Crisis Pregnancy Center Central opened its doors in Houston, Texas, March 1997. Since that time it has seen over 4,400 clients. The center is unique because of its strategic location. CPC Central shares a back fence with Planned Parenthood's Texas Headquarters, and its front door faces the Houston Community College main campus where over 3,000 women attend classes. Planned Parenthood has seven satellite offices in the Houston metroplex and all abortions are referred to the central location behind our center. In the back of our center we have a room called the Spirit of Life prayer chapel. It is a dedicated place where visitors, bible study groups and prayer warriors come to spend time in prayer for the end of abortion. Looking out the chapel windows, one can see into the second floor windows of Planned Parenthood's second floor operating rooms where abortions are performed six days a week.

How many babies die there is anyone's guess. In 1988 we were told it was over 50 per day. We know Planned Parenthood has three parking lots surrounding their building. The lots hold over 150 cars, are always full and change out two or three times a day. Tragically, we sometimes see a school bus parked in the lot indicating students were brought for testing.

We face many challenges daily being behind the largest abortion provider in our state. We have also seen incredible victories. When we first opened we decided to always pray for the employees and volunteers at Planned Parenthood. After about six months we began to see our prayers answered. Young women began coming in saying a counselor at Planned Parenthood had referred them. One girl told our counselor that when the Planned Parenthood counselor told her she was pregnant, the client said she did not want an abortion.The counselor told her, "We only do abortions here. Go behind us, they'll help you." Thus began a small, steady flow of regular referrals. We don't know if they come from just one counselor, or two or three, but the referrals keep coming. It is obvious that God has touched someone's heart.

The spiritual warfare takes many forms at CPC Central, but God has always been here to give us the victory. It's like being camped out (literally) at the gates of Hell, as we rescue naïve, innocent young women from stepping over a line that will end in the destruction of a life and bring a lifetime of torment, guilt and shame. God placed us here through a series of miracles that make up a book all by themselves. His grace and the prayers of the saints who faithfully support CPC Central sustain us.

Over 55 percent of those who enter our doors pray to receive Jesus as their savior. Many rededicate their lives to Christ after counseling. With the aid of our ultrasound, we now see over 96 percent of our abortion-minded clients make a decision for life. Like all centers, our services are varied: from a full-time post-abortion ministry, Beauty for Ashes, to our maternal assistance classes, Hope for the Futureand our abstinence program,Pure Sex. It is our plan to be a full medical clinic someday.

With God, all things are possible, and CPC Central stands strong in enemy territory as a testimony to His creative abilities.

Ray Sanders is Executive Director of Crisis Pregnancy Center-Central, Houston, TX (713) 526-7878