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Unlike most of our patients, Cheri came to Rockville Women’s Center(RWC) with no intention to abort. She made it clear that she was going to carry her baby to term but that she was considering placing her baby up for adoption. Although Cheri knew she wanted to carry her baby to term, she struggled with hardship and financial distress in her life, which left her vulnerable to possibly ending her pregnancy. She was in great need of ministry and practical support. RWC was exactly what Cheri needed.
Cheri is 35 years old and came to us for a free sonogram. Her first visit was emotional as she cried and spoke of the painful losses in her life. She felt that her pregnancy would, in some way, bring healing for the hurt she recently endured. She had not shared the news of her pregnancy with family or friends as she wanted to wait until she had a confirmed pregnancy. She repeated multiple times that abortion was not an option and that she was happy about becoming a mother to a second child. She couldn’t contain her excitement as she eagerly awaited her sonogram.
Her face lit up as she watched the TV monitor which showed a 6-week baby with a faint flicker of a heartbeat. Although the baby’s size was very small, she was very excited to see the beginning of the life growing inside of her. She could not stop smiling and she asked for pictures to take home to share with her older daughter. After the sonogram, Cheri continuously thanked the staff for their kind words, emotional support and wonderful resources. She was overjoyed with her visit and asked to return for a second visit to bring her friend. She wanted to see the change in growth and hear the heartbeat once she was further along.
Two weeks later, Cheri returned with her friend to RWC. She was very excited about her visit with us and especially excited to see the baby again. She was receptive to a spiritual talk and gladly welcomed prayers from the advocate. Cheri and her friend headed into the exam room for her second sonogram which should’ve placed her at 8 weeks. She laid on the table impatiently and watched the TV screen. The room became quiet as the sonogram revealed that there was no growth since her earlier sonogram and there was no heartbeat. The pregnancy was no longer progressing and now she was faced with another loss. Cheri could not contain herself as her shock turned into devastation and tears. She closed her eyes and cried out asking what had she done wrong to deserve this? Why did this happen to her? How would she explain this news to her daughter? The emotional pain consumed her and suddenly she was very confused.
Cheri and her friend were led into the counseling room as she cried and continued to blame herself. The advocates and staff sat in silence allowing her to continue to grieve. Our Medical Manager instructed her to see her OB as soon as possible and to seek grief care once she was ready. Eventually, she accepted prayers for her loss and was appreciative of the support and the peaceful words. Cheri broke her silence with a thank you. Thank you for being there for me, thank you for not leaving me, thank you for helping me through this. She asked the team to please continue to pray for her and to keep in touch with her. She also asked for continual support emotionally for comfort. Her gratitude of the service she received was more than she’s ever known. Cheri was distraught, yet she continued to give thanks to RWC for being a refuge in her time of need.
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Sue Stauffer, an amazing volunteer, has been serving with Rockville Women’s Center for almost 15 years! Her prayers have covered the center for years as she has faithfully come to pray on Thursdays for the patients who enter the doors. There is no doubt that her petitions to the Lord have been heard on behalf of so many families.
Sue loves people. Plain and simple. She has seen the good in people during the worst of times. When she was little, Sue’s entire family of seven was displaced due to a house fire they survived. Her community rallied around them and helped to meet their most basic needs. Sue says that, “People are incredibly generous when their hearts are touched.”
We agree with Sue, and we are so blessed to have her on our volunteer team. She’s offering up prayers for the patients and families we minister to at RWC, so that their hearts will be touched, and they choose life.
To all the prayer warriors out there, like Sue, who are lifting up RWC and the individuals we serve to God in prayers, thank you. May we all remember 1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
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Grace Church, located in Clarksburg, MD is a grace-filled, gospel believing, Bible centered community of believers advancing God’s Kingdom here on earth. Senior Pastor, Larry Malament, and his wife Marilyn, moved from North Carolina six year ago to join the church planting team from Sovereign Grace. At Grace Church, they desire that each person who comes to their gatherings, meets God through the preaching of His Word. They want the Gospel to inform every area of their lives, beginning with their thoughts and decisions. It is this dedication to the faithful teaching of God’s Word that informs their commitment to share the Gospel in their community. This passion to take the Gospel to the community is one reason why they have partnered with RWC for the past 6 years. New RWC board member, Larry Wethje and his wife, Stephanie who are members of Grace Church, recently kicked off a Baby Bottle Campaign. Bottles were collected on the Sanctity of Life Sunday, January 19, 2020 to benefit the work and ministry of RWC. Thank you Grace Church for your prayers and financial support in the work of the Gospel.
To learn more about Grace Church, please visit them online at www.gracechurchmd.org.
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Volunteer Opportunities
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RWC has volunteer opportunities. If you have an interest and want to learn more, join us on Monday, January 27 at 6:30pm. Please contact LaToya, at [email protected] for more information. Address: 12530 Parklawn Drive, Suite 170, Rockville, MD 20852
Employment Opportunity
If you have a heart for Christ-centered ministry and want to provide support and information to help women, then please submit your application for the Patient Resources Coordinator position at RWC. The Patient Resources Coordinator is a frontline position in serving women who contact RWC for services. The ideal candidate must have active listening and counseling skills, be administratively gifted, be able to communicate with people in crisis and enjoy talking with people on the phone and in person. Responsibilities include setting and confirming appointments, entering and analyzing data, and training and supervising volunteers. Part-time, Monday-Thursday, 25 hours.
Submit your resume and cover letter to La Toya Ormsby, [email protected].
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