Single Mom Chose Life. Now Her Daughter is Starting Kindergarten

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Sep 7, 2022   |   6:06PM   |   Port Huron, Michigan

Elisa walked into the Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center feeling anxious, alone and unsure about where to find help for her and her baby girl.

She was not pregnant, but someone had told her that the pro-life organization would still help her and her daughter. It did. Now, years later, Elisa volunteers at that same pregnancy center, providing hope and encouragement to other mothers and babies in need. Heartbeat International recently shared her story on its website.

“For those women and/or couples who are feeling scared as they are faced with the challenges ahead, the center can be a source of immeasurable support and comfort,” Elisa told the organization.

It was for her when she was a young, single mother going to college and caring for her infant daughter, Lissy.

Elisa prided herself in being a strong, independent woman who never asked for help, but when she relocated to a new city, she said she “started to feel overwhelmed.”

“I reached out for help after realizing that raising a baby while also trying to complete school was a bit more than I could manage on my own at that given moment in my life,” she said. “I was surprised when I was referred to Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center. Although I was no longer pregnant, I was informed that they might still be able to assist with my needs.”

Walking inside, Elisa said the staff quickly calmed her anxieties and made her feel welcome. Soon, she said she began taking parenting classes and attending a Bible study. She received a lot of baby items for Lissy, too, including formula, diapers, car seats, strollers and other supplies.

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Because the pregnancy center was so supportive, Elisa said she did not need to find child care; she was able to attend college full-time from home while she raised her daughter.

Now, both she and Lissy are thriving. On Wednesday, Heartbeat International shared a photo of Lissy getting ready for her first day of kindergarten.

Meanwhile, Elisa still goes to the pregnancy center every week, now as a volunteer.

“I go to learn, grow spiritually, continue healthy established relationships, and to be an encouragement for other attendees,” she said. “The Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center has impacted my life on so many positive levels. The staff and volunteers have such a warm, welcoming love for life. I will be forever grateful for each and every one of them.”

There are approximately 3,000 pregnancy centers across the U.S. that serve millions of women and families, providing counseling and support, pregnancy tests, diapers, formula, clothing and more.

According to an analysis by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, pregnancy centers have helped save more than 800,000 unborn babies from abortion since 2016.

The research found an estimated 3,000 pro-life pregnancy resource centers served about 2 million people in 2019, providing more than 730,000 pregnancy tests, nearly half a million ultrasounds, 1.3 million packs of diapers and more than 2 million baby outfits, all for free. Many offer post-abortion counseling as well.