{"id":48501,"date":"2024-11-05T11:09:22","date_gmt":"2024-11-05T16:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/?p=48501"},"modified":"2025-11-04T16:22:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T21:22:45","slug":"first-life-center-for-pregnancy-were-here-to-help-you-god-is-here-to-help-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/first-life-center-for-pregnancy-were-here-to-help-you-god-is-here-to-help-you\/","title":{"rendered":"First Life Center for Pregnancy: \u2018We\u2019re here to help you. God is here to help you.\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: The Florida Baptist Convention and One More Child are partnering to mobilize our faith community to vote \u201cno\u201d on Amendment 4, the Right to Abortion Initiative, which will be on the state ballot Nov. 5. For more information, visit\u00a0<\/em>onemorechild.org\/voteno<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

In this article, learn how Orlando\u2019s First Life Center for Pregnancy is a beacon of hope and support for women facing unplanned pregnancies.<\/em><\/p>\n

ORLANDO\u2014 The young Hispanic woman, crying, walked into Orlando\u2019s First Life Center for Pregnancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe arrived at our center at six months pregnant, crying at the front desk. She told us, \u2018I need to have an abortion. I don\u2019t know what you do here, but I need to talk to someone now.\u2019 \u00a0When cases like these happen, they call me,\u201d recalled center director Irma Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe brought her into a private room where we could speak in Spanish. She told me, \u2018I have two children at home; my husband just abandoned me, and I work in construction. I can\u2019t keep this baby; I need help.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez shared how the young woman explained her hardships further: \u201cShe said her job made her pregnancy visible, making her feel judged and unwanted. She was determined to have an abortion, convinced it was her only option.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A turning point<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pastor Israel Martin of First Orlando Hispano, prays over babies and family who chose life through the counseling and support of the First Life Center for Pregnancy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The center\u2019s holistic approach includes compassionate counseling and a series of questions designed to understand the woman\u2019s background and offer the support she needs. After speaking with Rodriguez and hearing the gospel, the woman was ready to proceed to the ultrasound room.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was still determined to end the pregnancy, but we took her to see the ultrasound,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n

As the licensed ultrasound technician began the scan, they discovered a surprise. \u201cThe technician said, \u2018Look, here\u2019s your baby. You\u2019re six and a half months along, not just six like you thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez then asked the woman, \u201cDo you want to know the sex?\u2019 \u2026 When she found out the baby was a girl, she opened her eyes wide and started to cry as she saw her baby moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

But then, something even more remarkable happened. \u201cThe technician moved the wand and found a second baby,\u201d Rodriguez shared. \u201cThere were twins, both girls. The mother cried even more, seeing their tiny hands and feet and hearing their heartbeats. She wept as she realized these babies were alive, formed and real.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finding strength and support<\/strong><\/p>\n

Still overwhelmed, the young woman expressed her fears. \u201cShe said, \u2018But what am I going to do? I can\u2019t work; I can\u2019t afford food; I have to pay rent.\u2019\u201d Leaders at the center stepped in with words of reassurance. \u201cWe told her, \u2018We\u2019re here to help you. God is here to help you.\u2019 That day, she accepted Christ, chose to keep her babies, and found hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez concluded the story with an update that highlights the power of faith and community: \u201cToday, she has four children, comes to church with all of them, and works in construction. It\u2019s been an incredible blessing for her. She tells us, \u2018I don\u2019t know how I ever thought of that; I regret it so much, but God\u2019s grace is real.\u2019 Every time we see her, we\u2019re reminded of how God restores and rescues.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beacon of hope<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Volunteers pack care packages for moms served by the First Life Center for Pregnancy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For nearly four decades, the First Life Center for Pregnancy<\/a> has stood as a beacon of hope and support for women facing unplanned pregnancies in Orlando.<\/p>\n

Inspired by a deep commitment to uphold the sanctity of life, the center\u2019s mission is driven by a pro-life belief in the inherent dignity of every human being. This belief fuels its compassionate work, providing not only immediate resources but also long-term support and guidance for mothers and families as they navigate challenging decisions.<\/p>\n

Founded 38 years ago by Rick Fletcher, who felt a strong calling to support expectant parents in making informed choices, the First Life Center has grown to become a trusted haven for countless women and families.<\/p>\n

Today, under the leadership of Rodriguez, the center continues to honor its founder\u2019s vision. \u201cRick is my mentor and remains an active part of our advisory team,\u201d Rodriguez shared, underscoring the center\u2019s unwavering commitment to its founding principles.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why voting \u2018no\u2019 on Amendment 4 matters<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, as Floridians head to the polls to vote on Amendment 4, leaders at the pregnancy center believe that the amendment poses a significant threat to the protection of life. If passed, it could lead to the expansion of abortion access, undermining the very work that centers like First Life strive to achieve. It would make it much harder for pregnancy centers like First Life to reach and support women who are in crisis pregnancies. A vote \u201cno\u201d on Amendment 4 is crucial for protecting the unborn and ensuring that the support systems that First Life has in place continue to thrive, leaders believe.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez\u2019s voice carried the weight of experience and dedication: \u201cOur long-term goal is to create a supportive environment where every woman feels prepared and supported to choose life.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Get involved<\/strong><\/p>\n

The First Life Center for Pregnancy calls on local churches, individuals and businesses to join its mission. Whether through volunteering, mentorship or donations, every effort helps build a culture where life at every stage is celebrated and protected. \u201cWe welcome churches, individuals and businesses to join us as volunteers, mentors or donors,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we can create a culture that celebrates and protects the dignity of life at every stage.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: The Florida Baptist Convention and One More Child are partnering to mobilize our faith community to vote \u201cno\u201d on Amendment 4, the Right to Abortion Initiative, which will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":48503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[270,22,23,45,25],"tags":[899,759,900,841],"class_list":["post-48501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-florida-baptist-childrens-homes","category-providing","category-sharing","category-statewide","category-stories","tag-first-life-center-for-pregnancy","tag-first-orlando","tag-irma-rodriguez","tag-no-on-4"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/100"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48501"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67801,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48501\/revisions\/67801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}