Pregnancy center continues to hope

MT. PLEASANT — Saturday evening, 350 guests gathered in Faith Christian Outreach Church for Cradle of Hope Pregnancy Center’s annual banquet to hear an update for the last year, learn about goals for the next, and donate to the cause.

“When you have hope, you have everything you need, and hope is in our name. The Cradle of Hope. That's what this ministry has been for thousands of girls, babies and families across this region,” Cradle of Hope board member John Henriksen said as he welcomed guests to the banquet.

“Through your giving and support, Cradle of Hope is on the cusp of launching an even greater outreach to girls without hope,” Henriksen said.

Following a dinner catered by Wilson Brothers Barbecue and service from local youth, Cradle of Hope Executive Director Peggy Knudsen gave an update which included information about this “greater outreach.”

“Her passion and action have helped Cradle reach thousands of young women in our region and save the lives of many, many babies. And her passion is now spearheading a ministry expansion to serve the unborn, to serve the mothers, and to serve sex trafficking survivors,” Henriksen introduced Knudsen.

Giving an overview of the center’s 17 years of operation, Knudsen stated, “Our whole purpose in starting Cradle of Hills is to help women that were in an unplanned pregnancy with feeling they had no other option but abortion.”

“We wanted to give her tools, education, resources, and help to realize that she had other options, and she did not have to choose this for her baby,” she said.

While Cradle of Hope started with this very pinpointed mission, Knudsen said it only took weeks before realizing that these women needed more.

“It's not just about her choosing life for her baby and then say, go on your way now. It's helping her through the whole process, through the whole pregnancy and beyond,” Knudsen said. “It's not just throwing a baby bed at her, it's being that arm of support to her.”

“I'd like to say Cradle of Hope is changing stories, rewriting chapters in people's lives, giving parents hope, and for some, a new destination and confidence to be the parent that they really desire to be, to embrace motherhood and to help them along the way,” she said.

Since the ministry’s conception, it continues to grow and add services.

The center now offers many mommy and daddy educational classes to support couples as they plan to become families.

Moving forward they also plan to begin offering sexually transmitted infection testing and cover the cost of the abortion reversal pill for clients.

The newest goal for their “greatest outreach,” as Henriksen put it, revolves around opening a Mother’s Home.

“A a year ago, at this banquet, we cast the vision and of the importance and the need of opening up a mother's maternity home,” Knudsen said.

She stated that the home would be more than a shelter, institution, or social program, but a home to further produce a culture of not only life, but abundant life.

According to Knudsen the home would provide advocacy, growth plans, and curriculum as they helped mothers get back on their feet.

The hope includes equipping and empowering pregnant or young mothers “to grow, heal and obtain their goals.”

Originally Knudsen planned to open this home by this time, but plans did not come to fruition.

After announcing the center’s intent to open the Mothers Home last year, Knudsen said that monetary donations, donations of furniture, and other home items came pouring in.

“Quickly, word got out over to the community,” Knudsen said. “They also became supportive. Many calls and messages started coming in with suggestions, ideas, building facilities, land, homes. And let me just tell you, no rock was left unturned.”

After looking at more than 35 homes throughout the last year, Knudsen has not yet found a location to realize this dream.

“Who would have thought that a year later we would realize man, there are homes that were either not big enough or too much money or needed too much work or would cost too much money to remodel,” Knudsen said. “Or there would be zoning issues and we need to always consider if they’re too institutional.”

“But God does know, and it's in his timing. Not ours, not mine. It's his great big plan,” she said.

While the center has not yet found a home, they continue their search as they receive emails and phone calls from mothers in need looking for a home and their clientele continues to grow.

“It keeps us hopping, investing, equipping, strengthening families,” Knudsen said.

According to Knudsen, in 2022 Cradle of Hope hosted 857 educational classes and in the first quarter of 2023, they’ve hosted 203.

Client contacts from 2022 included 3,366 individuals and in 2023 they have already seen 869.

Looking forward, Knudsen confidently declared that the center will continue to grow and will open the highly anticipated Mother’s Home, this year.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com