From the keynote speech delivered by Prudence Humber, retiring Executive Director, at Alpha’s 28th Annual Banquet, April 9, 2010. Click here to view the entire speech.

Verse 1 of Psalm 127 reads: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.”

One of the recent and best achievements of Alpha’s Board and Staff is the restatement of our Core Values. Our values have not changed, but we have finally figured out a good way to communicate them. The first value speaks to our commitment to God’s word.

Biblical truth-foundational
The Bible directs all that we do and demonstrates God’s offer of hope, forgiveness, and change.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;”

There are many temptations to stray from this. Once, a man who distributes Pennsylvania state funds to pregnancy centers like Alpha told me that we could get these funds, if we would hire one person to do all “spiritual counseling” at stated hours in a dedicated office. It would flow something like this: When a woman brings up a spiritual issue, I would take out a waiver for her to sign. It would state that she has requested spiritual counsel, but I have informed her that I cannot give her such counsel because I receive state funds. However, she is welcome to return to speak with our Spiritual Counselor any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 12 and 3. Yes, you may have rightly guessed that this gentleman is a lawyer.

Now I ask you, if I were standing beside Niagara Falls and saw someone being swept toward the precipice by the rushing torrents of water, should I pull out a waiver and a pen and tell her to sign so that I can contact someone with a lifeline for her an hour from now, or even tomorrow? What would a government official think of my doing that? What would bystanders think be they pro-choice or pro-life?

Just how would that have worked with a young woman who came late one winter afternoon, deeply grieved over an abortion she had chosen less than a month earlier? She had met someone online by the name of Grace who referred her to us. This young woman was so suicidal that I would not let her leave my office until a friend arrived to take her home. I would have preferred admission to a hospital for the sake of safety, but that would have caused serious new problems for her. While we waited for her friend to arrive, I shared with her the hope of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. She had heard that message before, but thought abortion was beyond forgiveness. That evening, she responded to God’s word. Through the generosity of God’s people, I was available to this distraught young woman that evening past closing time, able to throw out the lifeline of hope, forgiveness, and change. God enabled her to grab hold. She returned many times and now has moved on. I look forward to a reunion in heaven.

Human life-invaluable
Being created in the image of God, every life has inestimable value from the moment of conception, and therefore is worthy of protection.

“Behold, children are a gift of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward.”

How strange is this perspective to a society that will sanction the killing of 300 pre-born children during the two hours we are together this evening?

If I had brought a stack of bills this evening worth $1 million, and offered it at no charge to the first person to lay a finger on it, how many of you would have rushed the stage? Indeed, I would have needed to prepare a corps of armed guards to keep you in order. Administering those million dollars would require a great deal of your time, energy and resources. But even though we did not plan to find a million dollars this evening, few, if any, of us would have blinked an eye in deciding to go for it. A child is worth far more than a million dollars. A child is an invaluable gift, no matter how big or how small, whether in the womb or outside the womb, whether mature or immature, whether dependent or independent, whether planned or unplanned.

Love of Jesus-sacrificial
God’s love expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus compels us to extend mercy to every man, woman, and child.

We humans are so valuable that God’s love for us caused Him to sacrifice His one and only Son for us. There was no other way to solve the problem of our sinfulness. He calls his children to love sacrificially as well. This enables our staff at Alpha to make critical calls on their off hours. It enables their families to give them up at odd hours. It enables our hotliners to set aside time to listen carefully and encourage those who call our hopeline. It enables people like you and churches like Christian Stronghold to give sacrificially. This is God’s provision for our clients.

Wholistic care-integral
Every person is an inseparable and unique unity of body, mind and spirit, therefore each aspect must be considered in ministry.

Some may wonder whether or not there will still be a need for Alpha’s services when national healthcare programs take hold. What?!!! Let us not forget that government believes it is wrong to use public funds, even those contributed by God’s people, to minister to the spirit. It mandates that its providers not address the needs of the spirit.

Spiritual care is a distinctive of Alpha Pregnancy Services. It gives the heart, the desire for excellence, and the care to the whole individual.

Many years ago, we hosted a site visit from two workers who provided in-home service for another agency in the city that is financed partly by government funds. They told me early in the visit that a supervisor had asked where they were going. When one of them replied “Alpha Pregnancy Services”, the supervisor responded with disdain: “Why would you go there? All they get there is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!” She was right in a sense, and though she didn’t realize it, her employees were encouraged by her comment. What she didn’t understand is that our clients get “Jesus” in both deed and word!

God’s grace-incomparable
God’s grace has been given to all free of charge, therefore services are free and offered without discrimination as to race, national origin, religion, age, or marital status.

God’s grace enables our receptionist, Joy, to offer a warm welcome and a cold drink to those who enter. It enables Kamiesha, our Administrative Manager, to use the phrase “grace period” when taking a call from a client who plans to be late. For 29 years all services have been free. That is God’s provision through His people. Yes, we have had periodic struggles with finances. Currently, we face challenges. It is during the hard times that our faith in God’s ability to provide grows and enables us to tell our clients with assurance that God will provide for their needs.

Three years ago, we started working with a pregnant Christian woman who had come halfway around the world because of religious persecution in her home country. This week she came to an unscheduled appointment having lost the end of her right index finger in an industrial accident on Good Friday. She had not been able to sleep well since the accident remembering the trauma, and fearing that now she would be disabled. She feared not being able to return to the long sought after job that she really enjoys. She feared greatly a loss of financial stability. It was a joy to tell her that God has already provided top class medical care for her, has given her body the ability to adjust to a missing digit, to heal, and has given other body parts to minister to her injured finger. He has also provided other members of the Body of Christ to minister to her in her present affliction.

We prayed that she and her toddler daughter would cast all of their cares on God, because God cares for them. Now I ask you to pray that she will be able to return to work, that she will receive proper compensation, and that she will move from temporary to contract employment with this company. That may well take a work of God in her employer’s heart. Our God’s grace is sufficient; His strength is made perfect in weakness.

Love for neighbors-practical
God has called us to love our neighbors, especially those living in greatest need; therefore we choose to prioritize a ministry of love, mercy, and reconciliation to the people of Philadelphia.

“Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.” Psalm 127:1b

“… Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7

This value applies to all aspects of our work, but let me illustrate it through our commitment to encourage people to save sex for a marriage relationship. This is a message rarely heard in secular circles. If it is heard, most likely there is an addendum such as:
Keep a condom in your pocket.
Get your Plan B if there is an “accident”
Remember, you have a choice.

Saving sex for marriage is God’s Plan A for us. This is the foundation for the safe secure family (unless God builds the house). It is the guard over the city. It brings welfare, not calamity to the city. Following His plan gives hope and a future.

At Alpha, we encourage confession of sin, and know that we kneel at the foot of the cross with our clients. We know beyond a shadow of doubt that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. Furthermore, He promises to cleanse/sanctify us from all unrighteousness. He scrubs. This is a work in progress by the power of the Holy Spirit to apply the coarse cleanser of God’s word to our sinful habits. At times it is painful and unpleasant, but it results in joy, peace, and hope. As Alpha’s clients engage in the scrubbing process and in finding solutions, they also earn an abundance of maternity clothes, baby clothes, equipment, childbirth classes, and parenting support. Can you help us with a shower of clothing or holding babies during New Mothers’ Group or teaching a craft?

Excellence in service-admirable
God calls us to serve with excellence, because in doing so, our work reflects his character to our culture.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven:” Matthew 5:16

Again, this is a distinctive that should cause Alpha to shine even brighter during an era of national healthcare. A pregnancy test at Alpha is both a work of art and a work of heart. We have a strong desire to provide women with accurate information about how their bodies work, about how babies develop in the womb, and about where and how they can obtain quality healthcare. Experienced Registered Nurses, Kim and Sue, perform all of our tests. This is relatively rare in the world of facilities that perform pregnancy tests whether they are secular Family Planning Clinics or Pregnancy Resource Centers. It has been our commitment for many years, but was sealed in 2000 when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania licensed us as a Level I Clinical Laboratory with a Medical Doctor, currently Frank King, as our Medical Director.

From inception, Alpha has been committed to hiring staff that has professional education and experience. Our Social Workers most often have Bachelor in Social Work degrees, though sometimes related disciplines are accepted. What a blend, God’s children who have professional backgrounds! Our Social Workers, Jamie and Weronika guide clients through the process of solving the problems they face and learning basic life skills, like how to keep an appointment. Clients engaged in this process earn goods and services. God has provided this for almost 29 years. We also love to have board members and committee members who represent various professional disciplines.

Partnership with churches-essential
Christ calls us to show mercy to His Church, therefore we extend opportunities for local churches to serve and to receive services.