An Open Door for Lost Sparrows | April 2020

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Stories That Impact, Inspire, and Call to Action

PUBLISHER

MARLIN MILLER KEVIN BILLE

GENERAL MANAGER

SUE WENGERD

SENIOR EDITOR

PHIL BARKMAN

COPY EDITOR

MATT YODER

ACCOUNT MANAGER GRAPHIC ARTIST

ISAAC HERSHBERGER SETH YODER

GRAPHIC ARTIST CUSTOMER SERVICE PHOTOGRAPHER

BETHANY TROYER LANDON TROYER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ELAINE TOMSKI

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TOM HENNIGAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

FERREE HARDY MARCUS A. YODER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TORRY MARTIN & DOUG PETERSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

DR. TERESA HOXWORTH

MAY AD SALES DEADLINE

APRIL 6, 2020

Plain Values is published monthly by Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Please contact us with any questions regarding Plain Values.

PO Box 201/2106 Main Street, Winesburg, OH 44690 Phone: (844) 260-4578 | Fax: (330) 601-4099 www.plainvalues.com | reachout@plainvalues.com

THE FORMALITIES This publication and its contents are © 2020, Plain Target Marketing, LLC. Individual copyrighted items, trademarks, etc. contained within are the property of their respective copyright holders. No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed by any means without authorization from the publisher. Publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ offers, products, or services, and publication neither expresses or implies an endorsement.

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CONTENTS OHIO

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ISSUE 82

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MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER OLD DUTCH WORDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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It's that time again! Test your knowledge as you try to figure out all 30 old dutch words and complete the crossword puzzle.

LOW OCTANE TANKS OF THE AFRICAN PLAIN

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...a modern living animal is a much better fit for the powerful, savage beast described in the book of Job—the rhinoceros.

A PLACE TO BELONG

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Here I went expecting to give but found that I’d received so much more. God seems to surprise us like that, doesn’t He?

AN OPEN DOOR FOR LOST SPARROWS // 15

FUNDS AND BENEFITS

An open door is a welcomed invitation. But what if entering means walking into darkness? What if stepping through the door brings difficulty?

Every month we provide a listing of opportunities to help out those in need. Pray for them, and support them financially if you feel led to do so.

TWO SOLUTIONS TO GREATER HEALTH // 33

THE ANABAPTIST WORLD OF 1800 // 67

OF MOOSE AND MEN // 74

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HOT SPOTS

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ON THE COVER

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

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The moment Israel Gagnon experienced being outside for the first time in his life.

Every advertiser in this issue of Plain Values can be found here, along with the page their ad is on.

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MESSAGE fro m th e PUBLISHER words by: MARLIN MILLER Many moons ago, a picture of Israel in his wheelchair was on this same page with a few words from his mom, Stacey. Her words, authentically raw, push me into much-needed reflection and realigning of my life’s priorities each time I dare go back to them.

It is my deep honor and joy to introduce the Gagnon family to you this month. The work they do around the world holds a special place for Lisa and me as they work to bring dignity and worth to the least of these and the left out.

The photo on the cover is that same boy outside, sitting in the sun for the first time in his life. His first time outside. His first time feeling sunshine. He was four years old. Look at the cover again and think about what it feels like to be outside in the bright sunshine. The rays hitting your face, the warmth; I’m guessing Israel, in that moment, felt freedom for the first time. What a powerful photo!

As always, may you find joy in the simple things of life... like a sunbeam. //

Public Service Announcement: Over the last few weeks, as you may have heard, the world has watched as a new virus (COVID-19) became a pandemic. At this time, the data points to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems as having the highest risk levels for serious complications from the virus. Coronavirus attacks the lungs; therefore, anyone with respiratory issues is at increased risk. Statistically, children and adults under age forty, while still able to transmit the virus if infected, are more likely to experience mild illness and symptoms and make a full recovery.

Before March 9, I assumed changes in our daily life would be minimal, but after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine began taking proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus, I realized how serious this actually is. Proactive measures include social distancing (staying home if you have any cold symptoms of any kind or have been near someone who does, communicating over the phone vs. in person, not shaking hands, etc.) have proven effective in slowing the transmission of this virus. Our team and I want to be proactive and do all we can to help slow the contagion, and we humbly ask you to consider doing the same. All of Ohio’s public schools and many sporting and public events have been and will continue to be canceled across the nation. Governor DeWine has banned public gatherings of more than 100 people until further notice. For clarification, this does not include churches, weddings, funerals, etc.

Please join us in praying that the spread of the virus is lessened and for courage to be the people the Lord calls us to be in the face of adversity.

Center for Disease Control - (800) 232-4636

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FEATURE STORY

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GOD OF WONDERS

WIDOW'S PATH

OUR HERITAGE

GREAT OUTDOORS

CANINE CORNER

LOST SPARROWS an open door for

words by: ELAINE TOMSKI

An open door is a welcomed invitation. But what if entering means walking into darkness? What if stepping through the door brings difficulty? What if the voice we hear calling us to walk through that door belongs to Almighty God? Such is the story of the Gagnon family. Their tale is not about what they’ve done, but about what God is doing through them. They promote rescue. All because they walk through open doors to a welcoming God who generously guides their steps.

Like all other families, the Gagnon family started with two.

Darren and Stacey began their married life as schoolteachers with hopes for two children. They embraced the dream of a lovely little family of four. Their first child, Bailey, was born with a very rare

THE GAGNON FAMILY OF NINE, FOUNDERS OF LOST SPARROWS

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heart condition. Stacey says, “We didn’t know if she would make it, or not.” The way to health for Bailey required trust in God and medical professionals. Darren and Stacey also learned new medical practices to care for their new little one. Thankfully, Bailey pulled through, and baby number two was a healthy son named Silas.

The Gagnon’s were living the American dream.

Open Doors to More Blessings After Stacey had become familiar with medical practices, she decided to re-enter college to become a nurse. Then the door opened for this family of four to welcome medically fragile foster children into their home. One of their first foster children was a newborn named Isaac. He came to them frightfully broken. His skull was fractured, his brain injured, and he had only a fifty percent chance of survival. Even if he survived, the diagnosis was a life of disability. Yet, now he’s a strong, healthy boy in the gifted program at school. In amazement, Stacey says, “Look what love can do.” They adopted Isaac after loving him back to health for two years, and he became Gagnon number five.

Next, Ellie came to the family, allergic to proteins and food. She was dependent on a feeding tube and considered to be too sick for adoption. But now, Darren says, “She’s just the happiest kid you’ve ever met in your life.” And she’s Gagnon number six.

Joel came next. Gagnon number seven was born with craniofacial impairment, without an ear, and had hearing loss in his existing ear. Stacey says, “The first time we met him, he was eighteen months old, and we knew he was supposed to be our son.” Darren adds, “He came to us with severe disabilities, but he doesn’t let those define who he is.” Still, because of his different appearance, children often stare and reject Joel. The Gagnon family wrote a story about the courage from which children, like Joel, need to draw. Illustrated by Seth Yoder and published by JPV Press, the Gagnon family’s adorable picture book is called Cowboy Joel and the Wild, Wild West. Its message reminds us all to be compassionate and brave.

JOEL GAGNON, THE SEVENTH MEMBER OF THE GAGNON FAMILY

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Opening the Door to Bulgaria Stacey met their next son in Bulgaria. She says, “I walked into that orphanage, and there were dead silent, dying babies.” Imagine a large room with rows of cribs, the unexpected silence of infants, a lingering stench of urine, large heads on skinny, sore-infested bodies being fed only a liquid diet, and little legs tied to crib posts.

These images ripped Stacey’s heart and haunt her to this day. But she also saw beauty. The beautiful souls our God creates are never a mistake. Beautiful souls were imprisoned in each one of those cribs. How could she take just one child out of the orphanage and leave all of the rest? The door was wide open, and it looked very dark on the other side, but Stacey and Darren knew God Almighty was calling them to step through.

They had to start with one. Even if the couple couldn’t rescue all of the orphans, they could save one.

In 2016, Darren and Stacey adopted a precious four-yearold boy born with spina bifida. Their new son Israel was paralyzed from the waist down, had never chewed food, or been outdoors. The moment Darren carried Israel out of that orphanage, he said to Stacey, “He’s never coming PLAIN VALUES

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back here. He’ll forever be our child, our son, and not their orphan.” Israel is Gagnon number eight.

The other five children embraced their little brother. Darren says, “He’s just a normal kid who had a bad circumstance.” It took a month of washing to get the stench out of poor little Israel. The fantastic news is that Gagnon member number eight is now thriving, growing, and learning about life with his forever family. Stacy says they want their children to

ISRAEL GAGNON, AFTER HE WAS ADOPTED BY DARREN AND STACEY

know, “You’re one person in this huge world, but you can make a difference.”

By stepping through doors, Darren and Stacey have learned a valuable lesson. Darren says they’ve discovered, “You have a lot more capacity to love a kid than you think you do.” The people of Bulgaria have not learned this lesson yet. Stacey says, “In Bulgaria, children born with special needs are placed in an orphanage. If they’re not adopted between the age of four and six, they are transported to an adult mental institution.

And within a year, eighty-five percent of those kids die. There’s no value for handicapped children. They’re actually considered a curse from God.” 19

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