Offering life-giving women’s health options
“ As a church that takes a stand for truth, we are overjoyed
to partner with and support the ministry work of Life
Choices. The vast services they perform in our community
are impossible for a church to undertake, thus the importance
of our congregation and others standing with them.
The results Charity and her team are providing speak for
themselves – over 5,500 people served and
over 3,000 babies saved! I challenge other
congregations to prayerfully consider
joining us in supporting the life-giving
efforts of Life Choices.” Pastor Steve Branson,
Village Parkway Baptist Church, Board Member Life Choices
BY AMY MORGAN
B E A CON W R I T E R
It’s tempting to mourn over the
passage of Reproductive Health
Act on Jan. 22 in New York. While
sorrow and grief are warranted –
especially since we know illegal
third-term abortions have been
happening all over the nation –
there’s hope. While the deaths
are tragic beyond imagination,
the Holy Spirit springs up at
special places like Life Choices
Medical Clinic.
Life Choices, formerly known as
Agape Pregnancy Help Center, is one of
several San Antonio ministries offering
hope to women facing unplanned
pregnancy. In 2011 the ministry’s vision
expanded to include medical services like
sonograms and sexually transmitted
infection testing and treatment. Leadership
decided the name Life Choices
Medical Clinic better reflected the scope
of services available. Now Life Choices
has become San Antonio’s resource for
life-affirming, comprehensive women’s
health care.
“Life Choices is truly the option for
women’s reproductive health,” says
Charity Farrar, who has been the clinic’s
Executive Director for the past 10 years.
“We love our women, and our men, and
we want the best for them. We care
deeply for them, and we are here to help
them make decisions they can live with.”
All of that love has produced the fruit
of health and life. Charity inspires the
clinic’s 30 staff and volunteers who
served 5,696 people who walked through
Life Choices’ door in 2018. Of that
number, 165 clients participated in
health or parenting classes; 896 took
advantage of the material assistance
program to earn diapers, wipes and baby
items; 402 came for professional counseling;
402 received prenatal care and 1,109
came in for women’s
health care unrelated
to pregnancy.
The ability to
provide medical
services whether or
not a woman is
expecting is a
distinguishing
characteristic of
This patient received free
Life Choices.
service and support.
Life Choices enabled her
Although they do
to deliver and parent
offer pregnancy
her baby.
testing, their
well-woman care extends to diabetes
and hypertension management,
thorough lab work, professional counseling
and treatment for depression and
anxiety, pap smears and breast exams
(not mammography). Most services are
free, but the remainder are provided at
extremely low cost.
Cases of syphilis, chlamydia, and
gonorrhea are at epidemic levels, Charity
says. Life Choices provides testing for
those diseases, as well as hepatitis,
herpes, trichomoniasis and HIV. After
testing, medical professionals offer treatment
for “everything that is treatable,”
she adds. “We help our health department
look after our population.
“The age group that’s at highest risk
for an STI are 16 to 26-year-olds. Our
society has told our children it is ok to do
what makes you feel good – there are no
consequences for your actions. Until they
hit my door – and then there are big
consequences,” she adds.
Other services include parenting
education, fatherhood classes, community
referrals and education, Bible studies
and assistance completing Medicaid and
Healthy Texas Women applications.
Everything is offered with love and
compassion, Charity says. Staff and
March / April 2019 www.saBeacon.com 9
/www.saBeacon.com
