Helping mothers is Sumter woman's passion

The road to motherhood is not the same for everyone, and some women need guidance and encouragement to find the path that works for them.

"A lot of our moms are scared when they come to us," said Kristin Hallal, director of Sumter Pregnancy Center. Many of them are first-time mothers, she said.

It is very important for staff to build a trusting relationship with clients and for clients to get to know each other, Hallal said.

"We were not meant to go through this life alone," she said.

Some clients even come back to volunteer and help mothers who may have the same fears or questions they did, she said.

Hallal said clients are informed of their options including adoption and are informed about the abortion process if that is something they are considering when they come by, though it is not abortion staff will recommend.

Staff also provides referrals for adoptions, ultrasounds and other services that are not offered at the center.

The purpose of the center is to save babies, and the decisions will be different for each woman because they all have a different story, Hallal said. The staff is not here to judge, she said.

Hallal said the ultimate goal is for women to choose the life of their child and be prepared for when that child arrives.

People think this is just a teenager thing, but women of various ages, races and socio-economic backgrounds come to the center for help including married women, she said.

Two-thirds of clients are new mothers, and women between 20 and 29 years old make up more than 50 percent of clients, she said.

And some women, who already have children when they arrive, need emotional and spiritual assistance along with information about their options.

Staff has found out that some clients are not told that they are worthy, that they can say "no" or that they can achieve anything, Hallal said.

They do not receive the same encouragement as some other women, she said.

Moms need to know someone else is going through the same things as them, she said.

The center is here to assist women emotionally and spiritually, and even offers a Bible study course for those who seek comfort after an abortion, she said.

Though the journey may be longer for some, Hallal enjoys taking each twist and turn with her clients.

"I'm not going to judge," she said. "I have the honor of helping save babies and show the love of Christ."

She said one of the most rewarding things about her job is when former clients bring their children to the center after they are born. There is a wall in the teaching center with nothing but baby pictures on it, she said.

And though Hallal does not have children of her own, she said she is happy to see other women doing their best to be fantastic mothers. You see these women just light up when they talk about their child, she said.

"Most of my friends will tell you I have a whole lot of babies," she said.

Anyone seeking assistance with preparing for a child can call Sumter Pregnancy Center at (803) 773-8858 or go to pregnancyoptionssumter.com.