Every Mother’s Day Sunday we receive an offering for the Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries. The Children’s Home Offering day this year will be on May 10. This year’s theme is “Every Child Deserves a Loving Home.”

That is absolutely a true statement, but unfortunately, as you know, every child does not have a loving home and that is why the ministry of our Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes is so very important. Many of the children that we minister to come from broken homes and devastating circumstances. They are the very people Jesus commanded us to minister to and in this we should be faithful.

It is unfortunate, but true, that our Children’s Homes ministry has been affected by the economic crisis in our nation just like every other organization. James S. Harper, president and chief executive officer of our Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, Inc. recently said, “Unfortunately, today it is harder than ever for us to provide the programs of our ministry to the children who need them most. Like many of the homes across our state and nation, our Home is suffering from financial burdens too. However, we know that God is in control and will provide for our needs as we are faithful to serve Him.”

While we understand that God is on His throne and is in control and that God has not been caught off guard by our financial crisis in this nation, we also know that wonderful ministries like the Children’s Home ministry cannot succeed without the faithful giving and support of Georgia Baptist churches and families. I want to encourage you this year more than any other, to be generous in an outpouring of love and offering for this much needed ministry.

Remembering his own childhood fondly, James Harper said, “Home. It is a word that usually brings fond memories and reminiscent smiles. When I think of home, I think of the North Georgia Mountains, my mama’s homemade biscuits, my daddy asking the blessing at dinner every night and playing baseball with my brother. As my parents have aged, I find myself going home more often. For me, there is nothing quite like going home.”

Many of us share the kind of rich heritage that James Harper is referring to in these words. Then he continues by saying, “For the children in our care, home is often a foreign word when they come to us. They come from circumstances most of us can’t imagine.

“Today’s homes have been riddled with the effects of hard economic times. Grandparents are raising their grandchildren. Drug and alcohol abuse are affecting our teenagers as well as adults. Young, expectant moms have nowhere to turn. Some of the children who come to us have suffered abuse, abandonment and neglect. It breaks my heart to know that these children have endured heartache in the place they call ‘home.’”

As our hearts go out to these precious children who need the love and the witness of the Lord Jesus Christ extended through our Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, let us commit with a new commitment to give and to serve in this great ministry. My prayer is that we will receive the greatest Children’s Home Offering that we have ever received on Mother’s Day this year.

Remember that there are other ways that you can be involved as well. Chris Hobbs, who is vice president of Communications for the Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, said, “The Children’s Home has many physical needs in its facilities across our state and many of our Baptist churches are reaching out to help meet these needs through campus work days and weeklong mission trips throughout the year. This assistance is a great help to our Children’s Home, especially during these tough economic times.”

As you give generously to this special mission offering, it may be that God will also lay it upon your heart to take a mission team from your church to work on one of the three campuses of our Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes.

In 2008, Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries reached out to and ministered to 668 total residents and clients served in 60,793 days of care. A great work is being done and you can be a very important part of that by giving generously to the Children’s Home Offering day on May 10.

May God continue to bless this incredible ministry and may He bless you as you become involved through giving financially and giving of yourself to touch the lives of these children in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Children’s Home Day is May 10.