Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Palmer Home Children Reaching Out to Haiti

Jesus "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (from Matthew 20:28) and Galatians 5:13 tells us to serve one another through love. 

Serving others is one of the characteristics we hope to instill within all of our children at Palmer Home for Children. 

Recently a mission organization needed help washing buckets that are on the way to Haiti.  These buckets will be used by those still suffering from the massive earthquake to haul fresh water.

Several of our children came together to wash the buckets... and have a lot of fun in the process.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Where Hope Still Grows

Many things grow at Palmer Home for Children. 
We have an orchard full of apples, peaches, blueberries, plums, blackberries, grapes and figs where the children love to pick and enjoy eating the fruit.  It is fun to see them exclaim how delicious the fresh picked fruit tastes and teach them how the fruit must be nurtured for it to grow.

Palmer Home for Children is known as a "Christian ministry where hope still grows".  This summer at Palmer Home I have seen that statement to be so true.  The good news of Jesus and the love that the staff showers upon the children here at Palmer Home truly gives them hope.  What a joy it is to see so many children come from a place of hopelessness to Palmer Home where they do have hope, love, care and the gospel.  Over the past few weeks a tiny little girl told me, "In the shelter we cried every night but at Palmer Home we do not cry anymore."  An eleven year old boy exclaimed, "I am not afraid anymore!" when a caring staff member helped him conquer one of his ongoing fears.  A six year old boy professed Jesus as his Lord and Savior with joy.  These are just some of the wonders that happen through the love and service of the staff of Palmer Home and because of the grace of God.

Someone called me recently crying out for us to help three children that had no parents to care for them and were staying in a different location almost every night.  At the end of the conversation she said, "Thank you.  You have given us hope."

Jesus has given us hope.  It is that hope that we pass on to these children and then nurture them to see them grow.
 

Saturday, July 3, 2010

She is Home!

When we were adopting Karina we met one of her good friends.  This was the girl that begged us to find a family for her.  On the day that Karina left the orphanage with us, this girl grabbed us and pleaded with us not to forget her, to pray for her and if we could, send someone to rescue her.
God answered her prayers and a year and a half later, she has come home to live with her new family not far from Karina.
It is good to see them together again and we praise God for the family that was willing to rescue another former orphan from the hopelessness she was facing.
Many of you prayed for this girl.  Thank you.  She is home.