Baptist Home teen receives first car

Like any teenage boy, Jesse Speich fantasized of owning his first car.

That fantasy came true last month, thanks to a generous Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home donor.

Adam Bergfeld of Conway presented Speich, 18, with a 1989 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Convertible Jan. 8 at the Baptist Home for Children in Monticello. The garage-kept Mustang is in excellent condition and has only 65,000 miles.

“I love the car,” said Speich. “It has a great engine, with a manual transmission with five gear shifts. It is in great condition also! I absolutely love it.”

Speich has been a resident of the Monticello home for more than seven years, the longest of any current resident of the flagship campus of the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries (ABCHomes). He is a freshman at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he is a member of the band.

With his school schedule, Speich has been in need of transportation, said Randy Luper, Monticello campus director. “This gracious gift will go a long way in helping Jesse to gain another important independent living skill,” shared Luper. “I appreciate the generosity of Adam Bergfeld in helping us meet a need in Jesse's life.”

Bergfeld was the only previous owner of the car, which his parents purchased for him 17 years ago. It was his pride and joy. “I had my senior portraits taken with this car, … and even used it to take my wife out on our first date,” recalled Bergfeld.

For the last nine years, however, the car has been a “garage queen,” said Bergfeld.  As a result, he and his wife decided it was time to give it away. “We wanted to give it to a young person,” he said.  

Noting that he shared this news with his mother, Bergfeld said, she reminded him of ABCHomes.  “I know that the children's homes has always worked to meet the needs spiritual, emotional, and physical of children in Arkansas.  I was certain that they could find young person who needed the vehicle,” said Bergfeld, who contacted ABCHomes last fall with his decision to donate the vehicle.

Then in January, Bergfeld drove the car to the Monticello campus and handed over the keys to Speich. He spent the next few hours showing Speich the ins and outs of the car. He even gave Speich a few driving lessons.

“Jesse is a fantastic young man.  I was very glad to meet him,” said Bergfeld. “I am so glad that God has blessed me in a way that I could contribute to Jesse and ABC Homes.”

Speich expressed his appreciation to Bergfeld.

"Of course I dreamed of ... getting a car one day," said Speich. "Thanks to Mr. Bergfeld I do. I'm very thankful."