Pregnancy and Adoption Resources

            New Beginnings International Children’s & Family Services (New beginnings) is a non-profit adoption service ministry founded by Stephen and Evelyn Drury, in 1988. New Beginnings is fulfilling its mission of inspiring birthmothers to choose life.

            Tom and Debbie Velie (Executive Director and Domestic Program Director) respectfully share a passion for adoption and a burden to see birthmothers find emotional and spiritual healing in the midst of difficult times.

            Since 1973, there have been over 50 million abortions in the U.S., exceeding and astounding 4,000 abortions each day. 95% of abortions are chosen as a means of birth control and only 1% of abortions are performed because of rape, incest or fetal abnormalities. Only 3% of abortions are performed in direct response to save the mother’s life.

            Even with these heartbreaking statistics, there are always thousands more adoptive parents ready and able to adopt than there are special birthmothers who are following their hearts in obedience to God’s commandments to give their child “life” and a new beginning.

            The Lord spoke in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I sat you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nation.” Because of this New Beginnings’ mission to provide a safe and loving environment where birthmothers may prayerfully come and prepare for what is perhaps one of the hardest decisions of their lives.

            New Beginnings offers both domestic and international adoption services in a completely confidential manner. We offer both confidential and open adoptions to adoptive couples nationwide. We service both parties in the adoption process - ministering to both adoptive parents and birthmothers who come to us in need.

The Genesis Program is a community-based program of New Beginnings International Childrens & Family services, Inc. in Tupelo, Mississippi. The Genesis Program began in October 2008 as an enhanced parenting education program for birthmothers with an unplanned pregnancy in Lee County and surrounding counties throughout Northeast Mississippi. The goal of the program is to educate expectant adolescents and adult women throughout a series of classes. Classes aare designed to provide each client with tools and skills necessary to make decisions and goals reguarding their future and the future of their unborn child.

The program is supervised by Rachel Harper, a licensed master’s level social worker, and staffed by volunteers who are committed to serving and educating birthmothers from all walks of life. Other services include individual faith-based mentoring, consuling, and assistance with community referals. All services and materials are offered at no cost to clients.

Brief Descripiton of classes

• Discovering Your Options

“Discovering Your Options” educates birthmothers on parenting and adoption as well as basic decision making skills. Each of the three parenting classed is designed to give participants ans opportunity to plan for their and their unborn child’s futures as well as evaluate their readiness to be a parent, while the three adoption classes educate participants on adoption and the adoption process. Basic decision making skills are discussed during individual sessions with the social worker as participants are working through their decision to parent or place their unborn child.

• Building Healthy Relationships

This class is designed to teach participants about basic relationship skills by evaluating current pracices. Participants will learn how to establish boundries, express emotions, communicate effectively, and resolve conflict.

• Financial Peace University

This class utilizes Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Participants will spend the majority of class time watching videos on a variety of financial topics (e.g. personal savings, cash flow planning, dumping debt, etc.) The remainder of class time will be spent on application and accountability check-ups.

• Career Counseling

This class is designed to assist participants in resume writing and job search skills. It is also designed to teach participants interview skills by offering hands on experience with community business men and women.