ANNUAL REPORT

We gave our report yesterday at the Baptist Missionary Association of Mississippi annual meeting. For those unable to attend or did not receive the October 15th Mississippi Baptist Paper this is the annual report.

It has been a long unprecedented year. I think all of us could have started this paragraph with the same sentence. As uncertain as the times are around us we know we serve The Lord who has never ceased to reign.

Psalm 127

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it:

Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows:

For so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:

And the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;

So are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed,

But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

We stepped into this ministry with one child to care for in 2019. As of the writing of this report the Home has quadrupled its long term placements in the past year. I know our God can do anything, but I don’t think I will get the chance to make that announcement again. We have also helped multiple children through short term care anywhere from a day to a week. We are greatly encouraged by the blessings of opportunities to serve these individuals and families.

As encouraged as we are, hindsight is 20/20, as they say. We have not taken every step according to plan. The goal we placed before you last year to have our churches point us to children in need in their communities did not provide the opportunities we had hoped. I did receive a couple of calls, but upon further examination the families in question were taking steps to better care for their children. I would not say we are closing the door to this approach, but we do not feel as if it is going to be the most fruitful avenue.

So, how did we have such a good year when our plan didn’t work? The short answer is, God had another plan. After meeting with a local Judge and receiving our first placement. We had to back date some steps, but Lindsay and I were able to be licensed as Foster Parents through the Director’s Home. This is a loop hole allowing us to keep both placement options available to us. We can still receive children through our Health Department Liscensing at the big house and receive children through the state officially at our personal residence. I know we said last year we don’t want to lose our religious freedoms by going through the state and this loop hole allows us to do just that. Lindsay and I are bound by some rules we don’t fully agree with, but the Home as an entity is not. This also allows us to take aim at the plan we mentioned last year. The difference is the state has already identified the children for us. Now the children we receive will be evaluated for possible long term placement with us at the Home after a period of time to determine the likelihood of reunification with their family.

This is what our caseload has looked like:

1. We took in a 16 year old young man last November, and we have been named his “permanency plan”. This is basically saying because he is now 17, they are no longer trying to reunify him with his mother, and not trying to terminate her rights due to his age. So, he will stay with us until he can make those decisions. He has been our biggest praise of all our placements to this point. He has made a profession of faith and followed the Lord in baptism since coming to us. The fruit of repentance has been a joy to witness.

2. We received a 17 year old young lady in January. She came to us through family placement. We are trying to help her finish an ESL program to get her GED, while praying she would receive her biggest help in Christ. Pray for her and us.

3. In February, we had an emergency case from the MDCPS. A 14 year old young man came to stay with us until his extended family could finish arrangements to take him into their home. Similarly, in June we had a 6 year old boy stay with us for a week on his way to therapeutic treatment. We pray as there may still be a chance for him to be able to return to us in the future.

4. At the end of July we took in an 11 year old boy. His arrival was marked with a difficult time as it was the Saturday we found out we had been exposed to the Corona Virus. Despite the difficult start, he has begun to settle in and we are now exploring the option of permanent placement for he and his brother. This is a faster process in their case because their parental rights were terminated in August leaving a clearer path for us to move forward. Please be in prayer for this process to go as smoothly as it can.

Obviously the worldwide pandemic slowed things down greatly. We also faced a few medical speed bumps through the past year. Through all of these uncertainties we began receiving more phone calls for placements and volunteers by the summer. All in all, despite so many negatives, I don’t think I could have asked for a better year. Thank you for your faithful support.

In His Service,

Director: Dwight Lindsey

Assured by Each New Day

            For many of us our physical world is crumbling around us. By that, I do not mean we should despair or have no hope. I simply see the reality that the world many of us have grown accustomed to is quickly disappearing. In a sinful world there are plenty of things that need to disappear, but between the current pandemic and the worldview that has shifted in our country, the Christian culture I grew up in is no longer the what I recognize around me. While I am absolutely certain that we are marching to ultimate victory in Christ, the terrain we are currently crossing seems more treacherous than I have ever experienced. 

            Israel had multiple times they went through great tribulation as a nation. It could be hard to pick just one of these instances. As I contemplated the negatives we have seen this year my mind was drawn to the specific time when Jeremiah recorded his hurt from witnessing the destruction of Jerusalem. In the midst of his lament we read some of the most quoted and encouraging lines from the Old Testament. 

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

The Holy Spirit’s words given to Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:21-26 have fixed my thoughts on something beyond the rubble. 

            In the circumstances of despair we see hope. We can have hope because of the these things brought to our minds. The Lord’s mercy, compassion, faithfulness, provision, and salvation. Though riots and destruction are happening around us, I would venture a guess that no one reading this article has seen this first hand at their doorstep…yet. We are just watching the idea of our culture crumble. No matter if it is physical or psychological we can see the same hope as Jeremiah. Have we been consumed, are we finished? Do we wake to a new morning each day? Has the salvation gifted through the work of Christ ceased? If you are reading this your answer is the same as mine while I am writing. NO, I am not finished. Today is a new day. Salvation is still offered. No matter how broken this world continues to be we have the faithful, compassionate, merciful, God who is holding the pieces together that He will use to accomplish His plans. Believers want this pandemic to end. Believers want peace in our streets and peace with our neighbors. But, Believers know that each day we wake God is on His throne and in complete control. 

            God has continually reminded me of His control though these uncertain times. He was in control when my wife had surgery at the beginning of the summer. He was in control when my Father-in-law had surgery in the middle of the summer. He was in control when the Corona Virus made it’s way into our family a few weeks ago. He was in control when Midway First Baptist came and rebuilt our entrance ramp while I was stuck in the bed fight this sickness. He is in control now that we are getting back into the routine of school with the kids. Each morning we get up to have devotion before we all go our separate ways is a reminder, “[His] mercies…are new every morning.” We have another day with Him on the throne being good to His creation even in difficult times and especially as we never deserve it.

            Please pray for the kids as the new school year begins. Pray for their health and safety. Pray for their focus to retain what they are learning. Also, pray for Lindsay and I as we try to help them with their work in 5thgrade, 6th grade, 8th grade, 12th grade, GED program, and college (hopefully Desi will continue her good work without to much help from us). Thank you again for your support of this ministry. Together we can show these children and our potential future children the love of Christ.

Fostering Faith...in God’s Provision:

My wife has a favorite passage she likes to hear me preach. Like any sermon, the delivery is never the same, but the main thought is always the same. It is the story from 2 Kings chapter three.

The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom go out to war with Moab. As they journey their water runs so low they think they will die. In their hour of despair Elisha delivers a message from the Lord in verses 16-17, “And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.” In short, the lesson is when all seems lost the Lord will provide for victory over sin and judgment of sin.

The how He did it is where I want to focus today. God most certainly has the power to send water any way He desires, but there are some other theories. This area, the wilderness of Edom was known for its flash flooding, and many scholars think this is the most likely explanation for the supply of water. Now before you think I am trying to explain away a miracle, let me explain how I find this to be even more miraculous and fitting with the whole Bible narrative. A flash flood high in the mountains above the wilderness of Edom would have had to come days in advance of Elisha’s request, and it would have produced the water without them seeing the rain. The miraculous part of this story would be that God sent the rain before the people even knew of their need, but timed its arrival perfectly for their request for water and their obedience of filling the valley with ditches. Why do I like this explanation of these miraculous events? I think this answer perfectly fits the method of Christ’s salvation of sinners as recorded in God’s word. Jesus Christ is God’s Messiah, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. In God’s glorious plan He sent His Son before we ever knew our need. Christ came so that at the right moment God would reveal the grace given through His Son by His Word that those who would believe would respond in faith leading to repentance in every generation.

I feel like we have been filling the valley with ditches since we got here in January. I haven’t seen the storm clouds but I have faith that the God who owns all will send us what we need. We are kicking off our new vision for revitalizing our Children’s Home ministry during our SPECIAL EMPHASIS this year. We will continue to receive referrals as we have in the past, but we are adding some extra steps to be more helpful to children and families in need. The short of it is we will begin an aggressive strategy of pursuing children who require love and care. Before now we have not had an answer for extended family members who do not have custodial rights, which would not allow them to sign children over to the Children’s Home. In this new strategy family, community, and churches who have witnessed neglect and abuse will be able to come to us to report facts. We will pass along this information to the proper Child Protective Services office. After allowing CPS to do their job of removing children from dangerous circumstances we will act on the child’s behalf if they do not. We will rescue children from abuse and neglect through the aid of our legal system.

The outcomes of these cases will be various. If we receive false reports the facts will bring this to light and the child will remain in a loving home. If the reports of neglect and abuse are true CPS should do their job in removing the child from a dangerous situation. If the reports are true but CPS is to overwhelmed by current caseloads we will file the appropriate paperwork for custody of the child. The judge will make a ruling for the parents to meet certain criteria to regain custody of their children. We would not be taking these children from their parents or keep these children from their parents. Their actions and legal court findings would determine each case. We will be able to see success in many areas as we move forward. Even if we are not awarded custody of a child we can take hope in the fact that we were a part of the process of protecting a child if CPS does their job in removing a child from a deadly environment. If we are awarded custody then we get the benefit of investing the love of Christ into that child’s life.

This new strategy can only be successful with God’s provision as He supplies through the lives of His people. We still need you to share our services with your communities. We still need you to let families know we are here to help. We still need you to keep your eyes open for those children that desperately need someone to defend them with the character of Christ. We need your prayers as we embark on this new journey, and we need your support.

This year’s SPECIAL EMPHASIS goal is $50,000. This will help fund our lawyers who will fight these legal battles for us. This will also help fund certified counselors at Crossroads Christian Counseling to help these children with Biblical counseling through the ordeals they have experienced. Also, these funds will help with administrative costs for new houseparents that will become a must as this new vision becomes a reality. If we want our Children’s Home to serve like it should it will take all of us working dependently on the Lord.       

Please join us Tuesday evening October 22nd, 2019 after the Annual Message of the of our state association meeting for a cake and coffee reception in the Big Creek Fellowship Hall to honor the years of service of Bro. Sidney Davis, Sis. Pat Davis, and Sis. Betty Turnbow. And please contact us if you would like for us to come to your church in November, December, or beyond. Contact the office (601-426-3928), our Facebook page, or my cell phone (662-605-0996). Keep up with us on our website at msbch.org and through email at info@msbch.org. Stay on the lookout for updates, prayer needs, and service opportunities.

Fostering Faith...in Working Together

We have a new project opportunity for those who would like to be a little more involved with the Home. We are inviting individuals, families, Sunday School Classes, & Churches to adopt a room to renovate. We have ten rooms available in this phase of renovation. We have varying degrees of renovations. Some rooms could use woodwork in window seals, patched sheetrock, and flooring. Other rooms are much less demanding on handyman skills. We are asking for at least paint, blinds, rug, and at least one scripture on the wall in every room. For more details, selecting a room, or setting up a time to come and work give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Lord told Moses in Exodus 25:2 “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.” I hope we all can see the purpose in our giving and the hand of the Lord in action as we serve him. I don’t see a crack in the dam yet, but I feel like I can see some water seeping through. I have too many things to share to keep this article concise. All I can say is stay tuned and keep praying!

Thank you to those who have given above your norm to help with our insurance burden. We have not reached the mark but with your help, we can. Continue to pray with us over potential children, priorities, projects, and provisions. Please contact us if you would like for us to come to your church in May, June, or beyond. Contact the office (601-426-3928), our Facebook page, or my cell phone (662-605-0996).

Fostering Faith…in Joy and Sorrow

Often times joy and sorrow are closely related. Our greatest times of each are often followed or preceded by the other. The joy of becoming pregnant can turn to the sorrow of pregnancy and childbirth, only to again see joy in the arrival of the newborn child. The joy of a child’s first steps is often followed by the sorrow of trying to catch and protect the newly mobile. The opposite is also true. The sorrow of trying to teach a child life skills brings joy when that child grows in maturity. The sorrow of pouring our hearts out to God over a lost soul brings a joyous celebration when grace and repentance are finally realized. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Springtime brings this balance of joy and sorrow for many families. We joy in those who have completed their course of study. We stand and clap for graduates, but sorrow awaits when we realize this begins a new chapter in a young life. They will never again be the little children they once were. They are becoming who God made them to be. Don’t let the sorrow that comes in the night be absent of the joy God provides in the morning. Remember, “The earth is the Lord’s...and they that dwell therein.” Parents, they were never ours the Lord just let us borrow them for a time. Through any sorrow, life brings it should bring us great joy that our children belong to God.

Come celebrate Desi Brunty’s graduation with us. We will honor her at the Children’s Home Monday, May 13th, 2019 from 5pm-7 pm. So many of you have invested so much into this young lady. Come congratulate her, wish her well, and pray with her as she begins to embark on the journey of adulthood.
Please continue to pray for our potential cases. They are another source of joy and sorrow. I have been talking with multiple families and I joy in the encouragement I can give them in the Lord, but I greatly sorrow when I can’t do more, when what needs to be done seems impossible, or when it feels like all I’ve shared is advice. My consolation is Christ and trusting that He is keeping His promises to redeem His people. Please contact us if you would like for us to come to your church in June, July, or beyond. Contact the office (601-426-3928), our Facebook page, or my cell phone (662- 605-0996).

Fostering Faith in Thankfulness

Thank you. That phrase can seem commonplace at times, especially in the south where we are known for our hospitality. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I hope that I can echo the Christian sentiment of all the fellow supporters of the Children’s Home when I rejoice with Sidney & Pat Davis and Mrs. Betty Turnbow for coming to the end such a long commitment to serving children with the love of Christ. I hope I can join fellow supporters in praying for them as they continue to serve Christ where ever He may lead. Also, I hope I will not be the first or the last to say thank you for such longevity that is becoming more and more rare. June 1st will not be the same without these people and it will most certainly be a new and different day here at the Children’s Home.

I was glad to see many of you at the midyear meeting in Amory just a couple of weeks ago. I will sum up my report for those of you who were unable to attend. Since January we have dealt with 8 potential cases while traveling 6,314 miles to keep 36 appointments. We have NOT said no to any of those 8 cases. Varying circumstances have led to children not coming to us or remaining in the pending status. Our most common hurdle at the moment is the people requesting information are not the people who have custody of the children. Our other hurdle is rebuilding relationships within the Child Protective Services caseworkers.

Our current plan of action to move past these hurdles is twofold. We will be launching a website in the coming months that will allow a younger generation of parents information about our services and an anonymous way to contact us with questions. While this will not guarantee referrals we believe it can only help. In the realm of CPS, our board approved the information on a new brochure in April and since then we have hand delivered brochures and child placement applications to 5 county offices (Jones, George, Greene, Forrest, & Lamar). Like with referrals, this does not guarantee children but it is moving us patiently that direction.

We still need your help with room renovations. Please contact us if you would like to help. Be ready with dates you can come and work, that would be a big step in the right direction. Please pray for our potential cases. Pray for our resolve. It has been quite trying to know there are multitudes of kids who need our help, to know it is our job to help, and yet to know that it is out of our hands to help. We pray for the Lord’s timing of His redemptive work in the Home and we pray for your patience with us and circumstances beyond our control. Let us trust Him as we serve Him and His people. Please contact us if you would like for us to come to your church in July, August, or beyond. Contact the office (601-426-3928), our Facebook page, or my cell phone (662- 605-0996).