Spring 2019 Lifeprints

SPRING 2019

LP

rooted in Christ

BY ROD MARSHALL, PRESIDENT/CEO 2

Lifeprints

hen I was very young, my father had a favorite pear tree in the backyard of our home.

He and my mother always had bird feeders around our house to attract birds. One of the largest of the bird feeders hung on the lower branches of the pear tree. If you have ever had a bird feeder, you know that birds are not very neat eaters. The seeds from the bird feeder would be scattered all around the ground beneath the feeder.

I was blessed to grow up in an area that had very mild winters, but we still enjoyed all the birds arriving in the spring. One of my chores was helping my mother replenish the bird feeders every morning. In the spring, we had to increase the amount of birdseed.

I remember one summer being fascinated that a plant was growing near the pear tree in my backyard. This plant grew very fast and very tall. By early summer, it seemed to me the plant was “Jack and the Beanstalk” tall.

By mid-summer, a huge sunflower was blossoming right outside my bedroom window. I thanked my mom for planting this sunflower for me. She laughed and explained that the sunflower was planted by the messy birds that threw their seed onto the ground in their rush to eat all the seeds in the bird feeder. This particular sunflower seed just happened to find its way into fertile soil and took root and grew to be probably almost six feet tall.

I was amazed. How could such a pretty and strong plant grow from seed that was accidentally scattered?

At your Baptist Children’s Homes, we are in the ministry of planting seeds.

We seek to be so generous with the overflowing grace of God, that this grace gets scattered over every child we serve. Sometimes our sowing is deliberate. Other times, the seed is

W E AR E T H AN K FUL FO R S U P P O RTE R S L IKE Y O U W H O DES I R E TO SE E EV E RY C H I LD ROO TE D I N CH R I ST. scattered like birdseed out of a feeder, and we hope it finds fertile soil. We do all we can to soften the hearts of the children from hard places who are in our care so that the seeds of the steadfast love of God might find a place to take root and grow.

We “till their heart soil” by being kind and consistent. We strive to make sure the kids see the fruit of the spirit in their house parents, foster parents, social workers, and counselors. We sing to them and read to them and tell them the story of Jesus. Sometimes, we actually get to help harvest the fruit that the planting of God’s Word has had on their lives. Many times, we trust that God has prepared other workers to bring the harvest of the seeds we have planted.

We are so thankful for supporters like you who desire to see every child in our care become rooted in Christ. Your prayers are our fertilizer that cultivates growth. Your generosity encourages us to continue planting, even when we do not see any fruit. I hope you will enjoy meeting some of our planters and a living example of the growth unto harvest of the seeds you helped us plant!

God bless you!

Rooted

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from seeds to

SAL

4 Lifeprints Stephan Scott, formerly in foster care

LVATION

BY TAYLOR FUNDERBURG, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING COORDINATOR

ere at the Children’s Homes, our daily work looks a lot like planting seeds, tilling land, and tending to all which arises from the dust. Our hope is that, alongside the work of Christ himself, we are doing the good work to allow children the opportunity to be rooted in their Creator.

Roots take time to dig in and grow, so we take the small steps of showing up and planting seeds. Stephan Scott experienced this process in his own life.

Before coming into our care, Stephan grew up in an environment without the security and comfort every child longs for— the security of knowing basic things, like where his next meal would come from or that he was truly loved.

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Stephan, now serving as a pharmacist

SAFE & SECURE

Stephan came to us when he was 11 years old, after living with relatives for a short time. When he came into our care, Stephan not only felt safe and loved by a welcoming family, he felt comfortable enough to eventually open his heart to the truth of God’s Word. It was the little joys he found within his new, loving home that brought him to that place, such as being asked what he’d like for dinner or being provided with a new pair of shoes he wanted. With no freedom or choices in these areas before, Stephan felt free—free to ask for what he wanted, free to just be a kid, and free to learn about Jesus.

“We can always find Christ in times of turmoil, but when you’re a child, learning about Christ in some situations requires seeing the love of Christ through others and having a secure environment where you can 6

Lifeprints

open your heart to those truths,” Stephan says.

THE BREAKFAST TABLE

One of Stephan’s favorite memories of his time with ABCH happened at the breakfast table alongside his foster parents and three siblings. “Sitting around a table was very foreign to me.

For the first time, I felt secure enough to really listen to the words of scripture . . . We were working our way through the gospels, and the words of John really stuck out to me. About a year later at that very same table, my foster dad was walking us through what it means to follow Christ . . .”

Stephan accepted Christ on that day, and all he could think about was the moment he first heard those words of truth a year earlier, and how it all came full-circle. “It planted a seed in my soul and sprouted in salvation the following year,” he says.

HIS LIFE TODAY

Stephan, after completing six, successful years of school at Samford University and McWhorter School of Pharmacy, now serves as a pharmacist. Because of generous donors like you, we were able to support Stephan financially so he could earn this degree. Stephan is so grateful for the way God planted and watered seeds in his life that helped pave the way for his future, both in his career and for eternity.

“I was given a gift even beyond the financial generosity of the Children’s Homes. [God] gave me insight into his plan. That’s the only reason I’m a pharmacist. . . I expect that would have never happened had we not initially started with the gospel, then given my heart to Christ, and then opened my heart to his plan . . . I wouldn’t be where I am today without the first steps,” Stephan says.

IT P LAN TE D A S EE D I N M Y S OUL AN D S PR O UTE D I N S A LVATI O N TH E F OLLO W I N G YEAR .

In his career and life, Stephan plans to do what God is calling him to do: love people intentionally every day, help take care of his sister who has special needs, and serve children who are walking the road he once journeyed.

YOU CAN SHARE STEPHAN’S STORY Our complimentary Church Offering Materials, which contain a video of Stephan’s story, will be arriving in April. These resources serve to help raise awareness within your church about the needs of c hildren and families around the state who are helped through your support.

With these materials, you can help us reach our 2019 Church Offering goal of $2.8 million!

All of our partnering churches will receive this package later this spring. Offering envelopes are not included but can be requested for free, along with additional bulletin inserts and posters at alabamachild.org/ 2019offering or by calling (888) 720-8805.

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Over the past year, we’ve seen lives that have been rewritten by the transforming power of the gospel. Children and families have come to know Christ while being in our care, as they were gently pointed to his love every day through foster parents, house parents, social workers, counselors, and the church families God set them in.

In our 2018 Annual Report, you’ll see how God used your time, prayer, and gifts to help rewrite stories of children and families in the past year. On the next page, you’ll find a few highlights from 2018. You can view our full Annual Report online at alabamachild.org/2018annualreport, after March 15.

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Lifeprints

2018 highlights . . . . ............................................................................

1,000 nearl y

4

..................................

..................................

yout h in our care PARTICIPANTS at GRADUATED from col lege Camp of Champions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................... .................................

$3.3 17 124 26

M IL L I ON chi l dre n professions adopt ions received from REUN IF I ED of into FOREVER partnering w i t h f am ily FAITH FAMILIES churches membe rs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................... .................................

85

new HOMES LICENSED for foster care

41

SCHOOLRELATED HONORS received by children in our care

CHILDREN & FAMILIES SERVED 2018 TOTAL SERVED:

4,575

Pathways Professional Counseling: 3,767

Family Care (mothers, dependent children): 108

Foster Care: 393

College Care & Independent Living: 9

Family Aid: 83

Help to children when one or both parents die: 39

Campus & Shelter Care: 176

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FOSTER PAR EN TS SH A RE:

committed to caring

BY NICOLE WALKER, COMMUNICATIONS SOM ET HI N G H ERE & DESIGN SPECIALIST

“

can’t tell you how many the Lord would speak to James while times we’ve taken a break listening to the radio. “I was listenand we’ve said, okay, we’re ing to WDJC one morning, and that’s done now, and then the Lord calls us when God put it on my heart . . . there back,” said James Wolfe. They laughed was a story they were doing, and they at this, remembering all of the times were talking about fostering . . . that’s they thought they had “retired” from where I heard about ABCH.” He went foster parenting, yet the Lord had on to share with Ramona how God a different plan. James and his wife, was stirring in his heart, but that he Ramona, are some of our longest wanted to foster through our ministry. serving foster parents, serving the “I told Ramona, you’ve got to go to that majority of the past 14 years. website, and I will do it there. Since It was more than 25 years ago that that time it’s just been a blessing.”

Ramona first felt that tug toward fostering. “I was in church one day, and I just felt this strong, strong pull to foster care as our pastor was talking . . . I felt it really strong in my heart.”

She discussed it with James, but with a full house of three children of their own, they weren’t ready at the time.

Little did they know, a decade later 10 Lifeprints

THE BEST MISTAKE

After doing their research about fostering through ABCH, they signed up for the required 10-week training course to start the process. It was a lot to juggle, since James started a new job, that included times where he had to be on-call. They weren’t able to make it to the classes the first time

James and Ramona Wolfe, with their son, Isaiah

around, so they asked their Sunday School class to pray that the Lord would help them make the classes the next time around. “And we made the classes . . . we don’t know how we did it; it had to be God. But we made it through, and we finished our home study interviews,” said Ramona.

When the Wolfes signed up to foster, they decided they would take in children from ages 2–10. It wasn’t too long after they became certified that Ramona got a call from Cathy McDaniel, one of our social workers, about a baby who just came into foster care named Isaiah. It caught her off guard, since she wasn’t expecting any calls about fostering a baby that young. Turns out, Cathy had misunderstood the age group they requested to foster, but Ramona and James decided to take little Isaiah in.

This little misunderstanding actually turned out to be one of the Wolfes’ biggest blessings. After two and a half years, James and Ramona were able to adopt Isaiah. “Actually, [before Isaiah came into our lives], I had been praying for another baby for 12 years,” shared Ramona. “But after 12 years, I just thought, well, this is not God’s plan. We’ll just foster, and we were fine with that.” The Lord answered her prayers, but in a completely different way than she had imagined.

RESTORING FAMILIES

Fourteen years after receiving Isaiah, they have still continued to open up their home to children in need. In fact, they’ve had more than 30 children come through their home! One thing they always want kids to know is that they’re not replacing their parents, Rooted 11

rather, they’re just helping their family out during a difficult time. “We have a lot [of kids] that want to call us mom and dad, which is fine; that’s an honor,” said James. “But I encourage them to call me Mr. James or something like that. Since a lot of the kids can’t say Ramona, they call her Mrs. Mo or Mo. We still respect that we’re not the parents, but we love that they think of us that way.”

“I think it helps with the children to keep in mind that we’re not trying to take them away or take the place of their parents,” Ramona said. And many times, with that mindset in place, the Wolfes have seen the Lord work to restore families.

James shares one of his favorite stories of a little girl who came into their care named Simone.* While in their home, she decided to accept Christ as her Savior and was baptized at their church! It was a special day, because Simone’s mother and grandfather were allowed to come and see her baptism.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Reflecting over the years, the Wolfes are quick to add that they could not do it alone. Having support has been key in their experience. “We are blessed that we’ve had really good Sunday School classes that pray for us,” said James. “We’ll say, ‘hey, we have another child,’ and they get excited with us . . . and they keep us in their prayers.”

T H E Y E N SUR E . . . TH AT EA C H C H I LD EXP E R I E N C E S GO D ’ S LO VE A S I T I S LI VE D OU T I N TH E I R HOME.

during events like our annual Camp of Champions has been a huge help too. “That support and being around other people . . . we’re all called to the same things, working together for one cause,” said James.

With the support of their church, ABCH social workers, foster parents, and respite care, the Wolfes have been able to pour into the lives of children in their home. “James and Ramona are dedicated foster parents with a strong faith and an open heart,” said our social worker, Cathy. “They ensure that each child not only hears the gospel, but experiences God’s love as it is lived out in their home. James and Ramona also reach out whenever possible to each biological parent in an attempt to show them God’s love and help bring healing to their family.”

We are so thankful for the Wolfes and the way they’ve loved and cared for so many children and families over the years!

Also, respite care has been vital to helping them in their journey of foster parenting. Ramona shared specifically about one who had previously been a therapeutic foster parent for about 20 years, and the wonderful help she had been to them. Connecting with other foster parents, especially *Name has been changed to protect identity.

12 Lifeprints

Casey and Krisan Anderson with their children

hero spotlight: the andersons ABCH through our church, Calvary Baptist Church, in Dothan. They hosted a special event on Orphan Sunday in November 2015 to advocate for orphan care and introduced us to several local ministries and orgaOur donors are some of the most caring, nizations who support orphans in intentional people, and it’s our honor to our area. introduce two of them to you today. Casey and Krisan Anderson live in Southeast That same year, we attended the Alabama, where they both practice phar- Christmas Open House at the Campus macy. They have three children and live Care home, and learned more about out God’s call in James 1:27 by giving to the ministry. Kim McGainey (Area and serving with us so faithfully by par- Director of Southeast Alabama) gave ticipating monthly in our Hero Society us a tour of the home and spent a lot program. In addition, they’ve also started of time talking to us about all ABCH providing respite care for our children is doing right here in Dothan to take and families. Below is a snapshot of the care of children in foster care, miniscouple’s journey with ABCH, written ter to their birth families, and support the house parents and foster families

by Krisan! who are caring for them . . . We were WHERE IT ALL BEGAN shocked at the statistics for children We have always had an interest in in foster care in our immediate area foster care and first heard about and felt a desire to give. veryone has a next step to care for children in need—whether that is giving financially, serving with their energy and time, or using the gifts God’s given them to enrich lives.

Rooted 13

THE GOSPEL AT THE CENTER EASY TO GET INVOLVED Casey and I could both clearly see that this ministry was ministering to children in foster care and their birth families in very tangible ways and sharing the gospel on a consistent basis. More than that, they are living out the gospel for these children and their families, giving them stability and love while pointing them to Christ during a very difficult season in their lives.

ABCH trains their foster families through the lens of the gospel, and ABCH foster families are all working together to show the love of Christ with the children in their homes (as well as their birth families)!

THEIR NEXT STEP, THE RIGHT FIT

ABCH is a wonderful ministry that really makes it easy for anyone to get involved with local foster care.

Respite care is a great way to get involved, love on the kids, and get to know and support local foster families—helping them to carry the load without a full-time commitment.

ABCH also makes it easy to give financially—you can give a one-time gift, sign up for monthly automatic drafts, or text-to-give. You can give towards a specific location or wherever most needed. Also, you can donate noncash gifts and stocks/mutual funds to ABCH.

Once we began learning about ABCH and the foster care licensing process, we realized the tremendous need that there was for respite care providers.

Children in the care of ABCH cannot spend more than 24 hours outside the care of an ABCH foster parent and/or outside of an ABCH licensed foster home.

I also love that the ABCH website maintains an updated needs list for each location. This is a great way for small groups, businesses, friends, or co-workers to go together and help meet the needs of the local Campus Care home, counseling office, or foster families.

So, as you can imagine, the need is great for respite care. Although we did not feel like it was the right season for our family to take on a full-time placement, we did feel the Lord calling us to pursue licensing and make our home available for respite care.

We went through the training course and obtained our foster care license in 2017.

CELEBRATION OF GOD’S WORK

We love ABCH. We are so thankful for all they do and the way they support the kids in their care as well as their families. It is amazing to hear the many stories of children’s lives being changed and decisions made for Christ.

We have really enjoyed serving in this way and have been blessed to get to know some of the children in care locally, as well as their foster families.

It has been a great fit for us and a huge blessing to our family. God is good, and He is working in their lives.

We have seen children that we have cared for and grown to love be reunited with their birth families, and others have been adopted into their foster families, and we can celebrate it all.

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EVERY HOME

NEEDS A HERO . . .

Casey and Krisan have been so faithful in serving as respite care providers and participating in the Hero Society as well! Our Hero Society program is our monthly giving program where: • You choose which location and program to support • You receive an exclusive Hero t-shirt and decal • 100% of donations are designated to meet the most essential needs of our programs:

FOSTER CARE

CAMPUS CARE

FAMILY CARE

Learn more at alabamachild.org/ herosociety, or get started today:

TEXT:

JOIN ONLINE:

“@ABCH hero” alabamachild.org/ hero to 52014

To learn more, fill out the information to the right and mail it in the envelope included with this issue.

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YES, I’m interested ready to take in learning the nextabout step towards the Hero building Society.a legacy by Please contact speaking me with with more a PhilanthroCorp information. representative.

YES, I’d I understand like to become that this a Hero callSociety is exploratory Donor. and that it can helpcontact Please me decide me about how tojoining proceed. the program.

NAME:____________________________________ NAME:____________________________________ ADDRESS: __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________________ _________________________________________ CITY:_____________STATE:_____ZIP:____________ CITY:_____________STATE:_____ZIP:___________ DAYTIME PHONE:______________________________ PHONE:_____________________________ EVENING PHONE (IF DIFFERENT): DIFFERENT): ___________________ __________________ EMAIL:_____________________________________ EMAIL:____________________________________

PAID

PERMIT #2036 BIRMINGHAM

NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE

FREE VBS NAMETAGS!

R VBS 2019

We have FREE name tags available, with TWO options to choose from! These name tags not only fill a practical need for your VBS, but they also help to share with your kids about our ministry to children and families, through a short story printed on the back.

Sign up to receive your free VBS name tags at alabamachild.org/VBS or call (888) 720–8805.

Please note that the deadline to request these is May 17!

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Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries P.O. Box 361767 Birmingham, AL 35236-1767

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