The vision for Christian Life Home goes back to 1973, when the Supreme Court legalized abortions with its decision in Roe vs Wade. Individuals worked diligently for many years to join together groups of like-minded people who recognized the need for a home for pregnant young women. Neighborhoods in Raleigh and surrounding towns took steps to prevent the establishment of a group home in their area, but with God's provision and direction, the first home was located on Cleveland Street, near downtown Raleigh, and fit all the state-required qualifications. The location seemed questionable ~ with railroad tracks running through its backyard; the city's dump trucks in a parking lot adjacent to the tracks; an overgrown yard; and the house in sad disrepair, with squatters living in the house, the attic, and the dirt-floor basement. The decision to purchase the house was confirmed by the discovery of a Bible, a pair of baby's shoes, a teddy bear and a picture of "The Lord's Supper", all found on the dirt-floor basement in a dug-out place lined with pinestraw and covered with a ragged mattress and tattered quilt. As a reminder of this, each young woman being admitted into the home receives a Bible, a teddy bear, and a basket of personal items. After 2 1/2 years of renovations, the home was licensed in June 1985, and it became the third and smallest licensed maternity home in the state of North Carolina.
In 1993, a second house in Raleigh was purchased which allowed additional young women to be housed and cared for. As the ministry grew, the house on Cleveland Street seemed inadequate, so the board of directors sold it and in 1999 purchased another house about 2 miles from the second home. The ministry still owns both of these homes.
While at Christian Life Home, the young women receive excellent care and nutritional meals that are essential to her health and the health of her baby. They receive weekly counseling and information on both parenting and adoption options ~ her family and the father of the baby may be included in counseling, when appropriate. Classes provided for the young women give them information to help prepare them for their future and the baby's future. The classes include prenatal care and nutrition, childbirth, parenting, adoption, decision making, financial planning and budgeting, building healthy relationships, plus more. To help the women to be successful in the future, they learn life-skills: household management skills, employment skills, and personal goal setting. They also enjoy family activities such as cookouts, games, family outings and church. Christian Life Home is a home-away-from-home!
From the beginning, CLH has been supported by individuals, churches and businesses who have a heart for what God is doing in the ministry, and want to supply the needs of the home according to what God puts on their heart. We praise the Lord for His many blessings through those who financially provide for the home and the volunteers who give of their time and talents to accomplish much ~ All to the glory of God!!