By Zoe Rose
The Inspire Pregnancy Outreach Center in Lewistown, Montana, focuses throughout the year on helping women— and men—facing an unexpected/planned pregnancy or those who need support throughout pregnancy and more.
Since October is National Infant Loss Awareness Month, the Center focuses on grieving parents who have lost a child through a miscarriage with a special Miscarriage Memorial Service. Held annually on the third Saturday in October, the ceremony is pastor-led and is open to anyone in the community who has suffered the loss of a child through miscarriage.
“It’s the most beautiful service I’ve ever seen,” says Linda Peterson, director of the Center. “Our board, volunteers and myself came up with the idea to create a beautiful memory for families. The ceremony features printed, personalized programs with the names of the child or children, and each parent receives a white rose for each child they have lost to lay at the cross and take a little private moment for themselves.
“There is something very healing when you see your child’s name in print–with a miscarriage there aren’t a lot of things to hold on to,” says Linda.
The Center, located at 108 6th Avenue North in Lewistown, offers free pregnancy tests, unexpected pregnancy coaching, and an abortion recovery support with trained coaches who help with the healing and forgiveness process. All of the services are confidential and free, regardless of income level. The Center also offers a boutique featuring maternity and baby clothes, diapers, etc. A conference room is available where parents can watch videos about pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
The Earn and Learn program lets parents who watch the videos and/or read books from the library can earn “mommy money” and “daddy dollars” to spend in the boutique.
“From strollers, mattresses, swings, bouncers and breast pumps, if we don’t have it and they need it, we will find it for them,” says Linda.
For more information or to RSVP for the Miscarriage Memorial Service, call Linda Peterson, (406) 366-6062 or Nancy Fischer, (406) 366-3968.
The Center, a 501 (c) (3) organization, receives funds from local churches, the community, and the Central Montana Foundation. Donations may also be made through their Website inspireoutreachcenter.org.