It’s Complicated…Part 1 Poverty and Partnership

Have you ever heard a person describe their life or relationship as “Complicated?” Alania* came to the Center with a complicated story: jobless because of COVID, pregnant, parenting two children she struggled to feed, homeless, and currently in an abusive relationship. She wept loudly as she met with the nurse and received an ultrasound.  Alania had a plan, and this baby would be her 3rd abortion.
Alania’s story is multifaceted and deeply layered. Her struggle didn’t begin with the contemplation of a third abortion. She is doing the best she can. Alania is trying to survive based on what relational and societal rules she understands, with the skills, resources, and coping strategies she’s been modeled.  Alania is
facing poverty and has little hope.

Poverty is the degree to which an individual does without resources. Sadly, many of our patients (both women and men) experience situational OR generational poverty at some point in their life. Situational poverty can be caused by an unexpected death, by an unforeseen job loss, or even by a worldwide health pandemic like COVID-19. Situational poverty throws families into survival mode; with little or no warning, these moms and dads are suddenly unable to meet the family’s most basic needs.

Generational poverty occurs when two or more concurrent generations have lived in a state of depleted resources with little or no healthy external support systems in place. There is frequently an absence of modeled healthy relationships. Life is often experienced as movement from one crisis to another. For people living in this reality, it can be difficult to imagine a healthy or positive life change even though they may be dissatisfied and long for a better future. With both situational and generational poverty, feelings of powerlessness are not uncommon. When faced with an unplanned or complicated pregnancy, this “powerless” mindset can foster the false belief that abortion is the right answer.

YET THERE IS HOPE! When a mom or a dad walks into Pregnancy Resources, they are consistently nurtured and encouraged to envision a different future. This is a place where clients can be introduced to a different way, a different reality, and a different type of hope-filled possibility. It is here that clients hear “your past, your family, and your current situation do not define you – Jesus defines you – and there is always hope”.

This type of ministry is possible because of your partnership, your prayers, and your care and concern. Every day, you help moms and dads dream and plan for a new, healthier reality for themselves and their babies. Today we celebrate the mom who changed her mind when she saw her baby’s heart beating on the screen and we celebrate the father who learned how to better advocate for his wife during her complicated pregnancy.

Together, every day, we are bringing help and hope, to moms, dads, and babies one relationship at a time.

Liz Ryan
Outreach and Events

*Name changed for privacy