fatherly wisdom, VISION of HOPE

Author Kirk Walden sees a future in which all lives are embraced — and it’s near.

“We’re beginning to be that shining city on a hill once again,” he told over 600 guests gathered at the Holiday Inn in Fargo on March 13 for a fundraising banquet supporting FirstChoice Clinic, a pregnancy resource center.

Pregnancy resource centers have been increasing in number, even as abortion facilities close, Walden said, and he’s banking on those trends continuing due to lack of patient volume.

With the help of medical technology such as ultrasounds, Walden feels that more are recognizing the gift of life, and feeling supported in their choice to give life through centers like FirstChoice Clinic.

While Walden drew a standing ovation, so did several FirstChoice Clinic clients — new moms who shared testimonies of changed lives.

One client shared her story about being abandoned by her boyfriend while pregnant. She said she cried every night and wondered what the future held. Her sister led her to FirstChoice Clinic, where, she said, she found love and support for herself and her child.

Several staff members also spoke, sharing their hopes of becoming an even more visible presence in the community, and the joy they said they receive seeing their clients find new strength and perseverance.

SHERMAN