Posted by: Jill @ 9:48 am
This October, for the fourth year, members and friends of Harpersville United Methodist Church will work the Pumpkin Patch at the Old Baker Farm in Harpersville, Alabama. Proceeds will benefit mission projects including the United Methodist Children’s Home.
Church members will assist visitors with hauling their pumpkins from the pumpkin fields to their cars.
“We simply ask for donations–if they would like,” says church member Paul Brooks. He says that 100% of what is given is used for various mission projects. One of the projects each year is the United Methodist Children’s Home.
The Children’s Home recently honored Harpersville church with a Certificate of Recognition for being added to the Honor Roll of Churches. Last year, they contributed $31.15 per member to the agency, with most of the money coming from the Pumpkin Patch.
The church also used a portion of the money to buy seeds and fertilizer for two Crops for Christ fields. They planted corn, peas, cabbage and potatoes.
“We planted, harvested and worked with the Society of St. Andrews to distribute the produce to various mission groups,” said Brooks. He said that one of those deliveries was a pick-up truck load of corn for the Children’s Home.
Brooks says that all are invited to take part in the Pumpkin Patch ministry. “Come out one weekend in October and witness first hand what we do, how much fun we have and what a blessing we receive.”
The Pumpkin Patch at the Old Baker Farm will be open Saturdays from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM and Sundays from 12:00 noon until 6:00 PM.
The biggest event happens the last weekend in October. In addition to the Pumpkin Patch, the Old Baker Farm will have its Cotton Pickin’ Celebration with craft booths, food vendors, civil war reenactments, and more. The farm’s website is www.oldbakerfarm.com.
The Old Baker Farm where the Pumpkin Patch takes place is owned by Jerry and Pam Baker. Jerry is a United Methodist minister.
For more information, call Paul Brooks at 205-672-2296 or e-mail plb227@bellsouth.net.
 Another Life Transformed - Will is pictured here with his foster mom, Rosalie Bryant. After a difficult young childhood, the Bryants took him in. With the help of their love and support, he grew into a young man strong of spirit. |
Will had been through a lot when he arrived at the home of Edmond and Rosalie Bryant, therapeutic foster parents with the United Methodist Children’s Home. But over the next few years, he was transformed.
When they first met him, Rosalie says that Will had no incentive to do anything. He had a lot of anger and, as she puts it, “wanted to mope.”
“I guess he was hurt and lost,” says Rosalie. She and her husband, now deceased, began to build him up in the faith and to give him the stable family structure he needed to cope with day to day life.
Now, he’s enrolled in college studying computer information on a host of scholarships, including one from the Children’s Home.
What can be attributed to his growth into a responsible young adult? It was many things about the next few years of his life, to be sure. But one of the biggest factors was his own determination to make a good life for himself despite the poor hand he was dealt as a young child.
Loving Toughness
At eight, his father went into prison. At 13, Will saw his mother jailed for drug use, and the county placed him in foster care. He was later able to move in with the family of one of his sisters, but this did not turn out well.
All the while, God was watching over him, preparing good people like the Bryants to care for him.
The Bryant household has firm rules that provide the boundaries a child needs to feel secure. This is necessary for any home, but particularly for a therapeutic foster home.
Traumatized by his short life of intense disappointment and neglect, Will’s behavior sometimes reflected that pain. Other times, he was just going through the changes that all teenagers experience. There were ups and downs, but they got through it.
“Rosalie has been totally committed—and dealt with it,” says Patsy Liveoak, the Program Supervisor for the United Methodist Children’s Home Southeast Therapeutic Foster Care program. Liveoak describes her as a loving mother who knows what is necessary to keep her child healthy and strong.
Foster parents never really know for sure how long a child will be in the home. The child’s progress can fluctuate. But Liveoak says that Rosalie has always stayed faithful in helping Will become a worthwhile, successful adult.
“She’s tough,” says Liveoak.
From the start, Will says that she acted like a mother to him. He says that she would always motivate him to study and do well in school.
Early on, the Bryants encouraged him to play football, where he found he had talent. “It kind of motivated me to do some things,” Will says. It was a turning point for him. By the time he graduated high school, he had received awards in both football and basketball.
Rosalie also taught Will how to drive, helped him get his license, and gave him a car to use. Once he had this independence, she saw his confidence grow.
 Too Soon - Edmond Bryant, Will’s foster dad, became ill and died. Will was a big help to his foster mom, and the family grew closer during this difficult time. |
Loss and Growth
Sadly, not too long after Will came to their home, Mr. Bryant was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and then Alzheimer’s. The last year of his life, he was in critical condition and bedridden.
Rosalie reflects on the rapport between Will and his foster dad. “They had a good relationship together,” she says, describing one ritual they had of having pizza every Saturday night, just the two of them. Will would prepare the pizza after his chores.
After his illness became debilitating, Mr. Bryant needed a lot of care.
“Will was right there helping me with him,” said Rosalie. Doctors wanted him to be turned in his bed and to have his legs straightened to help with treatment. Mr. Bryant preferred that Will do it, and would often ask for him, affectionately calling him, “The Kid.”
Rosalie said that she thinks this experience started to give him an idea of what he wanted to do in life, “to help somebody.”
Giving Back
An ordained minister, Rosalie involved him in her outreach to the poor in Midland City, Alabama. There were church services and a food distribution program. He would do devotions, play music and help her prepare food packages for the hungry.
She says that he helped quite a bit and that she misses him for it now that he’s in college. Called Living Word of Life Ministries, her ministry is a part of the Wings of Deliverance Church in Headland, Alabama.
The church is headed up by Pastor James Bowers, a big influence in Will’s life especially after Mr. Bryant passed away. Will learned to play drums and keyboard at church and continues today.
“He took his drumsticks off to college with him,” says Rosalie. He’ll be starting in the marching band at Stillman this fall.
 A True Sign of Growth - With the Bryants, Will was given more freedom as he grew more responsible. From getting his own job to driving a family car to caring for Moses, his dog. |
Will worked at the Red Owl Plantation Restaurant in Midland City until he left for college.
“I just needed a job one day, and one of my friends took me up there,” he says. “It was fun.”
He started waiting tables and even got his picture in Southern Living. Owner Ozzie Judah saw some talent and eventually put him to work cooking. Will says that one of his signature dishes was the grilled shrimp.
He hopes to one day open up a fine dining restaurant in Midland City.
Growing Up
The Bryants raised him just as they had raised their biological daughter, now grown.
“I always called him, ‘son,’” says Rosalie. “I never addressed him as a foster child.”
He has a biological aunt and uncle who have kept in touch with him, and he has contact with both of his birth parents. He is especially close to one of his sisters. But Rosalie is as much family as anyone.
A child in foster care who moves out of his foster home into independent living or who goes off to college technically is no longer the responsibility of the foster parents. But Rosalie knows that Will is family.
“He just accepted us,” she says.
“We made him a promise,” says Rosalie. “He always would have a stable home. He never worried. This was his home.”
Posted by: Jill @ 1:41 pm
On August 28, 2007, The United Methodist Children’s Home lost a dear friend and supporter of many years. Mr. Burt Williams of Headland, Alabama, went to be with the Lord. He worked closely with the staff and residents of The Settlement, our boys’ group home in Headland.
Mr. Williams will be greatly missed by the program staff and the dozens of young men he has so generously and unconditionally loved through his donations, support and encouragement.
His annual tradition for all the residents and staff members, as well as their spouses, was to treat us to a Christmas dinner at local restaurants each holiday season—complete with gifts for everyone.
Mr. Williams has helped so many young men over the years with anything from insuring the outings to assisting with academic needs. He even procured automobiles for some of the Independent Living Program participants.
Mr. Williams was truly an unselfish example of the scripture spoken by Jesus, “whatever you do for the least of these you do unto me.” With great fondness and respect, we will always remember our friend, Burt Williams, and look forward to the day we see his big smile again in heaven.