Harvest 2020
Some harvests come right when you expect them. When you are working with children, the harvest time may take longer than you would expect or like. We are seeing the “harvest” in several of our children.
For several years our staff constantly planted, watered, and cultivated in our children’s lives without evidence that fruit would ever be produced. They continued to model Christ’s love faithfully.
Today, those same houseparents continue to sow into the same young people and are now experiencing the pleasure and excitement brought by a fruitful harvest! Many of our children have placed their trust in Jesus for salvation and are walking in daily steps of faith. Several have been baptized. Our young people are teachable learners!
Avante is one of our high school students.
One of those young people is Udter (Utah), who came to the Baptist Children’s Home as a boy who was behind educationally and displayed disrespect toward others. For almost five years we have watched his houseparents patiently work the soil and plant the seeds of God’s Word in his life. We are beginning to see the fruit in his life.
God has worked in Udter’s heart to transform him into a sensitive young man with a teachable spirit. He gets up early each school day to spend time in the Word with his housefather. He wants to read through the Bible in a year. Read on page 4 the fun story about Udter’s new business venture—raising chickens! Udter, with some help, built a chicken coop with nesting boxes and a pen. He saved allowance and lawn mowing money to pay for bedding, food, and to purchase 4 chickens. He has yet to see the first egg from all his labor, but he continues to persevere and make needed additions to provide for the chickens. Most recently he has added electricity to the coop for a heat lamp during the winter months. We are so grateful for God’s work that is producing fruit in Udter’s life.
Even though it’s been a unique year, our children are going back to school.
Rejoice with us as we now have ten young people who have transitioned from middle school to high school and who desire to live a life of faith. Such an increase is due to the grace of God pouring into their lives. We are God’s plows, watering cans, and seed-spreaders. Thank you for partnering with us, so we can reap this harvest together.
Jeff Oswald, Michigan Director
Pastor James Togba directs our ministry partnership in Liberia. He regularly checks on our Foster Care families caring for over 300 children