Eighteen years ago, Jim Wright witnessed the struggles of a 14-year-old high school freshman as she courageously faced an unplanned pregnancy. The young woman battled to carry her child to term, even without support from family or friends.
A few months later, she gave birth to a son. Jim and his wife Tami adopted him.
“The birth mom’s struggle was pivotal in the genesis of Birthmothers,” says Jim.
Comedian Mike Williams
Jim’s vision – to provide women relational support during an unplanned pregnancy – is now an organization that matches women one-on-one with a Friend. Since Birthmothers’ inception, hundreds of women have been matched with a Birthmothers Friend for personal support that Jim noticed was missing in his son’s birth mom’s life. An underlying goal, says Jim, is to siphon off the need for abortion services by flooding the marketplace with unconditional love.
On Thursday, October 14, Birthmothers will celebrate its unique ministry to pregnant women at its annual banquest, An Evening to Remember, beginning at 6:30 PM at the Sheraton Premiere Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA. (RSVP here.)
Birthmothers is privileged to partner with Christian comedian Mike Williams – “the funniest man in God’s Kingdom” – along with renowned Christian music artist John Schlitt (former lead singer of Petra) in this special event to extend Birthmothers’ reach to women who face an unplanned pregnancy.
Mike and John each have a very personal story to share about the impact of unconditional love.
Raised as a street kid in Chicago, Mike Williams was later adopted by a godly couple who’d prayed 12 years for a child. In 1997, Mike and his wife adopted their own son from a similar background, bringing him full circle in a compelling story as an adoptee and adoptive parent.
John Schlitt was on a fast track to success with a rock band when cocaine and alcohol caught up with him. In a moving story of redemption, John’s wife first accepted Christ and urged him to speak to her pastor. After his conversion, John left behind a life of addiction to become a family man and later, the lead singer in the groundbreaking Christian contemporary group Petra.
“Compassion – not condemnation – is what women crave when in a crisis,” says Jim. He envisions the love of Christ changing the current landscape of options for pregnant women. Birthmothers works to reverse the need for abortion services by offering unconditional support and compassion to pregnant women, along with a healthy dose of grace to those on the prochoice camp.
“We’re not a protest ministry,” says Jim. “We’re a love ministry.” Volunteer Friends give women a very real option during an unplanned pregnancy. They are loved, accepted, and supported, which allows them the encouragement they may need to choose life and adoption where appropriate.
Exactly the kind of encouragement and support that a 14-year-old birth mom desperately needed so many years ago.