Myth Buster: PRC’s Day in Lansing Brings Truth to the Fore
CEO of the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Rapids Jim Sprague and medical services director Karley Wood were among those who met on the Capitol lawn with community partners from around the state and state lawmakers to highlight the work carried out by pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes and adoption agencies. Think of Jim Sprague as a myth buster.The CEO of the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Rapids met with state lawmakers in mid-May for the Empowering Women, Strengthening Communities event.
Coordinated by the Michigan Catholic Conference and Michigan Family Forum, adoption agencies, maternity homes and pregnancy care centers — more than 30 organizations from across Michigan — showcased the essential services they provide to pregnant women, new moms and adoptive families in their communities.
Sprague and PRC of Grand Rapids' and medical services director Karley Wood took the opportunity to inform legislators and the public about the good work the PRC has been doing since it was founded in 1985.
Sprague addressed the House of Representative's Health Policy Committee about the benefits that all pregnancy resource centers in Michigan bring to residents of the state. Many representatives are prolife, but others are skeptical of PRCs.
Dispelling falsehoods
Sprague took the opportunity to dispel certain falsehoods some in Lansing may hold against pregnancy care centers.
"I think there's a myth out there because we're motivated by our faith, that means we're somehow not medically professional," says Sprague. "I wanted people to understand when a woman is pregnant, she has three choices: abortion, adoption or parenting. We exist to make sure women are informed — we don't' give them access to abortion services, don't refer or perform or fund abortions — but we do talk about its risks and side affects where you considering a chemical procedure or a surgical procedure. Many will say, 'I don't know. What's the difference?' We explore that if a woman still would choose an abortion, she knows full well what she's getting into."
Need real choice
This year’s Walk for Life is June 19. Checking the political pulse of the House of Representative's Health Policy Committee, Sprague believes there are those who consider abortion the only viable choice. In response, Sprague says he spoke the truth."That's not much of a choice (abortion)," says Sprague. "(That's like saying) you can choose to buy this Chevy or this Chevy. We're (the PRC) a group that's going to walk with her even if she chooses abortion. The abortion industry can't acknowledge that a woman might have some emotional, spiritual, relational fallout from her abortion decision but we know that that's there because we've talk with women a lot."
When it comes to advancing the prolife movement, Sprague believes the dual rudders of legislation and service are needed to guide pregnant women to make a choice for life.
The service arm
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"I think the legislators I worked with are really coming to understand that lawmaking can't do it alone," continues Sprague, "it's working in concert with local pregnancy centers whose heartbeat would be working closely with the local churches where we want to see her end up and flourish."
June 19: Walk for Life
The PRC of Grand Rapids' annual Walk for Life is June 19 this year. Its theme verse is Luke 18:1: always pray and never give up.
The Walk offers people an opportunity to band together in prayer, raise needed funds for the PRC of Grand Rapids and experience the contrast between light and darkness.
The Walk includes 72 Ransom Ave. NE, which houses LIFE (Life Initiatives For Eternity) International LIFE supports leaders in 83 countries who are working to end the assault on preborn children. But before LIFE International took occupancy of the building, it was home to the largest abortion clinic in West Michigan; from there, walkers will head south to 320 E. Fulton, which is the only operational abortion clinic in the region, Heritage Clinic for Women, and ends at the PRC which is next door to a Planned Parenthood Center.
More information is available here: https://prcforlife.org/events/walk-for-life/
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