies,

professional counselors, doctors, and maternity homes, all in hopes of her coming to the right decision for her and her baby. As the months passed, we provided parent education, prayer and a listening ear as she processed her options. Ultimately Sara chose a loving couple to adopt her child. I rejoiced with Sara as she showed me pictures of her baby boy and we discussed her bright future.

Thanks to your continued support, First Choice for Women can assist young women like Sara facing the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy. Through our services and dedicated staff and volunteers we help all women, no matter their pregnancy choice, to see that they are not alone. We will walk this road with them, offering them the hope found in Jesus all along the way. Please pray that God will bring these women to us, and that they will be open to the message we are here to share.

Hope: the feeling that what is wanted can be had. Or that events will turn out for the best. ~ Dictionary.com