Article Photos

LEWISTOWN - Area residents celebrated the efforts of Crossroads Pregnancy Center Thursday at its annual banquet, held at the Evangel Baptist Church in Lewistown.

This year's theme was "Water of Life," and featured Acts of Renewal, a husband and wife drama team. The couple, Jim and Carol Anderson-Shores, reside in North Carolina and have performed at many Crossroads events.

Cindy Mansberger, executive director of Crossroads, said the purpose of the evening's event is to give God glory for all he does through the ministry.

Mansberger described some of the services Crossroads offers, such as pregnancy tests, a sexual integrity program, Bible study, a post-abortion recovery session for individuals and groups, and a men's program.

Mansberger said in the last 10 months, Crossroads has aided clients with 258 bags of diapers and 154 bags of baby clothes.

She said the center looks at statistics on how many times it meets one-on-one with clients.

"Every year that number grows," she said.

In 2004, Crossroads met 626 times with clients. In 2006, the number grew to 1,501, and in 2008 the number was 2,138, Mansberger said.

"(It) just blew us out of the water," she said about 2008's number.

Mansberger said this year Crossroads has been able to open a fourth office in Juniata County, with the other three locations in Lewistown, Huntingdon and Mount Union.

Crossroads often helps clients that are hurting badly, Mansberger said, but the center serves a God that says everything is possible with him.

"And even for one life, that means everything," she said.

Acts of Renewal's first skit, called "Communicating with the Opposite Sex," focused on celebrating life and relationships.

In the beginning of a relationship, the skit indicated, couples often feel that they communicate perfectly with each other. However, as they get to know one another, they learn about each other's differences.

"God created us male and female," Carol said.

Males and females differ not just physically, but emotionally, she said.

The second skit, called "In a Crisis," was based on true stories of two Crossroads clients, Carol said, explaining that clients come into Crossroads for many different needs: Some clients are easy to help and others are difficult.

One part of the skit dealt with a soon-to-be father that looked to Crossroads for help on becoming a dad. He was nervous about being a good father, the skit signified, because he lacked a good father role model.

The man was helped by Crossroads, which aided him in looking to Jesus Christ for guidance.

The second part of the skit featured a woman who got pregnant and didn't want her baby.

Even though she didn't want it, she decided not to abort it, Carol explained.

It's great that the woman saved a child's life, Carol said, "but how do you win a mother's heart?"

Once the woman had the baby, she became grateful for it, Carol said, and got through her difficult time with the help and support of Crossroads.

The group's third skit, called "The Woman at the Well," featured a woman who met Jesus Christ at a well and found personal hope and courage, and enough strength to leave a man that didn't treat her well.

The event also featured a client testimony video, which was introduced by Bonnie Ritchey, client services director at the Crossroads center in Lewistown.

She said at Crossroads, the staff is committed to helping men and women alike, and oftentimes clients are in unhealthy relationships.

"Many are hurting and looking for comfort and love," she said.

It is the hope of the center, Ritchey said, that clients can find forgiveness and hope, and know that they are a person of value.

Crossroads Pregnancy Center provides Christ-centered counseling and educational services with regard to abortion alternatives, pregnancy, parenting and sexual integrity, empowering individuals to make choices that cherish every human life, according to a brochure by Crossroads.

For more information, call the Lewistown office at 242-4800, the Mifflin office at 436-0024, the Huntingdon office at (814) 643-0331 or the Mount Union office at (814) 542-2880.