It’s a beautiful spring day in Texas—and despite the earlier forecasts of rain, there isn’t a cloud in the sky. The day is perfect to begin the five-city ultrasound bus roadshow tour, which will culminate with a mobile ultrasound unit arriving in New York City, just in time for the Alive from New York event on May 4th.
Alive from New York is dedicated to celebrating the life of the preborn baby and highlighting the horrific abortion legislation signed into law by New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this year. But abortion is not just a problem in New York. Across the country, there is a battle being waged between the abortion business and pro-life pregnancy resource centers for the lives of preborn babies and the hearts of women.
That is something that the Hope Women’s Center of McKinney, Texas is discovering.
Although the community of McKinney successfully drove Planned Parenthood out of the neighborhood, the battle for the lives of women and babies has moved from the sidewalk to Google.
As Planned Parenthood coffers grew exponentially larger under the leadership of its former president Cecile Richards, the ability of local pregnancy resource centers (PRC) to compete and reach abortion minded women became more difficult. For Hope Women’s Center CEO Holly Snell, that’s a problem. Especially since her clinic and team are dedicated to reaching women who are seriously considering an abortion.
“Our target patient is that girl who is abortion minded and that is why we’re here,” Holly said. “That’s why people partner with us, to save those children and be their voice. We also want to empower the woman and come alongside her and to help her make an informed decision.”
Planned Parenthood, with its seemingly limitless resources, often outcompetes Hope Women’s Center and other PRCs like it by buying up what are called Google Ad Words. These Ad Words allow PRCs to come up in the top of a Google search when a woman is looking for an abortion business. It is an opportunity to not only offer them alternatives to abortion, but possibly the only time that the women, and sometimes men, who are in the midst of an unplanned pregnancy will have a chance to hear the Gospel.
“There is an abortion clinic that is heavily targeting our area,” Holly said. “That is our biggest battle right now.”
Reaching every woman and man who comes through Hope Women’s Center with the Gospel and love is crucial to the center’s heart and mission. It is not just about saving babies but transforming lives.
And Hope Women’s Center is doing just that. Despite some of the challenges that they face from an aggressive Planned Parenthood internet campaign, Hope Women’s Center is thriving. The center’s location has recently doubled in size, thanks to the vacancy of a neighboring office. The newly renovated space is light and airy, providing a calm atmosphere for women who might feel like they are in the middle of an emotional storm. The center’s also grown their nursing staff from three to 15, including two physician assistants that can help with other medical needs, like testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. The number of volunteers has grown from 12 to more than 50, including about 20 men.
This year, the center’s staff anticipates that they may see more than 1,000 women. Every one of them, as Holly describes, is a “divine appointment,” as the staff meets with women who need hope and healing as they process and plan for the future as a parent.
Pray for pregnancy resource centers like Hope Women’s Center, that they can continue expanding and reach more and more abortion minded women. Also, consider donating or volunteering at your local pregnancy resource center so it can continue reaching women in your community.
Stay tuned, as well, for more stories from the road!
