By Gary Chapman, PH.D and Ross Campbell, M.D. Children experience love in a variety of ways. The five primary ways children experience love can be called love languages: physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, and acts of service. All children need love expressed in all of the love languages, just as a child needs a balanced diet. However, a child’s primary love language is the language that speaks loudest to the child. Its results are quicker and deeper than the other languages. If you have more than one child, chances are they have different love languages. However, children under age 5 do not tend to exhibit a primary love language. Consider the following practical ways to show each love language to your child. Words of Affirmation In communicating love, words are powerful. Praise for a child should be both true and justified. Affirmation can be spoken, written, or nonverbal. You may have to do so at a time that will not embarrass your child. Try the following: • Say “good morning” and “thank you” in a pleasant voice. • Say “I love you” anytime. • Use a nickname. • Always praise successes. • Place an encouraging note in her lunch. • Maintain a calm voice. • Give your child a thumbs-up … [Read more...]

By Russ Rankin, Baptist Press [img_assist|nid=6066|title=Two Florida nurses keep medications moving through pharmacy area at field hospital in Port-au-Prince|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=66]PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (BP) – A team of medical volunteers from  Florida hasn’t stopped working since arriving in Haiti on Feb. 3. There is just too much to do. It has been nearly one month since the massive earthquake shook this impoverished nation. Some estimates have placed the death toll as high as 200,000. Following an initial assessment by Florida and Southern Baptist disaster relief representatives, Florida joined South Carolina, Kentucky and Mississippi in mobilizing emergency medical teams to help lead the Baptist response, following initial medical teams from Arkansas and North Carolina. Each day, Haitians line up to be seen by the Florida medical personnel who are working out of a field hospital situated in the police barracks directly across from Haiti’s presidential palace – a once-proud looking structure whose grand domes now sit slumped in crumbled surrender. Rick Picerno, an orthopedic surgeon and member of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, helped organize and recruit the Florida medical … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press [img_assist|nid=6068|title=A South Carolina Baptist medical team fashioned a clinic at a Haitian church|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=66]NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Volunteers are making a profound difference in the lives of Haitians who survived the catastrophic Jan. 12 earthquake – from medical professionals and disaster relief experts who are using specialized skills to relieve suffering, to the multitude of lay people who have been fervently praying and generously giving for the past three weeks. While medical teams from Kentucky, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina have been joined in Haiti by a leadership coordination team from the North American Mission Board, a Feb. 10-11 meeting in Atlanta charted the course for the long-term response and involvement of general service volunteers, said Jeff Palmer, executive director of Baptist Global Response. Additional medical teams from Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee, a multi-state water purification team, chaplains, and a volunteer coordinator from Florida will be among the volunteers leaving for Haiti over the next four days. But volunteers also are playing a crucial behind-the-scenes role in Haiti earthquake relief from … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter [img_assist|nid=6069|title=Greg Hand, pastor of Vieux Carre Baptist Church in the French Quarter has brief encounters with revelers to share the gospel|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]NEW ORLEANS – Like “boots on the ground” on foreign soil, evangelism teams share the Gospel in New Orleans during Mardi Gras in a difficult and not-so-comfortable setting. The long hours of work bring but few to faith in Christ. Greg Hand, pastor of Vieux Carre Baptist Church in the French Quarter, said brief encounters in tourist-swollen streets make it difficult to track conversions and the long-term results of their work. So, why bother? “We are called to be a light,” Hand said. “It’s an imperative. That’s why we do this.” Though the numbers may be small, evangelism teams report professions of faith every year, said David Cobb, a North American Mission Board Intentional Community Evangelism (ICE) team member and the founder of the David Cobb Evangelistic Ministries. Cobb’s team works alongside churches at events that draw large crowds. This year marks Cobb’s thirtieth year at Mardi Gras, many of which have been in tandem with Vieux Carre. Cobb shared last year with three … [Read more...]

By Diana Chandler, Regional Reporter [img_assist|nid=6071|title=Members of the Global Maritime cruise team participated in the ministries 2010 mission cruise in January|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=73]NEW ORLEANS – Prayer walks can be challenging aboard cruise ships, with the bars, casinos, tattoo booths and other distractions. But that didn’t keep Chaplains Ann and Steve Corbin and 14 others from the Lord’s work during Global Maritime Ministries’ 2010 mission cruise, a one-week Western Caribbean excursion aboard the Carnival Triumph Jan. 16-23. “We all found that very, very difficult to do in that kind of setting because there is so much going on and your senses are all over the place,” Ann Corbin said. “But by the time we left, the whole ship was talking – in the positive. [Steve said] Jesus would go in places like that.” The Corbins, joined by members of First Baptist Church in LaPlace and East Pickens Baptist Church in Pickens, S.C., not only prayed throughout the ship each day of the cruise, but sought opportunities to establish relationships with crew members, seeking to meet their needs and share the Gospel. Corbin said the group made more than 500 contacts, crossing paths with people from 32 … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message BUSH – The loading aboard ship of the 40-foot-long container bound for Haiti has been delayed until Feb. 27. “There are a couple of reasons for this,” said Johnny Huffman, member of New Zion Baptist Church in Covington and an experienced shipper of items for Christian concerns. “One is that people are still collecting food items and infant formulas. The other reason is that I was informed, last night, that by waiting a little we may be able to offload the container directly into Haiti.” Plan A, reported in the Feb. 4 issue of the Baptist Message, was to offload in the Dominican Republic and truck the contents over the mountains into Haiti. It would greatly simplify matters to be able to offload in Haiti, but safety and security concerns are issues, Huffman said. “We also need to confirm that the recipient of the container can clear customs there with no problem,” Huffman added. “I assure you that no matter which way we go, we are subject to problems with the customs people. … I would ask that all of you pray for this container, that the Lord will indeed expedite it to Pastor Jean.” Jean Joachin Romain, in ministry for more than 25 years and with a D.Min. from Christ for the Nations, is … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – Youth, adult and senior adult drama teams are invited to perform during the Friday evening session of the annual LBC Drama Festival, which is to take place Feb. 26-27 at Louisiana College. Also at the Friday evening session: performances by workshop leaders. “One of the best learning experiences are from each other as church groups are given the opportunity to perform,” said Patti Yeatts, who has developed the annual drama festival over the last nine years. “As director, I also seek skilled conference leaders who have experience and am doubly blessed that some have degrees in theater/drama.” Some new staff and several new conferences are to be part of this year’s LBC Drama Festival, Yeatts said. Among the conferences: • Adults – acting, directing, writing, stage presence; • Youth – acting, directing, writing, improv; • Children: directing, teaching children to act; writing; • VBS musical; • Music: singing with emotion/projection; • Using props during the worship service; • Resources, with samples; • Juggling, illusion, ballooning – special for VBS/mission trips; • Two tech roundtable discussions, for directors; for technicians. “The Louisiana Baptist Convention sponsors workshops on worship, … [Read more...]

In 2005, Perry Hancock, LBCH President and CEO, and trustees began evaluating the need for additional ways to expand the effectiveness of the Children’s Home mission. The evaluation resulted in the development of a strategic ministry plan called “Moving Forward with the Mission.” In 2007, PathFinders was begun, a ministry that assists 18-to-21-year-olds to transition from high school to adult life. Then, in 2008, a group of needy children were identified that resulted in the development of My Friends’ House, an emergency care shelter serving an eleven-parish region. Today, LBCH continues to move forward with its mission of providing love, care, and a positive Christian witness to children and families in need by fulfilling a vision that was first articulated 80 years ago. When the new charter of the Children’s Home was written in 1930, part of its purpose included the care of homeless women. Now is the time for that vision to become a reality! In March 2009, the National Center for Family Homelessness ranked Louisiana worst among the 50 states for child homelessness. According to that same study, families with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. A major contributing factor to … [Read more...]

In conjunction with HomePlace, the national Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) recently approved LBCH as a Christian Women’s Job Corps site. The Christian Women’s Job Corps of Monroe will serve as another strategic ministry of the Children’s Home and will be offered at no cost to qualified participants. The philosophy behind CWJC is that every woman deserves a chance to develop her God-given talents, to develop her skills for employment, to develop skills for successful living, and to reach her goals with God’s help. HomePlace moms will be able to access a vast array of training through CWJC. CWJC will also equip women in the Monroe community through job-readiness and computer classes, Bible study, and mentoring. CWJC will work in partnership with HomePlace with the goal of helping families obtain the skills needed to move from dependency and despair to a future of self-sufficiency and hope. … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries Introducing Foster Care & Adoption Ministries to the Local Church Regional Info Meetings – 7:00 PM YOU’RE INVITED! Come and discover how you and your church can make an eternal difference in the lives of over 5,000 children in Louisiana who need the love of Christ, a Christian home and a church family. For more info call 318-343-2244. February 23: LBCH, Monroe 7200 DeSiard St., Monroe March 15: FBC Houma 7382 Main St., Houma March 16: Harbor Community Church 6100 Canal St., New Orleans March 23: FBC Pineville 901 Main St. Pineville April 6: Calvary Baptist Church 9333 Linwood Ave., Shreveport April 19: Florida Blvd. Baptist Church 10915 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge April 20: Bedico Baptist Church 28156 Hwy. 22 E. Ponchatoula The United Nations estimates there are over 145 million orphans in the world. There are also 130,000 children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. With more than 500,000 children and youth in out-of-home care in the U.S., it is hard to ignore the impact of child abuse and neglect on our nation’s next generations. In Louisiana, there are more than 5,000 children in the state foster care system with only … [Read more...]