MINISTERING TO PREGNANT TEENAGERS

Every year, around 750,000 teenagers in the United States will get pregnant. According to the National Center for Health Studies, the US teen pregnancy rate in 2004 was 72 in every 1,000 females aged 15-19.

Such statistics may startle you, or call to mind all the negative media images and worldly influences that are to blame, or cause you to simply shake your head in disapproval, thankful that you are a safe distance removed from the situation. This may very well be just a report on who is responsible for the need of a James 1:27-type ministry that cares for orphans.

But when we see the heart of Christ who rebuked the scribes and Pharisees: “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick” (Mark 2:17), and also recognize our own desperate need for a merciful Savior, our capacity for compassion is enlarged. And as the statistics show, there is a large group of young, inexperienced, and often confused women in need of such care and support.

On a national level, there are groups such as Adolescent Family Life, a program created in 1981 as part of the Public Health Service Act that works to promote abstinence among adolescents and provide comprehensive health care education and social services to pregnant and parenting adolescents. There is also an abundance of clinics and centers across the states that offer free testing and counseling to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Amongst these are a few groups that have resolved to not only provide worldly or material resources for these expecting single mothers, but also a nurturing environment where they can know the gospel and learn how to make good choices in light of it.

Though many centers require education in counseling or social work background to be certified as a counselor to these women, there are other opportunities to serve. Organizations often have mentor programs or group peer sessions that provide a place for the pregnant teenagers to interact with volunteers who desire to help and care for them. As different centers have expressed, oftentimes what these girls need is for somebody to come in and just listen to them. Each organization offers their own training courses for those interested in getting involved.

One specific program offered through a group called Silent Voices near San Diego is a “Bridges to Motherhood” program that allows volunteers to build relationships with the 15-20 moms in the program. Silent Voices is a faith-based group that serves women struggling with pregnancy and abortion-related issues. While providing free services such as pregnancy tests, abortion/pregnancy education, emotional, physical and spiritual support, their desire is for these women to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. They are specifically looking for believers who have a heart for these women to come alongside them in their Bridges program to help with the various tasks involved. Depending on maturity and life skills, you may meet with the expecting moms or even just provide childcare for the mom volunteers who are more capable of counseling those in the program.

As Sharon Pearce of Silent Voices describes, “Most of our moms come from homes where there hasn’t been much stability and definitely no good role modeling. So the girls are following in the footsteps of their mom or and will lead their children into the same kind of lifestyle if something doesn’t change. Our program provides them with a place where they’re going to see Jesus. They’re going to hear the Word.” She shares the great joy there is in seeing their moms move on in their lives, go to school, get jobs and be good parents. She sees their volunteers honoring God by being the salt and light to their moms. Silent Voices asks the Bridges volunteers to commit to at least six months as those in the program have already experienced much instability and don’t need more people to “flake” on them.

Another similar organization is Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which is based out of Fullerton, CA. This agency is currently working toward creating a training class for those who desire to mentor the birthmothers in their program. Though they have certified social workers to counsel these women, they are looking for female volunteers who can come and show them the love of Christ. They will require one training course which will be offered free of charge. They are still in the beginning stages of this program but would love to have a group of volunteers from our church come and help develop outreach opportunities with their agency.

If such a commitment isn’t feasible under your current circumstances, there are other ways to minister to pregnant teenagers and others who may be in crisis pregnancy situations. Organizations such as Nightlight Christian Adoptions sometimes just need people to get their brochures to high schools to reach uninformed pregnant teenagers who may otherwise be planning to go straight to an abortion clinic.

Many of these organizations also need financial support for the work they are doing. Silent Voices also partners with pro-life centers around the world to provide pregnancy support in various countries such as Russia, Romania and Zambia. They welcome churches to sponsor an international center by providing finances and supplies in on-going support. They also have a “baby bottles of change” fundraising program where they ask people to collect their spare change in provided baby bottles to donate to their centers.

Resources
http://www.pregnantteenhelp.org
http://www.thenationalcampaign.org
http://www.hhs.gov/opa/familylife

Silent Voices Contact:
Sharon Pearce
svoices@pacbell.net
619-422-0757
http://www.silentvoices.org

Nightlight Christian Adoptions
Contact: Kathryn Deiters
Kathrynd@nightlight.org
714-278-1020
http://www.nightlight.org

Cornerstone Bible Church
Contact: Rosie Park
Rosiepark88@yahoo.com
626-393-1343