Vice President Mike Pence Makes Historic Visit to Florida Pregnancy Resource Center

On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence made a historic visit to a pro-life pregnancy resource center (PRC) in Florida. He is now the first sitting Vice President to visit a PRC.

“It was a historic day for all pregnancy centers,” Charles DiMarco, President and CEO of New Life Solutions, said in an interview with The Daily Citizen.

The life-affirming mission of New Life Solutions is to “protect the unborn, share the Gospel and transform our communities, one life at a time.” The ministry does this by focusing on prevention, intervention and restoration. This includes classes on healthy relationships at local high schools, pregnancy resource centers called A Woman’s Place Medical Clinic, abortion grief ministry, classes and other activities aimed at helping mothers, babies and families thrive.

The ministry even has a housing program called Shepherd’s Village, where single mothers are given the opportunity to live in one of twelve units for two or three years while they work, raise their family, pay rent, go to church and take classes that can put them on the path to success. It’s been operating for 25 years and so successful that children raised in these units have come back to support the ministry that supported their mothers.

“What we really try to do is develop a relationship with those that choose life, even those that come back after choosing an abortion,” DiMarco said. “Over the last 35 years, we have saved nearly 10,000 babies from abortion. In the last 12 months, 500 babies have been saved. In fact in one of our centers on Monday, two young women who were very much abortion minded ended up choosing life for their babies. Two others that were walking through our discipleship classes made a profession of faith. We have seen nearly 9,000 professions of faith over the years.”

“It’s really just a privilege to serve and to see what’s taking place from both the life transformation, but then the spiritualized transformation,” DiMarco said. “It is a similar model that Jesus used, where you meet the physical need and then that turns into a higher, spiritual need. We’re seeing just total life transformation take place within these walls every single day, both with choosing life for their baby and then as they make professions of faith.”

The ministry is going strong, so it was both an honor and a privilege when the pro-life group the Susan B. Anthony List reached out about being a stop on a roadshow with Vice President Mike Pence and Charlotte Pence and having them tour their facility.

“He is the most kind and gracious person,” DiMarco said. “He was generous with his time and he asked questions. His team was taking some notes on what the impact has been. He is authentically moved by what is happening in the pro-life movement and that he wants to be a part of it. Through our discussion, through his time there, you can see the total genuineness and authenticity that he cares for the unborn and the most vulnerable”

“I am convinced that, even without any kind of platform, he would be serving in this type of a ministry just because it’s important to him. His desire is to take a stand on the sanctity of life. His desire is to stand with those who are most vulnerable, our unborn.”

Vice President Pence also got to meet one of the women who originally came to A Woman’s Place Medical Clinic abortion minded, but through the support and ministry of New Life Solutions, made the decision to keep her child. He just turned one today.

“Vice President Pence is so encouraging and so affirming,” DiMarco said. “He poured into her and said how much of an honor it was to meet her and thanked her for what she is doing and her decision.”

In his own statements at a later event, Vice President Pence said, “And in the days ahead, as you labor in this movement, remember: I believe with all my heart that the men and women of the pro-life movement do not fight alone. He who said, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,’ fights with you.”

For those on the front lines, supporting mothers and families with an unplanned pregnancy, the message is so incredibly encouraging.

“Scripture calls us to be a defender of the defenseless and a voice for the voiceless,” DiMarco said.

Photo from VP Mike Pence on Twitter

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