Annual Report

Those we serve are often the weakest in our society. Their hearts are not full of courage but of fear. We offer them Christ-like hope and seek to direct them to that wonderful hope found in the LORD.

It is difficult to imagine the hopelessness of four siblings as they were abruptly taken from parents. It wasn’t their fault that their parents made the very bad choices that placed them in harms’ way and broke their home apart. It isn’t their fault that their parents rejected the needed changes that could have restored their home. These children were among the 78 children who lived at the Arkansas Baptist Home for Children, all of them at times feeling hopeless, yet constantly being directed toward hope by their houseparents and other staff at the Home. As one 11-year-old boy said, “The Baptist Home puts a smile on my face and in my heart.”

Sometimes it is parents who need help finding hope. One 17-year-old boy’s mom wrote, “It is important to me that I send you a note and let you know how encouraged I am with the positive changes in my son’s life. I appreciate the Arkansas Baptist Boys Ranch for the blessing they have been in my son’s life, and my life as well. The entire staff has contributed to changes in his life. . .”  This young man was one of 43 boys who lived at the Ranch this past year.

Sometimes the young pregnant girls entering Promise House arrive with unrealistic hopes that include fairly tale-like endings. Others arrive with all kinds of feelings, but hope is not one of them.  
Twelve-year –old Casey would be included in this later group. She felt hopeless, afraid, and confused. Her problematic issues included more than being a pregnant preteen. Promise House made a difference in her life, just as it did for all 22 girls cared for in 2010. As Promise House director Jennifer Cloyde said, “This is what we do as an agency, we make a difference in each life that we touch.”
Sometimes our ministry offers hope in the middle of the night when children in crisis situations arrive at our three Emergency Receiving Homes (Tommy Jones, Paragould and Judsonia). We ministered to 192 of these children, many of them victims of abuse and neglect. Dale, a teenager, had been severely abused. He had lost all hope and was angry at the world.  He would not allow anyone to even touch him. Then one weekend Dale’s life changed, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV. His housemom who once said, “Dale was a time bomb waiting to explode.”  Now says, “He is a whole new young man.”

Hope was offered through our seven counseling sites with 388 referrals handled and more than 2,000 counseling sessions conducted. Marriage counseling was the most common type of counseling service provided. One counselor reported that he “... saw God bring at least 12 marriages back from the brink of destruction.”

We’re most excited to report that 42 of the children in our care found that most precious and important hope as they made public professions of faith in Jesus Christ.

There would be no hope offered by ABCHomes without our generous partners in ministry. We’re grateful for the tremendous support of our churches (direct and Cooperative Program support), individual donors and others who helped us reach out to hurting children and families in 2010.

Additional highlights:

* Razorback Head Football Coach Bobby Petrino was the featured speaker for the “Giving Hope, Changing Lives” fundraiser, held on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Monticello. During this exciting event, donors contributed $58,000.  

* Tom Stafford retired after 34.5 years as the Jonesboro Area Director. During his tenure Stafford conducted approximately 34,000 counseling sessions. He also supervised the Paragould Emergency Receiving Home, as well as former Boys Group Home in Jonesboro.

* Stella Prather became the agency’s first Communications Director. During her first year, she oversaw a redesign of the agency web site and logo.  

* The Judsonia Emergency Shelter celebrated its 25th anniversary.

* Deana Day was hired as the Northwest Arkansas Development Director.  

* In December, the Board of Trustees approved a new strategic plan, “Being the Foremost.” It includes a new Vision Statement and Core Values Statement, as well as provides direction related to development, infrastructure, programs and personnel.

(Download the annual report here).