The Cradle of Hope: Helping
Women through Crisis Pregnancy
Peggy Knudsen
Pastor Monte and Peggy Knudsen have been in ministry for 32 years, pastoring and traveling within the US and abroad. They pioneered a church in Harlan Iowa in 1981, and after eight years moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa to Pastor Faith Christian Outreach Church and continue residing there effecting Southeast Iowa. They have a multi-site church, with more opening in the next two years and a multi-faceted ministry, with outreach as a main focus of the vision of FCOC, “finding a need in the community and meeting that need.” Pastor Monte and Peggy have six children and one grandchild on the way. You can learn more about their ministry at www.fcoc.net.
One of the outreaches for FCOC is a pregnancy resource Center. They were finding teenage pregnancy on the rise in their community with little or no help for the young mothers to make a sound decision for herself and the life of her unborn. Peggy has always had a passion for teenage pregnant moms, the unborn, and has a drive to make “Iowa the safest Place for the Unborn.” With the daunting task before them, she began to reach out to girls who experienced an unplanned pregnancy, and to her surprise, several were contacting her needing help, support and direction.
When FCOC acquired another building, it was obvious that a pregnancy Resource Center was one of the ministries that would be offered. Thus, Cradle of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center was born in 2006.
Cradle of Hope Exists to give compassionate help and resources to women/men who feel they have no option except abortion.
Our mission statement is simple: To reveal and communicate the life-changing message of Jesus, providing practical help and loving support for those facing an unplanned pregnancy.
“One women, one pregnancy at a time”
Our services include:
- Offering a safe, loving place for women to come and receive counseling
- Mentoring
- Classes
- Pregnancy tests
- New born care
- Post-abortion counseling
- Adoption referrals
- Education on purity and STD’s
- An “Earn While You Learn program” where they earn mommy money to buy much-needed baby items and furniture from our “Store.”
Cradle of Hope was able to hire a full time nurse and purchase a Sonogram machine this last year to enable abortion-minded women to see the life inside of them. This has been most effective, since 97% of all women change their mind on the decision of abortion after seeing their unborn baby.
We also have started a “traveling” Cradle of Hope to surrounding communities since many mothers are unable to drive to the main location. We set up an office once a week in two other communities with two more opening up next year.
Myles Munroe said: “There is no greater SELFISHNESS than the abortion of a human fetus for the sake of convenience. There is no greater tragedy than abortion. It robs life of its essence and denies the future its value. Abortion is the ignorance of responsibility and the denial of obligation. The abortion of potential condemns the future.”
This quote sums up the very essence of why Cradle of Hope exists.
We must do whatever we can to help women, men and families, who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy come to the decision that abortion is NOT an option.
