Charity&ChildrenAnd now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina

129/4

BCH honors employees of the year. (page 3) Trustee group visits Guatemala orphanage. (page 7)

5/16

[ “. . .we say God wants your life to be better.” – Williams }[ “God’s always blessed me more than I deserve.” – Westmoreland }

The basketballs bounce on the KennedyHome gym floor in unison. The group of

younger boys concentrate as 18-year-old Sher-man guides them through one ball handling drillafter the other.

“Basketball has always meant so much to me,”Sherman shares. “Going to the gym, doing drillsand shooting hoops made my hard times better.It was my escape.”

Sherman didn’t want to go home. He and hismom were always at odds with each other. It al-ways ended with his mom becoming angry andSherman walking away and closing himself off inhis bedroom.

“I can see now how that didn’t help,” he says.“I couldn’t express what I was feeling. I knoweach time the gap between us became wider andwider. I wish I could go back to those days – I’dfix that.”

Sherman’s mom lost her children after beingincarcerated when Sherman was five years old.He and his seven brothers and sisters wereparceled out to live with rela-tives. Sherman was sent to livewith his great aunt in Houston.After his mom’s release, shemoved to North Carolina,trained as an electrician, beganworking, and then set about bringing her chil-dren back together.

“When I first came to North Carolina in 2009,we lived in a trailer,” Sherman remembers. “Butmy mom is a hard worker. She was determinedthat we would be a family again.”

The family moved to a nice house. Thingswere good and should have gone like his momplanned.

“It was too hard,” Sherman confesses. “Icouldn’t get close to my mom. Maybe it was hav-

ing to leave my life in Houston and starting over.It became too much.”

Sherman and his mom’s relationshipcame to a breaking point. Police werecalled. Sensing a deep rift, the policecalled the department of social services(DSS). DSS determined it was best to

remove Sherman and his younger brother fromthe home. In January 2015, the boys were drivento Kennedy Home.

“We didn’t know what to think,” he remem-bers. “We expected fences with barbed wire andmaybe bars on the windows. It was nothing likethat. The cottages were homes and there were nofences.”

The brothers were convinced that someonewould come and get them. They thought a familymember would welcome them into their home –

but nothing. As the time passed and no onecame, Sherman’s brother began to act out. Sher-man retreated to the solitude that he knew sowell and shut himself off.

“It was so painful,” he says. “I felt unloved. Iwas being rejected and I didn’t understand. Thewalls came up.”

Sherman let his hurt be known by arguingwith his houseparents. He says he stirred thingsup with the other children just for spite. “It’skind of funny now, because I was doing things Iwould never normally do. I was broken.”

The memory of one particular day is vivid forSherman. Feeling empty and retreating to hisroom, he closed the door, sat on his bed, andbegan to sob. He says one question ran throughhis mind over and over again, “Why, God?” (continued on page 6)

Eighteen-year-old Sherman’s life has been transformed in the 15 months he has lived at Kennedy Home in Kinston. He credits “turning to God” as his turning point. Sherman graduates from high school in June and plans to be a sports

physical therapist. He says he found the love he needed to feel complete at Kennedy Home.

Sherman’s lifebegins again___________________________________________________By Jim Edminson, Editor

H O P E HOPE changes lives and dispels

darkness.

Sharing Hope...Changing Lives Campaign at www.bchfamily.org/campaign____________________________________________________________________

.2 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

Charity & Children – Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, Inc., 204 Idol St., PO Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27361-0338. Michael C. Blackwell, publisher; Jim Edminson, editor (wjedminson@bchfamily.org); J. Blake Ragsdale, managing editor (jbragsdale@ bchfamily.org); Marcia Housand, account clerk. Charity & Children (ISSN 0009-1723-09 USPS 100-460) is published 11 times a year for friends and supporters of Baptist Children’s Homes. It is printed at Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC and mailed by Excalibur,Winston-Salem, NC. Circulation: 62,000 seven times a year, 30,000 four times a year. Periodicals postage paid at Thomasville, NC, and at additional mailing offices. For free subscription or to be removed from the mailing list or make address correction orchange, use the above address and write to Attn: Circulation Manager, send an email to address@bchfamily.org or call at 336-474-1209. Subscribe online at www.bchfamily.org/charityandchildren. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Charity & Children, PO Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27361-0338.

Vision: sharing hope . . . changing lives

Mission: To provide the highest quality

of Christian services to children, adults

and families in a caring culture of

measurable excellence

This column is the second in a series of lessons onlife’s most important journey.

Ours is an uncertain time in an unfo-cused culture that lurches from crisis to crisis. We can’t know the future except as the logical outgrowth – and dare I sayrepetition – of past events.

But I have a source of confidence that makes the angst of bad history and the trepidation of negative prognosticationsirrelevant. My confidence dwells in a God ofhope, and that’s about the most importantfour-letter word around right now.

Religious faith has always abounded inhope and expectation and promise for life.Through the centuries, nothing has beenmore characteristic of Christian people than a hope that enabled them to cope withlife – a power to challenge and overcomecircumstances instead of being devastatedand overcome by them.

Out of a vast sky arrayed with stars, a spiritual leader chooses one to follow. Fora Christian, the guiding star is Jesus Christ.When that Star commands our hearts, itdraws us out of the basements of fear andresets us on the rooftops of hope to bravethe blitz and bombs that would undo us.

A spiritual leader must be focused on a star, and you cannot truly lead without a deep awareness and appreciation for thespiritual.

Growing up, I appropriated as much as I understood of a spiritual self at an earlyage. I continue to appropriate it, even as I mature and as I know God and Godmakes Himself known more to me.

I’ve learned that God speaks more in mysilence than in my much pleading.

Be quiet. I must insulate myself from all the noises around me so I can hear a wordfrom God.

Is it audible? Not so far. But when I am attentive and truly

seeking direction, a word or insight into a problem, I feel a nudge in my spirit. That

nudge, when nurtured with prayer and contemplation, becomes the kernel thatgrows into a green stalk of truth fromwhich I move and develop the truth thathas been shown to me.

Truth with a capital T is always spiritualtruth, by which you can live and move andhave your being. It’s the point from which I start and end and the point from which I will not be moved. I must declare, as Martin Luther reportedly did before theHoly Roman Emperor Charles V in 1521,“Here I stand, I can do no other.”

But, how do you get to this point?For me it’s been a quest. It just never

stops. I continue to learn and be open andam aware. I’ve learned to listen and remainopen to whatever is around me: a child giving a testimony, a group singing, hearingthe trauma of a kid who has overcome andwho in her own way proclaims that her victory is because of God’s presence in her life.

Children in care at Baptist Children’sHomes do not score high initially on thehope scale. They’ve all taken the train oftrauma to get to us. Many have been sexually abused. To see them stand tallagain – like Paulina, a precious young ladywho was in our care – andrelated in a large publicforum how a houseparentled her to the Lord neverceases to thrill me. Forher it was a religious experience.

Religious experiencesand practice in the culture are being continually redefined.

Things just change. Think of businesses

that used to be closed onSundays. Centuries beforeour blue laws, Jewish rules prohibited

walking more than a quarter mile on theSabbath, or even cooking. Now we evenhave stores open on Christmas.

When I was a kid, we didn’t go to movieson Sunday. Kids’ athletic leagues wouldn’tdare schedule a game on Sunday. You’d better get all the groceries you needed forSunday lunch by Saturday or you would do without.

When I worked at WGNC radio duringmy high school years in Gastonia, we ran no advertising on Sunday. The owner, Mr. Todd, bequeathed it that way. It washis personal commitment to honor the Sabbath-keeping commandment.

When Sunday is just another day, it makes it that much harder for individuals inour culture to reclaim their sense of spiritual-ity. In the midst of media bombardmentand calendar tyranny, it is hard to make a space to touch base with our spiritualselves and the Spirit of God.

Where do we find a tributary in themidst of this desert? Where do we find a spring to keep us going? Where do we find those moments?

We’ll seek those answers in next month’s concluding column in this series.

The Spiritual QuestPART 2 By Michael C. Blackwell, President/CEO

The Spiritual Quest

BCH president/CEO Michael C. Blackwell rehearsing a program with children and staff members.

Discover your calling! Apply today at www.bchcareers.org

Alan Williams stepped to the podium and received his “Employee of the Year”

certificate from Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH)president/CEO Michael C. Blackwell and BCHBoard chairman Jay Westmoreland. Being recognized for his efforts was the last thing Williams expected.

“When I received the letter telling me that I had been selected, I had to read it twice,” herevealed. “I believe in what I do at BCH anddon’t do it for an ‘attaboy’ or a ‘high five.’ I was completely blown away by it.”

Williams is one of six BCH staff members tobe awarded the annual honor. They were recog-nized at the Trustee Meeting on April 5 in frontof BCH leadership, trustees and peers. He joinedBCH in November 2006 as office manager forthe agency’s development and communicationsdepartment. He hasn’t looked back.

“I came to BCH hoping I could make a differ-ence,” Williams explained. “At the end of eachwork day, I always hope that I’ve been mindful of God’s great love and that I’ve passed that lovealong to anyone I’ve come in contact with.”

William’s responsibilities bring him into dailycontact with donors, church representatives andfellow staff members as well as children in careand BCH alumni. He spearheads many eventsand initiatives including “Friends of ChildrenWorkdays,” “Food Roundup” and “Runwayfor Success.”

“Alan is one of those unsung champions wholabor without recognition,” Blackwell said to theaudience attending trustee meeting. “That is,until today.”2016 Honorees

Dathan Arant is a senior child care worker,alongside his wife Diana, at BCH’s BroyhillHome in Clyde. Dathan is known for his com-passion, honesty, humor, and cheerful and forgiv-ing spirit. His peers admire his qualities andconsider them both positive and contagious.

“This past Sunday, two of our young mencame down the church aisle and got saved,”Dathan shared with those attending the meeting.“That’s what this ministry is all about, and I getthe privilege to be a part of it.”

Dan Arrington serves as a child care workerwith his wife Alice at Mills Home in Thomasville.Dan is always joyous in his role caring for girls atJohnson Cottage. He is upbeat and shares laugh-ter, levity and love as a part of his ongoing legacy.

“God sent me here and guides me every day.

I can’t do it without Him. God has given all of ussomething to do – every child care worker, everyoffice worker. We do it and we do it well becauseGod is behind us,” Dan said to the group.

Cindy Ayers is a lead teacher with BCH’sWeekday Education program in Thomasville. She is known for her excellence in everything shedoes while teaching the children in her class-room. Cindy goes the extra mile arriving early,shoveling sidewalks and taking extra time to en-gage with parents.

“I couldn’t ask for a better job, better peopleto work beside, or a better organization thanBCH,” Cindy shared at the meeting. “I couldn’task for anything more.”

Brian Ritch serves special needs adults as thequalified professional at BCH’s DevelopmentalDisabilities Ministry’s Mercer Home in Sanford.Brian does whatever it takes to care for the residents. He fills in for residential care givers at both Mercer Home and Lanier Home, its sister home next door. His priority is to ensurethe residents always feel safe and secure.

“At DDM, we all work as a team and followChrist’s example of being a servant,” Brian toldthe audience. “It’s a privilege to work with thesespecial adults who teach us the true meaning ofcourage.”

Peggy Taylor is the resident manager at Brit-ton Ministries in Ahoskie, a Family Care homefor single mothers and their children. She has es-tablished strong relationships with churches, laityand other agencies in supporting the homeless.She is a trusted source in the Ahoskie area.

“I thank the Lord everyday for Britton Min-istries,” Peggy shared. “I love my job and what

I get to do.”Alan Williams is the office manager of BCH’s

development and communications office. Besidesperforming his daily duties, Alan is known for hislistening ear and ensuring that everyone whocontacts BCH is responded to with compassion.

“We get to work at this God-breathed, God-inspired place called BCH where we say Godwants your life to be better,” Alan said. “Weserve people every day who need to be loved and we get to do just that.”

Six Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) staff members from across the state were recognized with the 2016 “Employee of the Year” award on April 5. Left to right: Michael C. Blackwell, BCH President; Dathan Arant, Broyhill Home Child Care

Worker/Houseparent; Brian Ritch, Mercer Home Qualified Professional; Cindy Ayers, Weekday Education Lead Teacher;Peggy Taylor, Britton Ministries Resident Manager; Dan Arrington, Mills Home Child Care Worker/Houseparent; Alan

Williams, Development & Communications Office Manager; and Jay Westmoreland, Chairman BCH Board of Trustees.

[ 2016 EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR }

Staff membershonored forachievements________________________________________________ ___By J. Blake Ragsdale, Managing Editor

picture yourself makinga difference!

Become a difference-makerat Baptist Children’s Homes. Career opportunities are immediately available forhouseparents/child care workers, care givers

for special needs adults, chiefs/counselorswith residential camp programs and more.

Learn more & apply at www.bchcareers.org

____________________________________________________________________

5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4 3.

There are many reasons why people makecharitable gifts. In preparation for a seminar

I was doing at a training conference, I did someresearch. First, I scoured articles on the subjectand composed a list of six reasons for why peoplegive to help others. The number one reason isthat a person was asked to make a gift. Peoplealso give because of their religious beliefs, theyhave a desire to impact others’ lives, they have astrong belief in the cause’s mission, and the giveris appreciative. The sixth reason is tax benefits.

Next, I decided to do my own research and so I asked a few of our ministry partners whythey give to Baptist Children’s Homes. I was inspired and encouraged by their responses andwanted to share them with you.

_____________________________________“My wife and I are supporters of BCH

for many reasons, but a particular reason is thatwe want to be encouragers and helpers of thosethat have been overlooked, abused or otherwisediscarded in society. We recognize that all peopleare created by God and are valued by Him. Wetherefore want to assist them physically, emotion-ally, mentally, and spiritually.”

_____________________________________“I give to BCH because it is compassionate.

They have rescued thousands of children in thepast 130 years.”

_____________________________________“I give to Baptist Children’s Homes

because the lives of children like Kimani, Paulina,Thomas, and Travis have been changed.”

_____________________________________“To much has been given much is required.

It all belongs to God and I hope we will befound good stewards of what He has given to us. We have seen the difference Baptist Children’s Homes is making in the lives of

children and families. We are blessed tobe a part of this ministry.”

___________________________“My daughter lives at Lanier Home

in Sanford. I love Baptist Children’sHomes! I am asking all my friends to help the ministry.”

_______________________________“ BCH is credible! At Baptist

Children’s Homes, there is a culture of excellence. BCH is consistent, fromsenior leadership to childcare workers.They are all called to a higher purpose.”

________________________________“As a business leader, I give because

they are good stewards. The ministry iscost effective with the majority of fundsgiven going into direct service to children.”

_____________________________________“I love children.”_____________________________________“Staff and Trustees have ‘skin in the game.’

Their commitment to the Sharing Hope . . .Changing Lives Capital Campaign was inspiring.”

_____________________________________“I give to Baptist Children’s Homes because

it is Christ-centered. The problems being dealtwith cannot be solved without Christ at the forefront.”

_____________________________________“When we recognize it all comes from God,

we will care about what He cares about – others.We will then desire to share – sharing and caring,rinse and repeat.”

_____________________________________“By sharing and caring, we are building up

treasures in heaven. ‘storing up treasures forthemselves.’ Perhaps these are treasures that we will have the honor of laying at Jesus’ feet

as a sacrifice. In any event, treasures are promisedfor those who faithfully share and care as Godprescribes.”

_____________________________________“These are investments into God’s kingdom

that will bear eternal returns!”_____________________________________“God owns it all, but He chooses to place

it in our pockets. We want to use it to buildGod’s kingdom. It is His money – we are strivingto be found faithful with it.”

_____________________________________WOW! These heart-felt reasons say it all.

My research was complete and I had everything I needed for my presentation!

I’m so thankful for every ministry partner. All of our supporters are champions with us aswe share and care for the children. You all inspireand encourage me!

My favorite scripture on giving is Matthew 25:31–40. What’s yours? Email me and share yourfavorite scripture or thoughts on giving. I wouldlove to hear from you!

Also, we presently need to renovate severalcottages to be able to care for more children and families. We need to raise approximately $2 million for these much needed renovations atthis time. We also need funds for several vans andvehicles needed for transportation on each of ourcampuses. Call me to offer your financial supportor your gift of time to help with these renovationprojects. We need you!

For more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of those God has

entrusted into our care, call me at 336-689-4442. Brenda Gray’s passion is children. She serves BCH as the executive vice president, development & communications. Gray directs all fund-raising/friend-raising activities for the state-wide services.

[ WORTHWHILE INVESTMENTS }

Ministry partners sharereasons for giving__________________________________________________________________________________________________

By Brenda B. Gray, Executive Vice President, Development & Communications

A caring couple’s challenge gift offering to matchthe first $1 million pledged to BCH’s campaignthrough a planned gift is still available. Let us knowabout your planned gift today and see it double! The Sharing Hope. . .Changing Lives Capital Campaign encouragesBCH’s ministry partners to continue providing generous ongoing support while encouraging them to help the ministry grow throughCampaign gifts. Gifts can be made as an outright gift, a pledge overfive year, or a commitment through a planned gift.

Contact Brenda Gray at 336.689-4442 / bbgray@bchfamily.org

haring hope. . .hanging lives

Capital Campaign

$1 million challenge giftdoubles planned gifts

SC

Matthew 25: 31–40

Leave a legacy through planned giving. Visit www.bchlegacy.org____________________________________________________________________

.4 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

[ S U M M E R A P P E A L }

Sunshine sponsor for $5,000.00 Sizzle sponsor for $2,500.00 Splash sponsor for $1,250.00

Super sponsor for $500.00 Sensation sponsor for $250.00 Smiles sponsor for $50.00

$ ______ ____________ Other Amount

want to help give children summertime memories!

o you remember the first time you felt sand between your toes? Do you remember the excitement of dodging the waves

as they raced you to shore? Do you remember laughing and buildingsandcastles with friends and family? The memories are treasures. As a summer sponsor, you can help give the same wonderful memories to the boysand girls we serve together. Your sponsorship and your passion for being a difference-maker are changing lives. Even beyond the physical needs you are meeting, you help boysand girls put the painful memories of the past behind them.

I need your help. From 2013 to 2015, the number of children living at BCH has increased by 24%. We need more summer sponsors. We need more to help care for the many more who come every day. We need you to help us serve the growing number of children who are counting on us.

Sand between the toes; the taste of cold ice cream on a hot summer afternoon; watchingthe local minor league baseball team take a double header; feeling the peace of Jesus during VBS and special summertime church activities — all are treasured memories. For some of the children, they are their first good summer memories.

Please become a summer sponsor today. Choose one of the sponsorship levels below or give any amount of your choosing. Thank you for being a blessing to the children andfor making treasured memories possible.

For the children,

Michael C. Blackwell, President/CEO

D

I

Make your summer gift immediately at www.bchfamily.org/summer____________________________________________________________________

5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4 5.

Mail to: BCHP.O. Box 338Thomasville, NC 27361

To make a gift by check, please print your information below and mail this form with your check.

Name ________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________ State ______ Zip __________ Phone __________________________________________ Email ___________________________________________

To make a gift by credit card: 1) Give online at www.bchfamily.org/givenow or, 2) Make your gift by phone by calling Faith Frazier at 336-474-1312.

Yes, I would like to receive email updates from Baptist Children's Homes.

Contact me with information on how to prepare a Christian Will. I have included Baptist Children’s Homes in my estate plans.

(continued from page 1)Sherman turned to his houseparents.

He took a new interest in the cottage’s dailybible studies they led. He began to ask ques-tions about God. They offered scriptures asanswers to Sherman’s questions.

Sherman says his houseparents were per-sistant. They never stopped sharing God’slove. People would visit from churches andshare love with Sherman. He says the wallscrumbled as people spent time with him,hugged him and loved on him.

“It all got to me,” he says. “That’s when I made the biggest decision of my life. I turnedaway from everything my life was and turned to Him (God).”

On Saturday, August 8, 2015, Sherman

responded to an altar call when asked, “Is there anyonehere. . .?”

“God took me away fromeverything – out of my comfortzone,” he says. “It was in thisplace where I thought nobodycared for me that I foundGod.”

Sherman says he now livesoutside the walls he had built.He is more open. He chooses

to be a role model for the other children.“It has been like my eyes opened up and every-

thing changed,” he says. “I’ve learned that if Godcan get you to it, He will get you through it. Itfeels like my life has begun again.”

Sherman makes biggest decision of life_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sherman

America’s Santa, Kennedy Home alum JimDyer, enters the Manhattan hotel as heads

turn. Dressed in an authentic Santa costume, the“real bearded santa” captures attention every-where he travels. Stopping at the grand, ma-hogany check-in counter, he introduces himself.

“I’m Jim Dyer. I have a reservation.”“I’m sorry sir,” comes the reply. “We do not

have a reservation under Dyer, but we do havereservations forSanta Claus. Wel-come to The PlazaAthenee.”

Jim Dyer washonored by being selected as the TheSpirit of LibertyFoundation’s 2015America’s Santa.

America’s Santais the spokespersonfor the Foundation’sannual “OperationChristmas Miracle:The Believe in Santa Tour.”The Foundation’s Santa is agoodwill ambassador visitingU.S. military troops around the world. This yearDyer was to visit with the Mayor of Paris, laywreaths at the November 15 terrorist bombingsite in the city, and travel to military hospitals inGermany to visit soldiers – both patients and per-sonnel.

The next day, Dyer was live on the set of theweekday morning news show “Fox and Friends”

with the show’shosts ElisabethHasselbeck andSteve Doocy.

A quick trip toRockefeller Cen-ter and photoswith ABC’s GoodMorning Amer-ica’s RobinRoberts and NBCTODAY’s HodaKotb and KathieLee Gifford was followed by engagements whereDyer was Santa to adoring crowds.

“Everyone wants a picture with Santa,” Dyermuses.

The highlight of his tourwas visiting with troops. Dyer,a decorated Vietnam veteran,committed to being America’sSanta to encourage U.S. mili-tary personnel and their fami-lies.

“Every soldier I met wasgiven a heartfelt ‘thank you’on behalf of all of us safelystateside,” Dyer asserts.

Dyer lived at KennedyHome in Kinston from age

eight to 16 (1954-1962). Today, he is a BaptistChildren’s Homes (BCH) Trustee and has beena faithful ambassador for BCH having spokenmore than 100 churches across North Carolina.

[ 2015 AMERICA’S SANTA }

KH Alum tappedto bring cheer___________________________________________________

By Jim Edminson, Editor

Founders Day:Cameron Boys Camp – May 3

Broyhill BBQ Festival:Broyhill Home in Clyde – May 7Friends of Children Workday:Camp Duncan in Aberdeen –May 14

Fancy Finds Grand Opening:Mills Home in Thomasville – June 18

Hope in Style Fashion Show:Greensboro Country Club – Aug. 13

Be a part of BCH’s statewide events — www.bchfamily.org/events____________________________________________________________________

.6 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

BCH Trustee and Kennedy Home alum Jim Dyer was selected by The Spirit of Liberty Foundation to be the 2015 America’s Santa. 69-year-old Dyer, an ordained North Carolina Baptist minister, laid wreaths at a Paris terroristbombing site, left; was a featured guest on the nationally televised “Fox and Friends” , above; and, visited U.S. military

troops in Germany. Below, Dyer presents a soldier a football signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Complete events calendar at www.bchfamily.org/events

Jay Westmoreland sits in the nursery gentlyrocking the baby. Nestled in the bend of his

arm, the child rests contently as childcare work-ers and volunteers tend to the other babies at theGood Shepherd Children’s Home, Baptist Chil-dren’s Homes’ (BCH) affiliate orphanage inXela, Guatemala.

Westmoreland and fellow BCH trustee BobbyBoyd just finished painting one of the manyrooms at the orphanage when he took a quickpeek into the nursery. He planned to spend timeon the playground with the home’s older resi-dents after tackling his work projects, but thatwas before he saw Pedro.

“I was just captivated by him,” Westmorelandrecounts of the orphanage’s tiny resident who hecontinued to hold and later fed – the next workproject would have to wait. “After Pedro saidwhat sounded like ‘dada’ a couple of times, I washooked.”

The trip to Guatemala from March 26-30 wasan opportunity for Westmoreland and othermembers of the Board of Trustees to see the or-phanage up close. The group of 11 travelers in-cluded trustees, spouses and BCH’s Brenda Gray,Executive Vice President, Development andCommunications andKeith Henry, ChiefOperating Officer,who oversees BCH’saffiliation with GoodShepherd Ministries.

Good ShepherdMinistries encompassesboth the orphanageand the nearby medicalclinic. The clinic pro-vides medical care tothe orphans as well asservices to people inthe surrounding com-munity.

“Our trustees haveheard so much aboutthe Guatemala min-istry,” Henry explains.“This trip allowedthem to see it, and the needs, firsthand.”

The orphanage provides a home for indige-nous children who have been neglected or aban-doned. Children who come to Good ShepherdChildren’s Home may only be a few days old.

The children’s needs in Guatemala were veryevident to Bobby Boyd. Boyd has seen children

come from a variety of difficultcircumstances during a longtenure as the director for theDepartment of Social Servicesin Catawba County.

“I didn’t know much aboutGuatemala before going,” heshares. “I’ve learned that abouthalf of the 16 million peoplethere live below their povertylevel. It feeds into the depres-sion and alcoholism that aresuch challenges.”

Westmoreland agrees. “Thepoverty, alcoholism and malnu-trition. . .it’s why we have somany children at Good Shep-herd Children’s Home.”

“The purpose of BCH inGuatemala is the same as it iswith BCH in North Carolina,”Westmoreland explains. “It’s toshare hope and change lives.”

Trustee Roy Howell had par-ticipated in a volunteer trip tothe orphanage with his homechurch, Green Level Baptist inCary. During the trustee trip,Roy says he saw the needs fromanother perspective.

“On this trip, I saw the dis-parity in the religious teach-ings,” Howell says. “TheGuatemalan people are taughtmany different things by differ-ent people. It makes it hard toteach them about Jesus.”

The challenge hasn’t kept allthose involved from sharing Jesus. Trustees met

13-year-old Santos, the old-est boy at the orphanageand one of the first childrenadmitted into care. Heasked Jesus into his heartsoon after arriving at thehome. And 13-year-old Es-meralda made a decision forChrist only a short timeafter the group returnedhome.

“It’s not hard to imagineSantos becoming a Christianleader or even a pastor,”Westmoreland asserts.

While the visiting trusteesand BCH staff members hadample opportunity to spendtime with the children, theyalso stayed busy completinga number of work projects

and volunteering at the medical clinic.BCH’s Brenda Gray worked in the clinic’s

pharmacy and taught children who came withtheir families basic oral hygiene skills.

“I had the joy of giving these precious boysand girls lollipops. . .then I showed them theproper way to brush their teeth,” Gray laughs.

Henry says the venture was a success and istentatively making plans for another trustee tripfor later this year.

“The trip was everything we hoped for,” he says. “It allowed the trustees to share in theGuatemala ministry firsthand and even begin to envision how it may move forward as we stepinto the future.”

[ GUATEMALA ORPHANGE }

Trustees seeorphans’ needsfirst hand________________________________________________ ___By J. Blake Ragsdale, Managing Editor

Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) trustees witnessed Good Shepherd Ministries inGuatemala up close during their mission trip in March. Above, BCH trustee JayWestmoreland rocks Pedro, one of the orphanage’s babies. Below, the group oftravelers, which included trustees, spouses, volunteers and BCH staff members,

pose in front of the Good Shepherd mosaic at the medical clinic.

Show God’s love to BCH’s boys & girls including children at

the new Guatemala Orphanage. A “Mission: Kids4Kids”

offering through your VBS changes lives!

Support the Guatemala Orphanage! Learn how at www.orphanreach.org____________________________________________________________________

5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4 7.

Retired for 18 years and widowed for five,80-year old Sonny Westmoreland does not

let grass grow under his feet. Or his neighbor’sfor that matter. He stays active helping others –like the frail neighbor whose yard he mows eachweek. An active deacon at Haymore MemorialBaptist Church in Mt. Airy, Westmoreland alsovolunteers at the local food pantry and clothescloset each week.

In addition to caring for his home, large gar-den and two miniature horses, Westmoreland isan avid walker at the Ararat River Greenway –staying in shape for the annual Relay for Lifefundraiser where he walks one lap for each yearsince his successful treatment for lung cancer.Last year, that was 29 laps – seven and a quartermiles with only one lung. Like other blessings,Westmoreland deflects credit for his good healthand stamina. “God’s always blessed me morethan I deserve.”

Westmoreland also “opens the doors, turns on the lights and makes the coffee” two eveningseach week at a local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)meeting. “I used to go seven nights a week, butnow just two – but not to keep from drinking.God gave me that program. Now, it’s my obliga-tion to be there for others. You can’t do a lot forpeople at AA; they have to do it for themselves.But they have to have a place to go; so I keep the doors open for them.”

Westmoreland is frank about the addiction to alcohol that threatened his marriage and life.After his “Savior, Jesus Christ,” Westmorelandcredits his wife Polly for seeing him through.“We met on a blind date when I got back from Korea. I kept my drinking a secret until we married and then I couldn’t any longer.”

In May of 1972, after 15 years of turmoil,

Westmoreland found himself in the Alcohol Re-covery Center (ARC) in Butner, North Carolina.Retelling a memory from those first days of sobriety still casts a shadow across his face. “Theymade a movie of the get-acquainted session onthe first day and showed it to us later. I was disgusted to see my nasty, rude attitude.” Afterwards,Westmoreland droppedto his knees andprayed, “If you’re really up there, showme what to do. I neverwant to be that personagain.”

Because family dynamics were part of the treatment, Pollywas asked to stay at the ARC for 28 days.“I had given her somepretty hard times, so I told them, ‘Shewon’t come.’ But shecame on Sunday andstayed 28 days. Ourkids were eight and nine.”

Polly became a Christian as a teenager. ButWestmoreland’s road was a little longer. Aftertwo years of sobriety, he began attending churchwith Polly. “One Sunday, when they had the altarcall, I felt I had to go up. I was baptized in a lakeon the side of Turner Mountain in the summerof ‘74.”

“Polly and I had the best 39 years anyonecould ever have.” The fact that Sonny and Pollywere married for 53 years doesn’t dim his appre-

ciation for the 39 years when he says he “camecloser to giving her the husband she deserved.”

Westmoreland’s service to others is powerfulbecause it stems from heart connections. His RedBag ministry is no different. “I see Red Bags as a way to honor Polly. She worked in a doctor’s

office 45 years. If she were liv-ing, she would be right herewith me, getting them in thehands of people who needthem.”

Westmoreland learned ofRed Bags when Martha Mc-Dowell, central regional direc-tor for North Carolina BaptistAging Ministry (NCBAM)shared “Priority #1: Preven-tion” programs at his church.

“I could see the need for these right away,” says Westmoreland. He pitchedRed Bags as a ministry out-reach to his pastor and fellowdeacons and they jumped onboard. Westmoreland alsopurchases bags and routinely

shares them with others. Deacon Eric Southern,an EMS supervisor, and Westmoreland have spo-ken on a local radio program sharing medicationsafety tips such as storing medicines in one placeand making them accessible to emergency re-sponders.

Westmoreland appreciates that each Red Bagcomes with the plan of salvation. “If they are notChristians, this Red Bag may give them anotherchance,” concludes Sonny Westmoreland – everthe lover of a good second chance.

[ NCBAM–DYNAMIC AGING }

Red Bags aregifts of the heart________________________________________________ ___By Carol Layton, C&C Writer

Eighty-year-old Sonny Westmoreland of Mt. Airy always has a few Red Bags in his car trunk just in case he comes uponsomeone who could use an insulated medicine storage bag. Westmoreland receives the bags from North Carolina BaptistAging Ministry and distributes them in memory of his late wife Polly, below. The Haymore Memorial Baptist Church mem-

ber has led his church to distribute Red Bags as an outreach to aging adults in the Mt. Airy community. An informationcard about the church is placed in each Red Bag pocket along with a sheet to list medications and the plan of salvation.

Your vehicle becomes a partof the BCH ministry when

you donate it!

Call Sam Barefootat 336-474-1224

Red Bags are ideal for keeping medicinesin one location.They are lifesaversin an emergency.

To order 50 or more, call 877.506.2226.

Learn more about Red Bags at www.ncbam/redbag____________________________________________________________________

.8 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/millshomealumni

The Alumni Council membershave often discussed the fact

that some alumni come to MillsHome (MH) Homecoming toenjoy the activities and be with theirdear friends and never give anythought to actually paying member-ship dues to become “officialAlumni Association members.”

Some will even ask, “Why shouldwe join? We’re having a good timewithout joining.”

I’m sure that is true, but theAlumni Council still yearns for theday when most people will see theneed to become dues paying mem-bers. Paying dues shows you reallywish to be part of the good workdone by the Association. It is not alarge amount of money and we re-ally need for all alumni and inter-ested former workers to add thissmall amount to our funds.

It is through dues that we areable to pay for stationary, envelopesand stamps so that we can keep youinformed of Homecoming plans.Part of the money is used for deco-rations and other items needed toproduce Homecoming. Money notused for those purposes is left in thegeneral fund to carry out projectswe are always working on.

Our history of projects is truly anamazing history of “giving back.”Every council I have witnessed since1971 has been so responsible inusing all monies to carry out worth-while projects at Mills Home. Oneyear, we fixed up the Teen-Room inthe gym. Another year, we put airconditioning in the gym. And in re-cent years, some of that money wenttoward improvements at the ceme-tery. And since 1982, we have cou-pled some of the dues monies withother funds to help keep theMitchell updated. (A Museum is thekind of project that will never endand even though we have two fairlysmall endowments and new incomefrom a “special will provision,”there is never too much money.)

Why not add yourself to thenumbers who keep the Alumni As-sociation viable and strong? Thisyear add your dues to the “treasurycoffers” and help us to keep

“doing.” You’ll enjoy knowing youhelped make wonderful things hap-pen through our 105 year old MillsHome Alumni Association. Morenext month about our project his-tory and ways you can help.

I had a recent call from SarahWikle of Winston Salem askingabout Della Mae Watson. I was ableto give her Della Mae’s address andphone number and I hope theywere able to reunite. They had at-tended nursing school together be-tween 1944 and 1947 and remainedin contact so many years.

Virginia Williams Neely called ashort time ago to report that Geral-dine Maultsby is now home recuper-ating nicely from a three-week stayin the hospital because of a brokenhip. Fortunately, Geraldine is luckyto have a daughter and daughter-in-law to give her tender loving care.Virginia hopes folks will send getwell cards to Geraldine at 36 Hem-lock Ln, Bay Shore, NY 11706. Herphone number is 631-666-5138

After struggling with health issuesfor many years, Stan Hoyle passedaway in early March. A celebrationof his life was held at the Flint HillCemetery in Shelby where he wasburied. Alumni and friends have en-joyed the humorous tales Stan hastold in recent years in his “Stan’sRamblins.” Most tales have beenabout family members. ThroughFacebook, folks have been able toread and enjoy his stories and itemsin which he shared the Word of Godin as many ways as he could andlead others to help him in his min-istry. The thing most often saidabout Stan has been that he alwaysput forth a “positive Spirit” despiteless than perfect life circumstances.He will be sorely missed.

Stan’s parents Imogene Hoyle andthe late Lee Hoyle were housepar-ents in the 70s and 80s. After Lee’sdeath, Imogene served in variousroles at MH until 2001.

Imogene and John’s family ex-pressed great appreciation for thecare and concern that so manyalumni showed for Stan throughcomments and prayers on Facebookand visits to Ohio where Stan hadbeen hospitalized for the last three

years. They ask that friends remem-ber Stan’s daughter Melissa and herchildren in your prayers. Condo-lences may be sent to Imogene,John’s family and Melissa at: P.O.Box 280, Boiling Springs, 28017or limabean@carolina.rr.co.

We were saddened to learn viaFacebook that Vickie Tuggle Eatonpassed away on March 23. She wasmuch loved by so many on Face-book and we all looked forward tocomments about her family. It hasbeen a joy to get to know her. Shecame to MH in 1957 from HighPoint and graduated in 1967. It wasso evident that she had a place inher heart for her family and a greatabiding faith in God. Vickie and herhusband John (now deceased) hadone son, one daughter, three grand-children, and one great grandchildwith another soon to be born. She issurvived by all these and her brotherHenry and sister Sherri. She wasburied at Oleander Memorial Gar-dens in Wilmington.

Wallace Maultsby called onMarch 15 with the sad news of thedeath of Eugene Belch. He had beensuffering from cancer. Eugene andhis older brother Robert came toMH in 1933 and Eugene graduatedin 1941. He had been living inConnecticut and he was buried inPennsylvania with Military Rites.Send condolences to Robert Belchat 1301 Lakeview Dr., Cross Junc-tion, VA 22625.

Joyce Teal Fine passed away onSunday, February 28. At the time ofher death she was living in Bracey,VA where she and her husband Jackhad been living for quite a fewyears. She was buried at Dale Me-morial Park in Chesterfield, VA.Joyce and her sister Mary Virginiacame to MH in 1939 and she grad-uated in 1949. She was active inmany school and church functionsand was very popular on campus, es-pecially with young Jack Fine. Joyceand her sister both stand out in mymemory as “big girls” we loved tolook up to. Friends can offer condo-lences to Jack at 322 Allegheny Dr.,Bracey, VA 23919 or call 434-636-5310.

Thanks again to folks who fill out

the update sheets provided in theHomecoming letter. Sharon “Neci”Freeman Gray wrote on her sheetthat she lives at 6582 NC Hwy 150E, Maiden. She came to MH in1976 from Charlotte and she left in1980. She is an LPN with AdvancedHome Care in Charlotte. She men-tioned Gary Bruin as her favoritecampus worker because “he had agreat understanding of the sensitiveneeds of teenagers. He was a greatconfidante for me and was alwaysfair!” About Homecoming, Necisaid that seeing old friends and wor-shiping together were wonderful.

Regarding memories of her life atMH, Neci wrote: “I recall being outon a date with a young volunteerfireman. Before he could get meback to Huffman Cottage by mycurfew time, his scanner went offand he had to rush to a fire. I thenhad to call Mr. Mickey to let himknow I was going to miss curfewand why. His response was to laughand he said ‘Now, I’ve heard it all.’I was nearly an hour late but he hadwaited up for me.”

An update sheet for Jim “Doc”Norman states that he came to MHfrom High Point in 1952. He grad-uated in 1962. On campus he wasinvolved in RA’s, sports, scouting,farm work, and garage work. He didnot name a favorite houseparent orworker except to say “cooks” –sounds like a teenage boy with alove of good food. Jim had a careerin sales work and is now happy to beretired. Everyone knows he marriedthat cute little Sandra Peeler whohad such a beautiful voice. Sandrapassed away around 1995. They hadthree children who produced fivegrandchildren. They were also veryhelpful in the 1990s when they han-dled our live auction during Home-coming. Friends can contact Doc at158 Hickory Creek Dr., Gastonia28062. Call Doc at 704-747-4850

or email him at bros-ales@netscape.com.

Lib Johnson was a resident of MillsHome from 1946 to 1957. Johnsonbegan writing the Mills Home alumnicolumn in 1992.

[ MILLS HOME ALUMNI COLUMN }

Former residents and staff members encouragedto join Mills Home Alumni Association_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By Lib Smathers Johnson (336) 299-7412 libsjohnson@triad.rr.com

____________________________________________________________________

5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4 9.

Be a part of BCH’s statewide events at www.bchfamily.org/events

________________________________Equine Program Accredited

Oak Ranch Family Care resident Aileen shares asmile with her son Samuel as he sits atop Crystal,one of the ranch’s horses. Samuel is the first resi-dent to ride since the program was accredited bythe Council on Accreditation for Children andFamily Services (COA). COA is an independent,not-for-profit agency that accredits private andpublic organizations serving children and familiesthroughout the United States and Canada. COA’sapproval of Oak Ranch’s equine program meansthe mothers and children living there can havegreater interaction with the ranch’s horses. OakRanch in Broadway offers two Family Care homesfor hard-working single mothers and their chil-dren. Baptist Children’s Homes’ (BCH) FamilyCare program gives the mothers the opportunityto reestablish their lives so they can move theirfamilies into a successful independent living envi-ronment while still parenting their children.Learn about Family Care at www.bchfamily.org/familycare________________________________Children Helping Children

The Royal Ambassadors (RAs) from New HopeMissionary Baptist Church in Wilson organizedand participated in a Walk-A-Thon to raise fundsfor BCH’s boys and girls. The RAs collected$2,000 and presented the funds on April 12 toBCH president/CEO Michael C. Blackwell andboys from Cameron Boys Camp.________________________________

________________________________Developmental Disabilities Ministry

The women and men living at BCH’s Lanier andMercer Homes in Sanford attended CampbellUniversity’s annual “Spring Fling” in March. Theresidents at BCH’s group homes for adults withdevelopmental disabilities are invited to partici-pate each year. The event, sponsored by studentsserving on the university’s Campus ActivitiesBoard, offers games, singing and fun for the com-munity. Above, residents Daren and Bryan posewith the university’s mascot, Gaylord the Camel.________________________________BCH Supporters

Truitt Beard of Maiden and members of his familyvisited Mills Home in Thomasville. Beard askedhis family to bring him to the Thomasville campussince it had been years since his last visit. Beard isa longtime advocate and supporter of BCH.Above, Truitt Beard is greeted by BCH president/CEO Michael C. Blackwell at Mills Home’s John-son Cottage.________________________________Church Support

Members of Victory Baptist Church in Bryson Citybrought a day of fun to the children living atBroyhill Home in Clyde. The group organized abeach party for the residents and served a meal.________________________________

________________________________Mills Home

Representatives of the Guilford County AnimalShelter came together with the Piedmont chapterof the Humane Society to bring some specialfriends to visit the boys and girls at Mills Home.Residents learned how to care for pets and weregiven the opportunity to name the four animalswhich could help to increase the pets’ chances for adoption.________________________________Odum Home

Children from Odum Home in Pembroke visitedrecently at New Center Baptist Church in Bladen-boro. Led by church pastor Kevin Linlaw, the con-gregation provided lunch for the boys and girlsand loaded up their van with items they had col-lected for BCH’s annual “Food Roundup.”________________________________Broyhill Home

A caring couple donated 100 lbs. of beef forspring break at Broyhill Home. Above, housepar-ent Will Porter grills steaks for his cottage.________________________________Food Roundup

In late March, Piedmont’s Majic 99.9 FM/1440AM invited BCH’s Karen Slate to share about theannual “Food Roundup” and how the need to collect food has increased along with BCH’s population.________________________________

[ AROUND THE STATE }

Every day at churches and BCH facilities “around the state,” residents, staff members and North Carolina Baptists are mak-

ing news. In Charity & Children and through BCH's social media posts, friendscan connect daily, weekly and monthly to learn about all of BCH's happenings.______________________________________________________________________________________

Stay connected online at www.bchfamily.org and on Facebook, Twitter,YouTube, and Vimeo. Also follow NCBAM (www.ncbam.org) and BCH'sDevelopmental Disabilities Ministry (www.hereismyhome.org).

____________________________________________________________________

.10 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

Get Involvedwww.bchfamily.org/getinvolved

You can meet the daily needs ofBCH’s boys and girls by sharingyour time, talents and resources.You can help in these ways:___________________________________

Food Roundup: This is a great opportunity for churches, businessesand organizations to help provide thefood needs of the boys and girls incare. Call 336-474-1277 or visitwww.bchfoodroundup.org

Friends of Children Workdays:The perfect one-day missions out-reach. Projects for all ages! StatewideBCH workdays available in May andSeptember. See 2016 dates on page 6Call 336-474-1209.

Mile of Pennies: Help by collecting a “Mile of Pennies.” When caring forhundreds of children, it takes every-one working together – one pennyadded to another penny and then an-other penny. Continue to multiplythe pennies and just imagine how faryou can go in making a real differ-ence! Call 336-474-1209.

Gently-Used Furniture Donationsand Volunteer Opportunities:Fancy Finds takes your gently-usedfurniture and home decor items andcreatively repurposes them to help all of BCH’s ministries. Fancy Findsneeds items as well as volunteers.Learn more --www.fancyfinds.orgor call 704-909-8223.

Recycle Projects: Collect emptyprinter cartridges (laser, inkjet andfax cartridges). Deliver items to anyBCH facility or use prepaid shippinglabels to send items to recycler. Mil-lions of cartridges are thrown awayeach year. Begin collecting and helpthis year-round program earn moneyfor children. You can recycle cellphones, too. Call 336-474-1209.

Bike for Change: Bike for Change is a fun and dynamic way for childrento help "change" the lives of children.By pedaling bicycles, children raisesupport and awareness for BCH’sboys and girls. It is a great serviceproject for schools, churches, andother children’s groups. It alsoteaches children the importance ofparticipating in missions outreach. Visit www.bikeforchange.org forresources. Learn more by contact-ing bikeforchange@bchfamily.org

Sharing Hope...Changing LivesCapital Campaign: The campaign isabout securing BCH’s future so thatchildren and families who come intocare at the ministry’s 19 statewide lo-cations can count on having the safehome and care they need. ContactBrenda Gray at 336-689-4442. Visitwww.bchfamily.org/campaign

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kennedyhomealumni

Let me remind everyone again, Kennedy Home (KH)

Homecoming is not in July as ithas been for many years. The datethis year is June 4 and 5. This is a new date that the Alumni decided to try. Please make everyeffort to attend. Bring your wholefamily and plan to have a greattime. Let your alumni friends havethe opportunity to meet your chil-dren, grandchildren or whoever.

Registration begins at 12:00noon in the gym on Saturday, June 4. The worship servicespeaker on Sunday, June 5 is Rev. Horace Hawes. He and hiswife Mary will be special guests.Horace was the programs directorat the same time Becky and I wereat KH.

Some of you may rememberHorace and Mary getting marriedon the steps of Cedar Dell. I hadthe Senior High choir stand up on the porch and they sang somebeautiful music for the service.Our very own Rev. Roger Williams,director of Kennedy Home andBaptist Children’s Homes easternarea, was the officiating minister.This was a very great day for thewhole campus with everyone par-ticipating.

I encourage everyone to join me as the Alumni Choir presentsthe worship service’s special music.I’ll be looking for a crowd, don’tchicken out. We will have a greattime!

It’s still not too late to join usfor the Beach Retreat on May 19through 22. We have 21 signed up to be there. You may check inand get settled anytime after 10:00a.m. on Thursday, May 19. Wewant to have the whole housecleaned up and everyone gone by 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon,May 22. Let’s all work together tomake this a very successful retreat.Remember to bring your ownsheets, towels, etc. We also wanteveryone to bring two or threebottles of their favorite soft drinksto share with everyone. It will alsobe great if you make some of your

favorite desserts to share over theweekend – I can taste them rightnow.

Bring your swim suit. We aregoing to try the water in case it is a hot weekend and of course layon the beach to start our summertans. We will eat all meals at thecottage unless you want to go out on your own. We found this to be much easier and makes thetrip less expensive. I will tell youthe cost per person after you getthere so bring some cash. It won’tbe much. Don’t forget to bringyour Bible. If you have an “out-side” or “inside” game to share,feel free to bring it, too.

I know Easter was last monthbut Charles Butler wrote on Face-book the following that I feel isimportant to share with all of our Charity & Children friends.

“Happy Easter to all of my Facebook friends! I Hope youtruly understand what Eastermeans: The celebration of Jesuscoming forth from the tomb andovercoming death. If you couldfind the graves of everyone elsealso who claimed to be God andlooked in the grave, their remainswould still be there. But Jesus isalive because HE IS GOD.

“You can only get to Heaventhrough Jesus Christ! It is notenough to believe that Jesus existed. You have to realize thatyou are a sinner and if you havesinned only once you cannot enterheaven. Jesus paid the penality ofsin which is death. By trusting inChrist you are trusting in His freegift to enter Heaven. You can notwork your way to heaven by tryingto do good works. It is the gift ofGod...so that no one can boast.”

Thank you, Charles, for beingthe Christian you are. It is veryobvious that you love to sharewith others. Thanks for your viewson Easter. Please write me some ofyour other views to use in the col-umn and I’ll share with yourKennedy Home friends.

Debbie Lassiter who lived atKennedy Home from 1969-1977

wrote the following: “Hi John, I wanted to send in an updateabout what has been happening inmy life the past few years. We havethree children, David and myself.Our oldest child is Stephanie. She has been married for eighteenyears to Buddy. Stephanie has a masters degree in teaching andshe has one child named Katelyn.Our middle child is David Jr. He isa mechanical engineer and worksfor the Department of Defenseand is working in Japan at thistime. He is married and has twochildren – Thomas and Audrey.Our youngest child is Erin. Sheworks in banking management.She has two boys. Their namesare JT and Lucas.

“We are very blessedwhen it comes to ourchildren. They have led good lives and weresmart enough to get a good education. Nodoubt what I learned at Kennedy Home andthe good life and thingsDavid’s parents taughthim about life helped us to teach ourchildren whatthey neededto preparethem forthis life.

“MyhusbandDavid retiredfrom hiswork inJanuary.He workedfor the Departmentof Defensefor morethan 38years. He retired but hecertainly hasn’tstopped. He has been helping his brother build his house and that hasbeen nonstop. David

traveled a lot for work and I wouldtag along when it seemed like aninteresting place to go, but nowthat he has retired, we hope to do some traveling that he can actually enjoy without all thework. We have plans for a cruise in September and also plan to visitJapan. We are looking forward tothe beach trip with the KennedyHome alumni and also lookingforward to Homecoming in June.”

Please send me some informa-tion. Write me a letter or email. I’llmention you in the next Charity& Children. Keep in touch.

Thanks! Love – JT

[ KENNEDY HOME ALUMNI COLUMN }

Alumni and former staff members urged to submit information and Kennedy Home stories_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By John Thompson, 2324 Country Club Road, Jacksonville, NC 28546 (252)671-3515 jthompson117@ec.rr.com

____________________________________________________________________

5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4 11.

John Thompson was the choir director at Kennedy Home from1972-1977. Today, he enjoys a veryactive retirement.

REMEMBER NEW DATES:

Kennedy HomeHomecoming

June 4 & 5_________________________

Guest Speaker Sunday Morning Worship

Rev. Horace HawesSpecial Worship Music

Alumni Choir

More Homeword at www.bchfamily.org/charityandchildren____________________________________________________________________

.12 5/16 – Charity & Children – 129/4

Calling All State Employees!Choose BCH as your charity in theState Employees Combined Campaign.SECC code is 3641. Encourage others toas well and better the lives of childrenand families in North Carolina.

We participate in these areas:C F C # 3 3 2 4 1

Research Triangle Area CFCCape Fear Area CFCCamp Lejeune/OnslowCounty/New River CFCSoutheastern North Carolina (includes Fort Bragg)

Greater North Carolina CFCCherry Point CFCRowan/Iredell County CFCCFC Central CarolinasCFC of Western NC

South Hampton Roads CFC(Camden, Chowan, Currituck,Dare, Gates, Hertford,Pasquotank, and PerquimansCounties and Albemarle andElizabeth City)

Can we help?BCH offers services for children and families. Needhelp, call 1-800-476-3669.

1.Western Area Family Services Linda Morgan, Lead Dir. 828-627-9254

2.Central Area Family Services Regina Keener, Dir. 336-474-1200

3.Eastern Area Family Services Brian Baltzell, Dir., 252-522-0811

3.Odum Home Kathy Locklear, Res. Campus Mgr.910-521-3433

4.Cameron Boys Camp Stephen Ashton, Dir. 910-245-4034

5.Camp Duncan for Girls Paul Daley, Dir. 910-944-3077

6.Oak Ranch/Family CareLynn Garner, Dir. 336-474-1240

7.Weekday EducationLinda Russo, Dir., 336-474-1201

8.Dev. Disabilities Ministry Peggy Pennington, Dir. 336-474-1261

9.NC Baptist Aging MinistrySandy Gregory, Dir. 336-474-1221

10.Fancy FindsRenee Gregory, Dir.704-909-8223

11.Good Shepherd MinistriesGuatemala Orphanage & ClinicKeith Henry, BCH COO336-474-1215

Dad’s garden was a thing to behold. I would say it was an act of love,

but that wouldn’t do justice to thework he put into it. Sure, it camefrom a deep love for his family andblessed others in our community.But Dad’s garden was more. Itwas a work of beauty. It encapsu-lated the lesson he taught, “Ifyou’re going to do something,

do it well.”Dad’s garden was big-

ger than most otherbackyard

gardens.

After the last fall potatoes were harvestedand strewn on the rough-hewn floor ofhis shed, he began layering the leavesraked from the yard atop the now barrenrows. Kitchen scraps, coffee grounds and newspaper he shredded were addedthroughout the winter. He combined the manure collected from his pedigreerabbits’ pins into the concoction thatwould be black gold in the garden.

Before Punxsutawney Phil even thoughtabout peeping from his burrow, Dad consulted the Farmer’s Almanac and witha calendar at the kitchen table, he plottedout his spring planting schedule.

The pull of the cord that cranked hisgas-powered, red Troy Bilt tiller signaled the start of gardening muchlike the dropping of a green flag atCharlotte Motor Speedway. Back andforth, he chopped up the earth untilthe course mixture became fine earth

ready to welcome his corn, beans, lettuceand radish seeds.

Dad used a hand plow to furrow his garden. His earlier work preppingthe soil insured that the plow broke the earth into rows with ease. Opening a seed packet and using his hand, heplaced each seed to rest. Resolve guidedhis touch and gave the seed a place tobest grow roots and break from theground in two to three weeks.

Using the backside of his garden rake, Dad covered the seeds – allowingonly the perfect amount of dirt to shieldeach one.

As much effort as he put into getting

the seeds into the earth, the hardest part came with waiting for the plants toemerge from the ground. Questions roseabout too much rain or seeds that were nogood as the days added up. Only when theperfectly straight rows had full rows ofgreen growth did Dad tilt his cap backand wipe his brow.

Fresh vegetables were not the only harvest Dad provided for his family.

His children learned that we reap whatwe sow by his careful example. He showedthe value of hard work and diligent plan-ning in every area of life. Yes, Dad plantedmany lessons that over the years havetaken root and helped me to be a betterson, husband and father.

I’ve learned it take lots of patience attimes for a child to have that “aha” mo-ment – when the lesson bursts onto thescene and the value of what I have taughtbecomes their own. I find myself countingthe days so I can see the fruits of mychild-rearing.

The beads of sweat on my brow aremore common than I would like to admitas I wait for one or the other of my grownchildren to flourish, bloom, yield. My appreciation of Dad’s gardening skills, literally and metaphorically, increase annu-ally. I remain thankful that my HeavenlyFather brings the harvest in the fullness of

time – in the garden as in life.

Edminson is editor of Charity & Children and writes“Homeword” to inspire and encourage families. He isavailable for preaching and speaking engagements. Email him at wjedminson@bchfamily. org or call 1-800-476-3669, ext. 1217 to schedule a date.

[ H O M E W O R D }

Sowing seeds is the easy part, waiting for the plantto break through takes patience__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By Jim Edminson, Editor

M O R E MORE inspiration in

every issue.