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Write:
PO Box 1603
Lafayette, IN 47902
Phone:
(765) 742-2050
Fax:
(765) 742-7513
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our office
Happening ... in the Local Church
 Matrix
Lifeline of Greater Lafayette opened with a downtown office in July
1978. Since 1998, Sallie Janowiak has been director of the center, now
located at 1824 Maple St. (Photos by Caroline Mooney) |
 Karen
Rhoda was honored as Volunteer of the Year at the May 3 fund-raiser. |
 Sallie
Janowiak shows one of the many items donated to Matrix. |
By Caroline B.
Mooney
The
Catholic Moment
LAFAYETTE — Matrix Lifeline Pregnancy Center started in this community 30 years ago in order to offer alternatives to abortion.
“We help one mother, one baby at a time,” said Sallie Janowiak, director of Matrix Lifeline. “The exciting part about ministry like this is that so many people ... the volunteers, staff and donors — all work together to praise each opportunity that God gives them to shine light into lives that are sometimes pretty dark. We try to change, nurture, touch, protect and mend the hearts of women and men God sends to Matrix.”
The organization held its major fund-raiser on May 3. The 13th annual “Sweet Celebration of Life” featured guest speaker Dr. Paul Jarrett, a former abortion provider. He shared the horror of seeing the beating heart of the 23rd baby he aborted. It was then that he stopped giving abortions; he now shares his pro-life testimony with others and has become a medical missionary in Africa.
Matrix Lifeline was formally organized in January 1974, in Bloomington, Ind., eventually establishing four chapters in the state. Since then, two chapters have closed and two have become independent centers.
Matrix Lifeline of Greater Lafayette, a private organization funded by donations from churches, individuals and groups, opened with a downtown office in July 1978.
The organization’s telephone line was activated in December 1978. In September 1985, the office moved to a walk-in center provided by St. Elizabeth Hospital, and in April 1994, Matrix moved to its current location at 1824 Maple St.
“Our focus is on pregnancy testing and helping people make better decisions. We have lots of clients who come throughout their pregnancies, and some just come for the tests,” Janowiak said. “We give about 350 pregnancy tests each year, with 25 to 30 people coming in every week.”
Client services also include counseling with discussion of options, prenatal financial assistance, referrals for community services, abstinence resource center and educational presentations.
Director since 1998, Janowiak started volunteering at Matrix in 1989.
“I got started because my family was always against abortion,” she said. “I was in high school when it was legalized in 1973 and I remember giving a persuasive speech against abortion. After my own kids were in school, I had a friend who was a Matrix volunteer and God easily led me there.
“We always focus on purity, sexual integrity and abstinence before marriage. We want to let clients know that it’s okay to be abstinent and it‘s okay to change their lifestyle. … We want to help them make a good healthy decision for themselves and perhaps for future children.
“For every abortion that takes place, there are the living victims — the mother, the father, all the relatives and friends that surround that woman who made that choice,” Janowiak said. “We are seeing in our country over and over again people who say that abortion was hurtful — it wasn’t a positive choice. It was a short- term relief, but then they struggled — sometimes for years, not really recognizing why they were depressed or lonely or suffered from a whole list of post-traumatic symptoms that post-abortive women often struggle with.”
To help deal with those effects, Matrix offers a one-on-one peer counseling program and focuses on being a safe place where clients can look to God for healing and forgiveness.
Women coming to Matrix range from 16-year-olds to doctoral candidates. Men are encouraged to come along for meetings and parenting classes.
“We ask women what kind of support they have — do they have a mom, a family, or do they belong to a church?” Janowiak said. “For them to turn back to God would be huge — to have a fellowship of Christian believers would be so helpful. … That’s sometimes hard to bring up — that’s not their first focus. I am pleased with how many clients are open to a discussion about religion.”
Volunteers at Matrix are there to talk and offer information, literature, referrals and prayer to women.
“It’s such a neat job,” said Karen Rhoda, a Matrix Lifeline volunteer since 2002, who was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award during the annual fund-raiser. “There’s a real need and it’s a good feeling to know that you are helping someone.”
Rhoda is currently teaching one of Matrix’s education classes, “Earn While You Learn,” a one-on-one parenting class for first-time parents. Clients learn what will happen throughout pregnancy and delivery, and how to care for themselves while pregnant. It meets once a week for six to 12 weeks.
The client always has the same facilitator, so a level of trust is built up. With all the classes, clients can earn “Matrix Money,” which can be used to buy new items of clothing, diapers, formula, car seats, cribs and other baby items for their children from a store upstairs.
Downstairs, the office has clothing distribution that clients can look through once every three months for each child up to size 4T. All the items are donated.
“Clients watch videos and do worksheets in the class,” Rhoda said. “Sometimes after class we will go shopping upstairs with their baby bucks. Or, they may save up their money to buy bigger things.
“Younger mothers sometimes have trouble staying awake during class,” she said. “But it’s great to get someone who is really interested, really wants to be a good mother and is eager to be there.”
Another group parenting class is offered for parents of children up to age 2. “Parenting Toolbox” is a six-week course, given in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, that approaches parenting from a biblical standpoint.
“Every time we need something, God sends someone else and new ideas start flowing,” Janowiak said. “We are here to help women with their fears and questions. We offer real compassion, real love and real solutions.”
Volunteer opportunities include pregnancy test counselor, helping in the clothing room, office and clerical tasks, cleaning and organization, sewing for client needs, fund raising, post-abortion and abstinence ministry, newsletter editor/contributor, and bulk mailings.
Matrix Lifeline Pregnancy Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone needing help or who may be interested in volunteering can call 765-742-1533 or check the Web site at www.matrixlifeline.org. Special appointments can arranged.