Lynchburg center works to save lives while furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ
In 1999, a group of Christians in Lynchburg, Virginia, banded together to establish a crisis pregnancy center to promote the cause for life. Ever since, the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center has been serving families in central Virginia.
“We exist to save lives and comfort those involved in unplanned or undesired pregnancies while furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Susan Campbell, executive director of the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, said.
All services provided by the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center are free of charge. The center provides limited obstetrical ultrasounds, hospital-grade urine pregnancy tests, peer counseling and pregnancy and life coaching classes.
“Every time you come to our center for any of the classes or appointments, you’re rewarded with baby goods, all for free,” Campbell said.
In addition to the physical services provided by the center, the gospel is presented to those in need as well.
“Without the gospel and the power of those saving promises, we’re just another secular social service agency,” Campbell said. “They’ll know we’re Christians by our love, not by our condemnation and our scrutiny and our judgement. We have to show grace and truth, but in love.”
In 2021, the center saved hundreds of lives.
“True abortion determined women came in, 204 of those came in and changed their mind,” Campbell said. “We have about an 85% success rate.”
On June 23, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the center was hit with vandalism.
“Unfortunately, we were targeted based … on our gospel-driven message,” Campbell said. “They did several thousand dollars’ worth of damage in six minutes.”
The vandalism was part of the “Night of Rage,” a violent night of attacks by a pro-abortion group called Jane’s Revenge.
The violence is currently under ongoing federal investigation by the FBI and has been classified as a hate crime. No arrests have been made at this point.
“I never went to sleep Friday night thinking I was going to wake up to a call from Lynchburg police,” Campbell said. “It was surreal. It was heartbreaking.”
Along with the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, 38 other pregnancy centers, Catholic organizations and churches were vandalized on the “Night of Rage.”
Even through the bitterness and hurt stemming from the events on June 23, Campbell has made it a goal to show forgiveness.
“I immediately showed forgiveness both audibly to the news outlets and in my own personal prayer time,” Campbell said.
However, Campbell never lost hope for the center.
“I never thought that God (had forsaken) us or left us. He was there for us,” Campbell said.
The Lynchburg community played a large role in the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center’s recovery.
“There were over 100 volunteers here within minutes (of the announcement), cleaning up glass, boarding windows,” Campbell said. “The community showed up. … It was all cleaned up by Saturday night.”
For more information on the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center and the services offered, visit their website.
Smith is the news editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on Twitter
