Victoria Buckwalter
Pregnancy Options Counselor
victoria@pregnancyoutreach.org

To say that I love children is an understatement, but I have grown to love the adults in their lives even more… but I get ahead of myself.

Howdy! Yes I can legitimately use that phrase because I am an Aggie, class of ’84. I followed my high school love, John -class of ’80- here in 1978, married him a year later and have enjoyed the building of our lives in this community during the last 24 years. You will learn about our two beautiful daughters as you read.

I studied Business Administration with an emphasis on marketing because I was fascinated with the consumer process and the way people make decisions about what they purchase or choose to invest their time in. I find great joy in watching things grow – plants, animals and children. Challenges make my blood race and the reaching of a goal or finishing of a project brings great satisfaction. Canning, gardening, crafting, needlework or any other pursuit that allows me to begin with raw materials and come up with a useable or pleasing end brings me relaxation of soul and mind.

My professional career has taken many turns in the time I have lived in Bryan/College Station. I began as a hair designer to put myself through school. During that time I had an opportunity to purchase a small salon and entered the role of small business owner as well as operator. Upon graduating from A&M I continued in the hair business because of the relationships with the clientele I had built. During this time I found my church, Grace Bible Church, that would provide support and help as I faced personal struggles through the next phase of my life. Learning to be a MOM!

When Sarah, our first daughter, was born in 1993, I knew that being her MOM was the only thing I could really find joy in doing. So I cut my work schedule to part-time and spent my time watching her learn about the world and learned much about myself as a Godly woman and mother in the process. When we were blessed to have Moriah, daughter number 2, come 22 months later, 1995, I knew that in order to be the Mom and wife I desired to be, work would have to take a hiatus.

When Moriah was 12 months old, I began to work a few hours a week in the children’s day out program at Grace Bible Church. I thought I was going there to be involved with the children, but I learned that the adults I interacted with were the real draw. In a couple of years I was able to move into leadership in the nursery ministry where my exposure to Aggies, families of the children and adult staff members broadened my horizons more. This lead me into oversight leadership of the seven children’s ministries and gave me more opportunity to interact with the church leadership as well as the people mentioned before. At each stage I grew to depend on God’s will and direction more, my ability less and share my live with others who were struggling with issues God had brought me through. I also was able to learn from the wisdom they had gained and comfort they had received through their trials as they walked alongside of me as I struggled.

I have known Kim for several years through our activities at church. We also shared in common an Aggie to whom we became very attached. My relationship with her showed me how much college students need and want adults to learn from and share their struggles. I had been praying for APO since its inception and followed its progress. September of 2001, Kim and I were in Children’s Church with our children as a new semester was beginning. This day God prompted me to ask what she needed in the way of help to write the policies and procedures to obtain a license to become an adoption agency. She told me and I was astonished that it so closely resembled work I had done for children’s ministries training and policy manuals. After prayer we decided that I would join her to write on a contract basis.

In the process of writing, the vision of the impact this ministry makes on the lives of women struggling with an unplanned pregnancy became very intense for me. As I said earlier, it is the adults in the lives of children I have grown to love intensely. My own parenting experience had shown me that the more I knew about God and had a daily relationship with Jesus Christ the better I could love and parent my children. One night Kim and I discussed the possibility of my involvement growing to that of counselor and case worker once the agency was licensed. God had been leading me to make my life more flexible for my husband and children’s sake. After voicing this to Kim she acknowledged that was her priority as well. My husband and children are my first priorities and time spent with APO is worked around family activities. More prayer and meeting with the board of directors and counsel from other Christians confirmed this move to work with APO.

So now you know how I got here! I consider it a privilege to be able to work where my priorities are not compromised. Where I can impact adult lives that impact the lives of children – God’s most precious gift aside from Christ. I get to share the truth about God and His plan for all people to be able to know Him personally, intimately and eternally through the salvation of His Son, Jesus Christ. If you don’t already know Jesus as your Savior please go to our the link on how to know Him and receive this gift that empowers a fruitful life here on earth and ensures an eternal life in the presence of God Almighty. link