Another pro-life group helping kids after they’re born
Agapé Pregnancy Center, 2550 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50310
The Agapé Pregnancy Center is a pro-life goldmine in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa. How many times have you heard it said that pro-lifers don’t care about the child after she’s born? How about a zillion! You know it’s all nonsense. The compassionate people who operate the Agapé Pregnancy Center are but another example of an organization that respects the dignity of human life before AND after birth.
Critical pregnancy services
Agapé offers critical services beginning with pregnancy testing and ultrasounds. Executive Director, Steve Siemens, told Iowans for LIFE that 85% of women who have an ultrasound of their baby in the womb choose not to abort.
These services are all free, as is STD testing. This is another important benefit to our community in light of data from the Centers for Disease Control. According to the CDC, one in two sexually active persons will contract a sexually transmitted infection by age 25, but only 12% of these were tested. Agapé stands in the gap to aid these young people with free testing.
Not only does Agape have a registered nurse on staff, they are supported by an ‘army’ of trained volunteers who are well-versed on how to interact with their clientele.
You should ask them for a tour, because you’ll be struck by the compassionate atmosphere that so defines this humble clinic. In fact, if you’re interested in volunteering, they’d love to talk to you.
“Earn while you learn”
Agapé helps babies after they are born
Agapé is more than a pregnancy clinic. They offer “Earn While You Learn” courses that will help babies (and parents) after birth. These classes dispense critical information on how to care for a child. So many young women and men don’t know where to begin. For example, one young woman thought she was supposed to wake up her baby and feed her every hour on the hour at night.
She was exhausted and frustrated. Agape provided her with the training to right the ship.Those completing the courses earn ‘Agape bucks’ which they can spend at Agape for diapers, cribs, car seats, pack-n-plays and infant clothing.
An invaluable resource
Iowans for LIFE considers Agape an invaluable resource to the Des Moines area. Even their location is a blessing, as it is located on a bus line for easy access. Occasionally, if a client needs assistance to make it to class or an appointment, they will give them a bus token to help with transportation. If the bus isn’t convenient for a client, Agape will arrange a ride to their clinic so that transportation is never a barrier. Do you think Planned Parenthood offers these services? Agape sure does!
Their space is tight. Executive Director Siemens said a house became available for purchase immediately behind their clinic which could solve their space problems. If they could only find a way to purchase it, they could move office staff to the new property to expand clinic space.
The house is located at 2222 Bennett Street. So every day at 2:22PM, Steve Siemens called his staff together to pray to God to provide. He did.
Prayers answered
Agape Executive Director, Steve Siemens (left), shows off their new space to IFL Executive Director, Maggie DeWitte (center), along with Agapé Development Director, David Ortega
Miraculously, large donations flooded in from nowhere, allowing Agape to purchase the house. Renovations will begin soon to allow the expansion to become reality. When it’s done, Mr. Siemens said, “It will allow us to expand our Hispanic and men’s ministries which are top priorities.” He adds that the expansion will allow Agape to be a blessing to the neighborhood by making space available to the community and clients.
“We also provide adoption referrals because there are so many people who want babies.”
And yet human abortion not only kills a person, it kills a dream for couples begging to adopt. Adoption referrals assist women and couples who don’t feel they are equipped to raise a child at this point in their lives.
It’s all about faith
Faith underpins everything Agape does. As Mr. Siemens put it,
“God is great not just because nothing is too big for Him; God is also great because nothing is too small. The Sovereign One cares about every minute detail of our lives.
God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time, but it’s up to us to seize those opportunities that are all around us all the time. Keep praying and trusting!”
[Iowans for LIFE supports Agape’s mission. Agape Pregnancy Center is a member of the Coalition of Pro Life Leaders and a financial supporter of our pro life billboard campaign. We encourage you to support them.]