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By Emily Giacomini
Last fall I saw an announcement in The Falls Church bulletin that described Birthmothers Friends Certification Training. I didn’t know anything about the ministry. But one of my friends had just told me she was pregnant. She was not married. I wanted to see if there were ways to support her, so I decided to attend the training.
 During the training, Birthmother President Jim Wright shared his story and his motivation for starting Birthmothers. It was inspiring. I appreciated his openness.
About eight people were there to be trained. Each of us was from different churches. I really liked that – Birthmothers had gotten the word out and there are people from many different congregations who want to support women and men who face an unplanned pregnancy. Each person had the opportunity to share her reason for attending. It was incredibly interesting to hear everyone’s story.
The training broadened my awareness for what it must be like to be a woman (or a man) who faces an unplanned pregnancy. It increased my conviction that people in that situation need our support. Afterwards, I spoke with my pregnant friend. I encouraged her to call Birthmothers if she wanted to be matched with a Friend or simply have someone to talk to who could be objective, accepting, and nonjudgmental about her situation.
If someone asked me whether or not they should attend Friends Certification Training, I would tell them yes – absolutely. Birthmothers is a great ministry.
In our culture, there is not enough support for those who are pregnant and didn’t plan to be. I am very grateful there is an alternative like Birthmothers. It’s an alternative that offers much more than easy access to abortion or condemnation. Birthmothers Friends are people who are willing to walk alongside someone and help that person choose life. Friends provide a life-giving choice for the mother and child, whether the mother chooses to parent or place for adoption. It is a healthy choice.
Birthmothers Friends also offer the body of Christ an opportunity. People who become Friends are saying by their actions, “We do need to take care of people who need help. We’re called to help when they’re in a difficult situation, and I’m going to do something.”
The next Friends Certification Training is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 at Birthmothers offices in Vienna, VA. Register here. To learn more about becoming a Birthmothers Friend,
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or call us (703-261-6370 in metro DC or 970-481-4787 in CO).
 On Saturday, May 7, we will honor adoptees, adoptive families, and women who have lovingly placed their children in the embrace of an adoptive family at our 12th Annual Birth Mothers Day Brunch from 10 AM – 12 noon at Nicolson Hall, The Falls Church, Falls Church, VA.
The Birth Mothers Day Brunch is held each year on Mother’s Day weekend. It is a tangible way we can honor those in the adoption triad – adoptees, adoptive families, and birth parents who have placed their children for adoption. We want to pay tribute to as many of them as possible. Please plan on attending this very moving and inspiring event – and encourage those you know in the adoption triad to attend, too. RSVP here.
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