June 2018 marks two years since we received the key to 60 B Tupper St. N. My thoughts at that time were, “Let’s clean up a bit, put on the coffee, open the doors and begin loving on people.”
God’s thoughts are deep and He does great works.
Had the small group of prayer warriors known what lay before us in these last years, we may have despaired. We did not, but continued to move forward over one hurdle, another bump, roundabout and u-turns. Now two years later, we proclaim with great joy and confidence that our God is great and greatly to be praised.
The office space we acquired had changed hands several times without any great work done to the interior. The walls were either covered by slat wall for displaying skateboarding paraphernalia, or brightly painted red and orange. A kitchen cabinetry shop had left behind many kinds of floor coverings from their display kitchens. Much work needed to be done to make it the warm inviting space we wanted. God provided skilled carpenters, electricians, painters, plumbers and decorators, most of who donated their time and expertise to a total value of $45,000.
The furnishings were bare minimum and left-behinds. God has again graciously provided furniture for an office, reception area, two counselling rooms and a common area for larger group events.
Financially we are being blessed by many individuals, churches in the Central Plains area as well as business owners. When asked by the lawyer in the summer of 2016, “Where are you going to get your money?”, we had just pointed up! What a great provider our great God is!
“O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.”
There were so many things that we did not know how to do and yet we desired to do them with integrity and excellence. God provided willing, capable and godly advice and resources through many different avenues. Canadian Association of Pregnancy Support Services is an organization whose ministry it is to equip and aid centres like ours. God also provided a godly, experienced lawyer to aid us. Other crisis pregnancy centres in Manitoba and across the nation have shared what they have learned with us. We are so blessed, especially by the loving care and generosity of the Winnipeg Crisis Pregnancy Centre. We would not be where we are without the gracious help of all these ministries.
Mary Loewen, Executive Director and Dawn Bell, Administrative Assistant
One of the ways that I see God so clearly at work in this place is through the staff and volunteers that He has sent to us. In the summer of 2016, we selected a group of 9 people from our community to make up the steering committee. They represented 5 different churches. That group morphed into our board of 6 people. This group also came from different local bodies of believers. In January 2018, when we were ready to begin our volunteer training, 24 people from 9 churches were present. God is using this ministry to draw together those who love Him first and others second, who want to make a Kingdom impact in our community. PPSC is the church in Central Plains working together to point many to Jesus as the only One who offers hope and empowers lives.
And finally, two years later, our doors are open and the coffee is on. We are sharing the love of Jesus here. God is bringing those in pregnancy related crisis to us, and we say God is good, faithful and kind.