We’re so excited to share that we have some new directors on staff at our pregnancy centers! Today, we’re talking with Leah, our Gresham director, and getting to know her a little bit:
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got connected to First Image?
I grew up in the area and continue to call Gresham my home. I graduated from Reynolds High School and attended Multnomah University. I attended Grace Community Church with my family until about six years ago and we now attend East Hill. My husband and I met seven years ago, have been married for six years and have a blended family of five kids, ages 19, 16, 15, 14 and 10.
I started at PRC quite a few years ago as a volunteer at the Gresham Center and was the Assistant Director at the Broadway Center for about four years. When my husband and I got married, I stayed at home blending our family for a few years. I came back to PRC in October 2020 as the Assistant Director and took over as Director in July.
What is one of your favorite Bible verses?
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24–26
How did the Lord lead you to serve at the Gresham center?
I was a newly single mom and God was heavily laying on my heart a strong desire to help women who were hurting or needing support in a difficult decision-making process. I remembered PRC from when I was in high school and I volunteered in the center folding pamphlets. I stopped by the center and started volunteering a couple weeks later.
What are some of the most meaningful aspects of working here?
The relationships that you build with the clients. When you walk with them through their pregnancy – from the test to the ultrasound and then the Parenting Class and finally getting to meet their baby, blessing them with baby clothes and a Mom Basket – it’s the most amazing thing.
What are some of the daily challenges you face in running a pregnancy center? What keeps you going when things are challenging?
Some of the daily challenges are making sure we are equipped to meet our clients’ needs, to be able to support them in a way that we know we have done all that we can to help them, and to continue to help them. Another challenge is making sure that our center has enough volunteers – both client and service advocates. Prayer and faith are what keep us going when things get challenging!
What are the biggest needs at your center, and how can people reading this get involved?
Volunteers! We would love to have more Client Advocates as well as volunteers who would love to sort through our donated baby clothes and wash them.
How can people pray for you and the staff/volunteers at Gresham?
Pray for our volunteers as they help clients navigate some very difficult circumstances. Because of the pandemic we are seeing more and more clients dealing with job loss and homelessness.
In what ways do you feel that you’ve grown since working here?
I feel that I have grown to trust God so much more, to lean on Him for His strength when making decisions.
Recent Comments