The pro-life movement is stepping up efforts to counter the abortion industry’s tactics to bring larger numbers of women to Kansas for abortion.
At least two new pregnancy resource centers are close to launch, one this month, with big plans to meet the needs of women who are open to receiving life-saving help. In the Lansing/Leavenworth area, the new Sparrow Women’s Clinic will have a “soft open” this December after nine months of preparation. Executive Director Patty Halley marvels at God’s providence, which she says brought the project to fruition.
“My husband and I conceived the idea (to open a medical pregnancy resource center) in February and ran it by some friends of ours hoping they would talk us out of it. Nine months later, we held our first fundraising event featuring Sen. Dr. Roger Marshall as our speaker.” Pro-life supporters turned out in numbers that exceeded expectations, filling the venue past its capacity.
Sparrow’s founders received an outpouring of help from the pro-life community, including other pregnancy resource centers, students, and the Leavenworth chapter of KFL. When it opens, Sparrow will offer free pregnancy tests, first trimester ultrasounds, sexually transmitted infection testing, and dedicated client advocates to help find the resources women need to parent or bless another family through adoption. Sparrow will also offer abortion pill reversal (APR) through a partnership with Heartbeat International. A devoted band of nine volunteers will run the operation, including three nurses.
“I prayed for one nurse,” said Halley, “and God gave me three. I’m learning to not put limits on God. When we’re obedient, He makes everything come together.”
Other areas of the state are also building new capacity to assist more women as our state expects to face continuing increases in numbers of women seeking abortion information. Embrace pregnancy resource center in west Wichita will soon open a new location in Derby to meet women where they are.
Executive Director Tim Quiggle says research shows close proximity to pregnancy resource center help is essential to increasing the likelihood a woman will choose life for her baby.
“Research shows women will drive 100-200 miles for an abortion but are less willing to go more than five miles to a pregnancy resource center,” said Quiggle. “When we drew a five-mile circle around Derby, it encompassed those areas we felt God is calling us to serve. We’re not wanting to duplicate others’ services but see an underserved area and want to be where God’s called us.”
Embrace is currently locating space for property to purchase. They are also asking for prayers for good staff and volunteers to support the satellite location, which will likely be needed in the next 60 days. To learn more about Sparrow Women’s clinic, visit sparrowwomensclinic.com. To learn more about Embrace Pregnancy Centers, visit embracewichita.org.