September proved to be a busy time as we attended our training at Buckner Children and Family Services in the great state of Texas. Buckner provides a program for single mothers between the ages of 18-25 that helps them receive an education, thus allowing them to become self-sufficient. Many single mothers in adverse circumstances, cannot pursue higher education due to a lack of child care and transportation. These ladies often have little or no family support.
The staff at Buckner received us with open arms. We were given the opportunity to visit their sites at Houston, Lufkin, and Longview. We were blessed by their hospitality and transparency. We toured each facility and sat down with members of their personnel for comprehensive insight into the ministry. This week-long training in Texas proved to be highly beneficial. It has really helped us gather ideas about how to move forward with our own ministry outreach to mothers in our marginal community. The information we received at Buckner covered important subjects such as: admission of the applicants, housing contracts, institutional guidelines and expectations, on-site workshops, community service, Biblical counseling, and more.
Honestly, our time at Buckner was meaningful as we witnessed the impact they have had on the lives of underprivileged women and their children. It was inspirational to learn that by educating a mother, her children have a very good possibility of graduating from both high school and college. In effect, you are influencing two generations and breaking generational curses. On the other hand, the task before us seems daunting. There is a lot of work ahead of us as we develop our mission plan, which includes our vision/mission statement, ministry plan, and program outline.
With this new plan, we intend to pinpoint and develop new leaders so that we can transition into an oversight, accountability, and support role for this model. Please pray for us as we refocus and launch this brand new ministry. We are hopeful God will provide the people and resources needed to accomplish this new project.