Volunteering

Yesterday I had my first day of volunteering at the Aloha Pregnancy Care and Counseling Center.

The center's mission is to provide support, the love of Christ, and alternative abortion options to women experiencing a crisis pregnancy.

When I first offered to volunteer at the center, I assumed I would be doing something like answering the phone, reception work, cleaning and such.

I was in for a surprise when I met with the director and he said "It's so great you are volunteering! We really need some more counselors!"

Uh, ok. It took me a minute to change my mindset of doing little help out tasks to being a counselor to these women.

It is a lot more of a responsibility.

I have to admit, to my shame, that my first reaction was "Dang, now I am going to actually have to work." I am so darn lazy!

But as I learned more about the center and what they do, I become excited to be able to help as a counselor.

So yesterday my first day was to go to a pastors lunch they were having in support of the center. The director thought it would be a good chance to learn more about the center. (Ok I am getting tired of calling it "the center", reminds me of that old show "The Pretender", so lets call it APC, as much as I really don't need any more acronyms in my life)

I unfortunately was sat at a table with women who work in Christian politics.

For being married to someone into politics, I really know anything about it.

As soon as Stephen starts talking about politics, I tend to contract an acute case of ADD.

So there I was with women going on about politics and which politician they like and which they don't.

Thankfully they didn't ask me any questions, that would have been really embarrassing!

During one part of the lunch a girl, probably around 19 or 20 years old, told her story about when her mom was pregnant with her she was in planned parenthood about to get an abortion when she changed her mind and left.

I love hearing those stories.

What could be more convincing of a baby's right to life than meeting someone who wouldn't be here today if a woman's "choice" was carried out.

During the lunch I was able to meet the head counselor at APC. She was so excited to have another therapist at the APC (apparently we are the only ones).

She started talking a million miles an hour about how I can help her train the other volunteers to be peer counselors and I can help supervise them when she isn't there and so on. It was really great to be recognized as being educated and experienced but a bit overwhelming when I had planned on volunteering 1 day a week.

Then she really dropped it on me saying that she used to be on the board for Marriage and Family Therapists in Hawaii and that she could supervise my hours and help me get licensed. Oh and her private practice family counseling center could use another therapist.

Man it was a lot to process at once.

So for now though, I will be volunteering on Thursdays and we will see where it will go from there.

God works in wonderful, mysterious ways.

(for those of you who don't know, the whole 2 years we have been living here I was looking for a way to get my hours and supervision)