Keeping the Doors of Hope Open!
This spring, Stanton Mobile’s doors have been consistently open serving clients 3 days a week, Stanton SoCal has a brand new Executive Director, and we just opened a brand new office space next door to Planned Parenthood in Victorville.
You read that right - Stanton Healthcare of Southern California is growing in size, space and impact!
In recent months, I have been honored to witness God’s mighty hand bringing many years of prayers and sacrificial giving to fruition.
Stanton’s ministry has already reached more clients in the past two months than in 2020, and we are on pace to serve more women and their babies than any other year of operation.
Since the doors of the Stanton Mobile reopened last October, we have seen over 100 precious pregnant moms and their equally precious babies. Over 100 women and 100 children did not go into Planned Parenthood, and instead received compassionate, quality care from volunteers motivated by the love of Jesus at Stanton.
All this in 4 hours a day, 3 days a week.
Imagine the reach we could have if we were open whenever Planned Parenthood is open: 9-10 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Well, thanks to the response of God’s people in and around the High Desert,
Stanton SoCal is actively pursuing the goal of opening the Mobile more hours, more days.
In January, Stanton received a generous grant from a local family which opened new doors. This family recognized the immense need for Stanton’s life-affirming, Christ-centered women’s healthcare in the High Desert and beyond, and they pledged their support of our expansion.
Thanks to the incredible gift from this family, we were able to hire a full-time Executive Director who has the heart, vision and experience needed to position Stanton as a serious competitor to Planned Parenthood in the heart of the Victor Valley. Let me introduce you...
Laura Murphey is a strong Christian and a fierce advocate for the women and babies at risk from abortion violence. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal Baptist University, and lives in Victorville with her husband Ryan and their three young children.
A little story to show just how God perfectly orchestrated her arrival at Stanton SoCal:
Laura was working as the director of a public service agency in Victorville, and eventually the job required her to facilitate events which featured Planned Parenthood.
As a passionately pro-life Christian, Laura knew she couldn’t work with Planned Parenthood or similar organizations. Laura put in her two weeks’ notice and started looking for a new job which would be vocational, hopefully with a Christ-centered business or ministry.
What did she find when she searched job postings on Indeed.com?
Laura found Stanton SoCal’s job posting - which clearly spelled out the expectation that Stanton’s Executive Director would be responsible for a Christian ministry whose purpose is saving lives and serving “the least of these”.
She interviewed for the position, and it was clear to Stanton’s leadership team that this was the person of the Lord’s choosing. When I called to offer her the job and ask when she could start, Laura said, “Well, tomorrow is my last day at the agency, so I can start on Monday.”
Laura put in her two weeks’ notice, and God honored her faith:
she was never out of a job.
One of Laura’s first tasks was to find suitable office space for Stanton in Victorville. After 9 years of working out of donated space in Wrightwood, it was time to move the operations to Victorville.
Laura knew we needed an office which would serve as administrative headquarters, with space for training volunteers and inventoring clinic supplies. Browsing the classifieds, she discovered an office available for lease on Anacapa Road and knew in a moment - this was the future Stanton headquarters.
It was affordable, spacious, and 2 doors down from Planned Parenthood.
Stanton SoCal’s front doors look out on the Planned Parenthood sign. The Stanton Mobile drives to the office and restocks, then travels mere feet to park in front of the abortion clinic, offering a life-affirming alternative to abortion-vulnerable women. Meanwhile, faithful sidewalk counselors can often be seen offering resources at the entrance and the Stanton SoCal office is open to any woman in need..
God is doing great things in the High Desert...
Planned Parenthood is surrounded by HOPE!
On April 16, we invited Pastor Gary Malkus from Calvary Chapel Victorville to pray over the new office and bless the work that will be done in that space. Thanks to word of mouth, this simple prayer event turned into a wonderful gathering of over 50 of Stanton’s faithful friends and supporters.
Men and women, dozens of children, pastors and their wives, volunteers and financial donors - all people of God joining together to celebrate Stanton SoCal’s expansion and to pray over this strategic location. Laura and Ryan with their toddlers, my husband and our seven kids, Pastor Gary and Jessica Malkus and their five blessings, and many more families present reminded us all of the joyful, hopeful purpose of Stanton - to rescue little ones and their mothers from the violence of abortion, restoring families and empowering healthy choices for life.
As voices lifted in prayer for the ministry of Stanton Healthcare inside our new office,
I was overwhelmed by the realization that we were standing
mere yards from Planned Parenthood.
As Stanton volunteer Gigi led everyone in the Doxology,
I was reminded that the power of Christ will overcome the darkness.
As I watched Laura handing out volunteer applications, I was encouraged and excited to think of how Stanton SoCal is expanding by leaps and bounds.
By God’s grace, through you and many other faithful friends, Stanton SoCal’s Doors of Hope are open. It may not yet be 7 days a week, but our doors are open and will stay open. And thanks to Laura and our growing team of volunteers, more hours and more days will be added in the months ahead.
Before we can expand Stanton Mobile’s hours and services, we also need your help.
If you currently support Stanton SoCal with your prayers, finances or time, thank you! We need your continued partnership to keep the Doors of Hope open.
If you have not yet committed to supporting Stanton on a monthly basis, please consider making that pledge today. You can visit our secure online donation system and set up a recurring tax-deductible gift, or send checks made payable to Stanton Healthcare to P.O. Box 189, Wrightwood, CA 92397. We need consistent monthly donors to budget and plan - thank you!
If you would like to give of your time or other resources, please turn the page for our current needs list and to see how you might be able to support Stanton in your own way. There are opportunities to contribute that may surprise you!
And as we look forward to a busy summer of ministry, please keep Laura and the entire Stanton team in your prayers. Feel free to reach out to Laura at 760-684-8860 or online with any questions about the work of Stanton SoCal, or just to welcome her to this exciting new role.
As always, I am thankful for your faithful support of Stanton SoCal, and pray that you are blessed by your partnership with this life-saving ministry. Together, we are keeping the Doors of Hope open in the High Desert!
For the voiceless,
Danielle Versluys
President, Stanton SoCal