Beautiful Work

LOCALLY SOURCED

Beautiful Work

EMILY IVERSON

It’s wonderful to visit a beautiful place, but recently I found more inspiration at making a place beautiful for young mothers in need. My husband, Chris, and I have been working alongside pro-life groups for many years now. A lot of what we do is important, but we don’t feel that importance all the time. It can feel like a list of tasks.

Recently though, a group of college students and I went to the Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton to help them create a more permanent baby bank. At this location, moms referred by one of the pregnancy resource centers operated by Caring Network are able to grab essential items for their babies for free, including diapers, wipes, formula, etc.

We gathered at the baby bank, and we learned from Mark DiGiacoma, who participates in this ministry at Church of the Resurrection, that moms have started to talk with each other at the baby bank, and the church wanted to make a more welcoming space. Over the course of multiple weeks, we worked on cleaning the area, making a white picket fence, painting a mural, and creating a space for children to play. The work is ongoing, but I found that making a beautiful place was much more meaningful than enjoying a beautiful place.

The real beauty is in the purpose of what we’re doing. Caring Network works with moms who are thinking about getting an abortion, and through counseling, decide to keep their babies. Some of these moms feel such tremendous pressure, and access to these supplies help them make a decision for life. I learned that Church of the Resurrection was asked by Caring Network if they would be willing to host a temporary distribution center. The church agreed to host it for three months originally. That turned into another three months and eventually a permanent baby bank. Now, we are making it more than a place to receive, store and distribute baby care products. We are making it a beautiful space for moms, who have made a beautiful decision. We are not finished yet, but through our simple acts, we are expressing Christ’s love for generations to come.

What are we doing at College Church to help this effort? This month begins our annual Coins for Caring Network baby bottle drive. Beginning April 24, you will see empty baby bottles on display so that you can take one home, fill it with coins, cash and/or a check. Return it on Mother’s Day, May 8, to the collection table in the Narthex (just outside the Sanctuary). These funds go toward this beautiful work of helping moms keep and care for their baby.