Pregnant Alternatives

Ali Maegraith Pregnancy Support Centre Surry Hills

It’s amazing what happens when God draws together different people united by the same heart and conviction. This is what happened about only 18 months ago, in mid-2011, when the Pregnancy Support Centre in Surry Hills became a reality.

There is a great need in Sydney to provide nonjudgmental support to women and their families facing an unplanned pregnancy. Many women find themselves facing the abortion clinic because they feel they have no choice. They lack support from the father of the child, they lack the resources to care for a child, they are ashamed of their situation or they simply don’t believe they are in the right circumstances to have the child. As one of our clients sadly told us: ‘I have to do the thing that I most don’t want to do’.

Women who are dealing with the effects of their abortion have testified that they had their abortions in ignorance and were not offered a clear, honest account of what abortion actually involves. Some women admit that they had no one to talk to and were pressured by their families and partners.

The Pregnant Alternatives organisation was nursing an idea to have a pregnancy support centre for many years. They were steadily raising funds for this end. Providentially, a shop became available to rent exactly in the location that was desired. Once a team was formed of a group of women who were willing to volunteer, then the pregnancy support centre was born and now has a life of its own.

Every woman who has come to us so far has been deeply distressed at the prospect of abortion, whether she has gone on to make this choice or not. We are the voice that says ‘we can help you’; ‘you don’t have to do it’; ‘what do you need in order to have this baby?’ The women who have come to us know that we provide support for women after an abortion, so if, alas, they do choose termination and are struggling to deal with the personal effects of that decision, they know where they can go. For some women, abortion is not the end of the road but the start of God doing an incredible and powerful healing work in their lives.

We are just at the beginning! One of our needs is to find families or couples who are willing to provide accommodation for women short term. Many women have made the step to proceed with their pregnancies due to the kindness of people who have opened up their homes.

Please pray that good decisions are made to run wisely and prudently. Please pray that our volunteers would have sensitivity and wisdom as they speak to women. Please pray that we would be protected from groups and individuals that would want to shut us down. Pray that we would have a unified vision and that our organisation would remain dependant on God’s grace and upholding.