Have you heard what Louisiana Baptists are doing?”
Overheard recently were a couple of Louisiana Baptists sharing a juicy
bit of news at church. “Have you heard what Louisiana Baptists are
doing?” Baptist Bob asked. “No. What?” Saint Sam asked.
“Well, I don’t want to spread rumors, but you need to know what is going on.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Yes you need to know, and besides that I saw it with my own eyes.”
What in the world were these Louisiana Baptists talking about? It’s not
what you might expect. One had just returned from a tour of the
Children’s Home in Monroe. Let me share the rest of the conversation
with you.
“When I visited one of the cottages I met Bryan,” Baptist Bob began.
“Bryan came to live at LBCH in the fall of 2004, when his mother became
ill and needed to be placed in an extended care facility. Every visit
day Bryan goes to see his mother at the hospital.
“At first, he wasn’t doing very well in school. Soon, however, Bryan
made a complete turnaround. With help from the Home’s tutoring program,
he made the sixth-grade honor roll all year and was inducted into the
National Junior Beta Club.
“Not only that, but Bryan also received a Toys R Us gift card for
having more accelerated reading points than anyone in his entire
school! He has also started taking guitar lessons. And recently,”
Baptist Bob added, “he and Dr. Hancock performed a guitar duet in one
of the chapel services. What a joy it is to see a little boy who has
faced so much doing so well.”
“Then I met Jennie,” Baptist Bob said. “When she arrived at the Home in
2003 she had to be placed in special resource classes but soon caught
up and enrolled at Neville High School. Her story is just incredible!
“Jennie has excelled in every area of school and church life. She has
competed in state vocal competitions and received a superior rating at
several events. Jennie has even directed children’s choirs as well as
sung in both the youth and adult sanctuary choirs at First Baptist
Monroe.
“In addition,” Baptist Bob said, “Jennie has been featured in several
school musicals and other plays. She is currently in the new
PathFinders Transitional Living Program at the Children’s Home, a new
ministry for LBCH residents who are over 18 and still in school. Jennie
has received several college scholarship offers and will graduate from
Neville in 2007.”
“Wow! That sure is good news,” Saint Sam said.
“Yes, but you haven’t heard about – well, I really shouldn’t say,” Baptist Bob replied.
“What?”
“Well it’s a secret.”
“A secret at the Children’s Home?”
“Well, OK. It’s really not a secret,” Bob confessed, “but many
Louisiana Baptists don’t know that the Children’s Home also has a
crisis pregnancy and maternity home ministry as well as marriage and
family counseling ministry.”
“I didn’t know that,” offered Saint Sam.
“See, I told you,” Baptist Bob said. “The Sellers Maternity Home helps
young ladies understand that God has a plan for them and their unborn
child. This past year one of the babies born at Sellers was adopted by
a Louisiana Baptist pastor and his wife.
“And the Granberry Counseling ministry helps families in crisis and
even provides counseling for Louisiana Baptist ministers who are facing
difficult situations.”
“Wow! And all of this is done by Louisiana Baptists?” Saint Sam queried.
“Yes,” Baptist Bob replied.
“And I thought all we did was meet and eat,” Saint Sam said with a smile.
What a conversation. I want to thank you all for making the ministry of
your Children’s Home possible. Every day you make a difference in the
lives of those who need to know that someone cares and that our Lord
loves them unconditionally.
As we gather in Lake Charles for the LBC annual meeting, we are going
to hear some more good news about the work God is doing through
Louisiana Baptists. If you are able to attend, please take the time to
visit the Children’s Home exhibit. We’ll be looking for you.