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FIVE FAST WAYS
Never miss an opportunity for 5 Fast Ways to save lives this month!
1. Get involved with the new
2. Shop at Family Christian, and be sure to tell them you want Ministry Stamps to benefit the PRC. They're FREE and provide Bible study materials for us.
3. Start your New Years off right by committing to be a monthly giver.
4. Check with your church to be sure they have a Baby Bottle Blessings event planned for your church in 2016.
5. Talk with your church mission committee about adding us to your mission budget.
"Being involved with the PRC allows our church to directly touch lives we would never have the opportunity to minister to in any other way. Partnering with the PRC extends our reach and helps us to be wise stewards - using our resources to accomplish things for His glory that we never could have accomplished on our own." -Pastor Jason Moore, First Baptist Church
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That's the number of women you helped us reach with life-changing impact in 2015 across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, through all of the services we offer. Thank you!
We're excited for growth in 2016!
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A Call Came in from Florida...
"I need to make an appointment for my sister."
The call, originating from Florida, came through the scheduling Helpline mid-afternoon. Penny, a Spanish-speaking woman with virtually no understanding of the English language, had discovered she was pregnant and was not happy about it. She had reached out to her sister who lived in Florida, and her sister went on the internet to see if she could find a place in St. Joseph, MO where Penny could go and at least get information about abortion, and at best, actually receive an abortion.
"We do not perform or refer for abortions here, but there is some information Penny will need before making her decision," was the response from the Helpline scheduler. The Helpliner and Penny's sister worked out a time for Penny to stop by for her hour-long appointment. After confirming the time with Penny, the sister called back to report that Penny would indeed be keeping her appointment. Everything was set-well, almost everything. There was still the issue of communication. How would our staff and volunteers clearly communicate with Penny?
Immediately, prayers went up and staff began to reach out to several Spanish-speaking translators but with no success. As the work day came to a close, the outlook seemed bleak in being able to accommodate Penny. As usual, God was working behind the scenes. At 9 p.m. that very night, a text message was sent to staff stating a young mother, fluent in Spanish (with a heart the size of Texas), had found out about the need the Center had and was happy to come in at the appointment time. The translator, (we'll call her Angel), would later comment that she was simply being obedient to the call God had given her.
Angel arrived an hour before Penny's appointment to look over the paperwork that is used and get an overview of the process a girl goes through during the time at our Center. Looking back, Angel remarked,"I wasn't sure about the process. There was a very professional atmosphere, and I'm all about relationships. Everything in me wanted to passionately plead to Penny, but I knew you had a process and it didn't allow for that."
Penny arrived on time, and Angel was on hand to greet her. The staff was completely amazed at how Angel and Penny clicked. Angel's warm smile, soft eyes, and quiet, gentle spirit put Penny at ease right away. It didn't hurt that Angel spoke Spanish as easily as she breathed. The appointment proceeded as it normally would have. The advocate and medical staff went through their procedures without missing a beat; Angel interpreting after each question. During the course of the appointment it was discovered that Penny was a regular church attendee. She disclosed during the spiritual conversation that she is a Christian, and she seemed relieved to know that PRC is a faith-based organization.
Penny's pregnancy test was positive and she seemed intent on aborting. During the ultrasound, an eight-week-old baby with a beating heart was revealed. Penny's expression was emotionless with a hint of a smile as she agreed to look at the baby models offered by the sonographer. Penny also thought she would like to take a few pictures with her, but as the appointment ended, she still believed she should consider abortion. Upon hearing this news, a staff member would later recall, "Angel looked so devastated. She just looked like she wanted to cry. Her heart was broken." As Angel left, the staff encouraged her by saying, "Don't lose hope. We've seen this over and over again. Penny needs a week to process. Let's see what God is going to do. Just pray." With a weak smile, Angel left.
The following day Penny's sister called our office. She said, "You didn't give Penny a referral for an abortion clinic." The staff person stated that was correct and, once again repeated, "Our center does not perform or refer for abortion. Your sister has made a follow-up appointment with us next week to receive some test results as well as make sure we still see/hear a heartbeat. She really does need to know her test results before making a final decision." Penny's sister seemed skeptical, but agreed.
On the day of Penny's second appointment, Angel arrived early again. Since Penny had confirmed her appointment that morning, we were hopeful she would arrive. We were not disappointed. Penny drove in and, just as before, Angel was there to greet her when she walked through the door. Penny appeared to be more relaxed and smiled pleasantly as she and Angel spoke as if they were old friends.
We have a saying around here: What a difference a week makes! As Penny's second appointment began, Penny was asked the question, "You've had some time to process since your last visit. How are you feeling about your pregnancy?" She replied, "I have been thinking about things. The ultrasound really got to me-and hearing the heartbeat. I've changed my mind about the abortion." While Angel made no visible sign of celebration, you could practically feel the joy pouring out of her. This time in the ultrasound room, Penny was much more engaged. She smiled and was attentive. She, again, looked at the baby models and accepted pictures. After Penny left, Angel was much more encouraged.
Per our process, Penny was offered one more appointment. During the third appointment, we would be confirming Penny's choice to carry the baby and offer her one more look at the baby. For the third week in a row, Angel arrived to help bridge the communication gap. In the ultrasound room, a ten-week-old Baby waved at Mommy (Penny), and she laughed. A peaceful smile rested on Penny's face during the final moments of the ultrasound.
We recently asked Angel to reflect on her experience with us and with Penny. She said, "At first, I just didn't know what to think. You told me to watch God through the process, and now I believe it works. I love people and relationships, but I can see how God does the work because He is the only One who can actually change hearts." To God be the Glory!
WE JUST REACHED 200 BABIES SAVED IN 2015!!
Thank you to all of our amazing supporters, staff and volunteers!
In 2014, we were on track to save 200 babies for most of the year. However, we had to reduce our clinic hours due to limited financial support. At the end of the year we ended up with 182 babies saved. We rejoiced at the victories, but our hearts definitely felt the loss. We are so grateful for our donors who have made financial gifts so that so many others may have an opportunity for HOPE and LIFE in 2015!! So now we look to 2016! There's still time to make a year-end gift to help us kick-start our marketing efforts to reach 200+ women in unplanned pregnancies that are considering abortion. With our steady 84% success rate with women changing their minds after visiting our center, we are confident that if you can help us get the women here, God will turn their hearts with our services and your prayers!
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THIS JUST IN: What if we were to tell you that for every $100 you donate to us by December 31st, you get $50 back in a check or direct deposit from the state of Missouri when you file your taxes in a couple months??
We were just awarded another round of 50% tax credits, but they're in limited supply. Act quickly to get yours reserved!
Look at the example in the picture and see how your $1000 gift can break down to cost you a little more than 200 bucks! This is too great a deal to pass up!
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ANNOUNCING OUR NEW PRC DINNER CLUB!
Will you spend quality time with friends in the New Year? We say we will get together; but too often that does not happen and yet another year goes by without making meaningful connections. Join the St. Joseph PRC Dinner Club! While enjoying meals together monthly, you will be investing in friendships and helping PRC. Let PRC do the planning for you. We will notify you of the date, restaurant and times for dinner. You call at least 4 friends monthly and invite them to join you for dinner. St. Joseph PRC will receive a portion of your purchase. It's that easy! Will you be a charter member of the PRC Dinner Club?
Mark your calendars - the first PRC Dinner Club gathering is Tuesday, January 19th at 54th St. in St. Joe. Be sure to bring the flier found at the link below. Contact Libby Owens at 387-8090 for more information. Find the flier on our events page! |
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