Over the course of the past three months, our staff has been quite busy preparing and planning for 2014. All eight of our pregnancy centers continue to remain very busy with clients looking to us for a multitude of services such as, free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and support services, including diapers, formula and baby clothing. None of this would be possible without the generous support of our donors and volunteers working in each of our centers.
As I research what is going on across America with respect to our mission of saving babies while providing Godly counseling to all of our clients, I am finding a shift in the overall debate of abortion. The most recent Gallup poll on abortion reflected a significant rise of those identifying themselves as pro-life. In 1996, only 32% of respondents identified themselves as pro-life. In 2013, 48% of respondents claimed they were pro-life. But abortions are still taking place at an alarming rate, and now many women are aborting chemically with the morning after pill, rather than through surgery. The one-on-one counseling of our ministry is still the key factor in abortion decisions.
One of our primary objectives for Life Centers this year is to implement more relevant and effective methods of communication to reach prospective clients. The way in which we communicate has changed drastically in just the past five years. Most of our clients don’t have home phones and their means of communication is via a Smartphone through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, just to name a few. Our staff is diligently working on ensuring Life Centers thrives and meets the needs of our clients in a society that is evolving at a velocity unlike anything we’ve seen.
Much work needs to be done in order for Life Centers to continue the mission of saving babies and transforming the lives of our clients. As our new initiatives begin to take shape, I will anxiously share them with all of you and ask that you keep us in your prayers as we journey in to 2014 and beyond.
We are truly grateful to all of our volunteers and donors that are engaged with us in this worthy cause that changes generations upon generations, all for the glory of our Creator and Lord.
Tom Shevlot
Executive Director-Life Centers of Central Indiana