Bonnie’s first official day as Care Net’s Executive Director was April 1, 2019, but it was no April Fools’ joke.
She had served on the center’s Board of Directors since 2017 and previously in the early 2000s; she even started filling in as interim executive director at the beginning of 2019. But every time someone said she should take on the role full time, she thought it was a crazy idea – until one day in late March, when the Lord got ahold of her heart.
“I was shaking my head ‘no’ as my heart was beating super fast, and I knew it was God who was calling me to this position,” Bonnie shares. “He gave me a passion and a peace about it.”
Bonnie describes herself as the “connection point” between staff, donors, pro-lifers, clients in need and the community. She considers her ministry to be part of Kingdom work, and loves that the Care Net environment allows her to work with brothers and sisters in Christ from all denominational backgrounds.
Care Net has expanded in the four years since Bonnie has been leading the staff: adding a medical services program, including an ultrasound machine; purchasing and expanding to a new building; and adding three new paid positions.
“It was just like this ministry got tired, and God woke it up, and revived it,” Bonnie shares.
How Did You First Hear About Care Net?
I’ve always been pro-life. When I first met my husband of 37 years, Bil, I had borchures about partial birth abortion that I had mail ordered and was sharing how horrible this procedure was. And this was 1985! The procedure was banned nationwide in the early 2000s.
I didn’t hear about Care Net until 2000. I was the IRC volunteer coordinator for Congressman Dave Weldon’s campaign, and one of the board members of Care Net said, “Do you want to be on the board of Care Net?” I was in Vero for years, and I didn’t even know what Care Net was. We didn’t have websites way back then to look at!
Why Did You Decide to Get Involved at Care Net?
I’ve always had that type of personality to jump into things. If anybody says the Christian life is boring, then they may not understand Christian life. It’s exciting when you jump in. Sometimes it’s hard; sometimes it’s frustrating or challenging, but the rewards always outweigh the risks.
How Have You Been Encouraged by Seeing God Work at Care Net?
A huge thing is knowing that, over the past three years, there have been four women who were at the Ft. Pierce abortion clinic, ready to abort their babies. But because Kerry, our ultrasound technician, was willing to meet these women here early on a Saturday morning – and because Care Net’s board okay-ed this policy – their babies lived and will grow up.
It is also so encouraging to see clients’ lives transformed: babies being saved, women accepting Christ, going to church, getting housing and jobs, and getting married! All because volunteers and staff come together, across all different denominations, to be the hands and feet of Christ. That gets me really excited!
About the Blogs:
Care Net is on the frontlines of providing critical services to women and families facing unplanned pregnancies. But this would not be possible without staff and volunteers who give their time to our mission of creating a culture of abundant life.
In this blog series, we introduce you to these amazing faces and the role that they play in saving lives. Click here for more.