Crisis pregnancy centers team up to train volunteers

By Sylvia L White, The Catholic Sun
July 5, 2007

Life Choices Women’s Clinic, 1st Way of Maricopa County and Aid to Women Center held volunteer training sessions June 22-23 at the Arizona Right to Life office.

This was the first step in an overall effort for the three organizations to collaborate in ministering to women and their children.

Presentations during the training focused on a biblical foundation for the ministry, dynamics of a crisis, communication skills, faith sharing and education about sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence, and abortion.

Kim Johnson, previous director of training at Crisis Pregnancy Centers and current volunteer at 1st Way, reminded volunteers to be gentle and respectful toward abortion-minded clients.

“Women who have had abortions feel they need to be punished and don’t deserve healthy babies,” Johnson said. “You need to let them know God wants them healed. Sometimes it’s miraculous.  Sometimes it’s an unfolding.”

Johnson spoke of programs for post-abortion healing, like Post-Abortion Counseling and Education, which publishes a Bible study, and Rachel’s Vineyard, which conducts weekend retreats.

“There is no healing for sin outside a relationship with God,” Johnson said. “Through the blood of Christ and a relationship with Jesus Christ you can be healed.”

Nancy Jones, a parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas in Avondale, came to the training after seeing an announcement in the bulletin.

“I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into, but I’m really excited about it,” she said. “I was a single, unwed mom at 19. Making the choice to keep my baby turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life.”

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said that the Church wants to help women facing difficult pregnancies.

“We do that best when we can offer personal help in a loving and respectful setting,” he said. “We appreciate all those volunteers who step forward to assist in this important work. We want to give them the training they deserve to carry out their work effectively.”