 |
| FBCW Cubbies/Puggles Assembly – February 16, 2012 |
 |
| Cubbies/Puggles Staff, Pastor & Mrs. Johnny Hunt, Gillis family |
Wow! $1,150.00 raised by the First Baptist Woodstock Cubbies/Puggles. It was a wonderful sight to see the passion of the leaders and the commitment of the children and their families to help care for foster children and global orphans through Patch Our Planet.
It really is humbling to think how many kids, like my own 4 year old, KNOW that we have to do something to help those without a mom or dad.
It was Pastor’s Night on this night so the greatest pastor on the planet and his gracious wife spent lots of personal time with the children. The kids sang for them and the Hunt’s just loved on the kids. We just stayed in the background so the kids could have that time with their pastor who they so dearly love and respect.
It was also the night where the kids get to receive a cool little patch for memorizing their Bible verses. Pastor Johnny and Miss Janet took time to hand out a patch to each little kid, another great personal touch from a personal pastor and his sweet wife.
 |
| Presentation to Patch Our Planet for support from FBCW Cubbies/Puggles. |
During the assembly time, I couldn’t help but think about the orphans that I had just seen in Ukraine. They really were no different from the kids in the room on this particular night. They all have the same needs. And, they all need someone to love them, care for them, and be a guide for them as they grow up, just like my kids.
Patch Our Planet is working hard to make sweeping changes in the way that we care for foster children and global orphans through the church. My pastor, Johnny Hunt, has been an inspiration for our ministry in the way in which he has led our church to care for the foster children in our community. FBCW has trained over 200 families and we have seen 14+ adoptions just from those who are fostering in about 3 years.
 |
| The Puggles raised $75 for POP and made their pastor so proud. |
When I was getting ready to start Patch Our Planet, Pastor Johnny gave me some of the greatest advice to date. He told me, “Steve, don’t forget the kids in our own back yard.” And, I haven’t. It’s because of leaders like him, that are courageous enough to take a step of faith into a very unknown and complicated world, that children now have a solid, godly family or foster family. It matters.
Let’s not forget that the church has a Biblical mandate to care for orphans (James 1:27). There is no other organization with that mandate. Our God is a defender of the defenseless throughout scriptures. He is a Father to the fatherless. If our goal as a church is to look more like Him, we must consider what it is we are doing for the kids who are in our communities and those who have no voice, no defender, no family. Thank you First Baptist Woodstock Awanas staff and Pastor/Miss Hunt for using your influence to care for orphans. Thank you for leading with courage!
