Parental Care Ministries

I don't think I've mentioned this on my blog yet, but I have a new "job." I'm working for Parental Care Ministries and our friends Mark and Monica Barret.

They started this ministry about 3 years ago because of a Christmas card their youngest daughter gave them for Christmas. You can read that story here. (Scroll down to the section titled 'History.')

Justin and I prayed several months ago for a ministry we could be involved in together. You would think that the student ministry would be that for us, but with our three kiddos, I'm just not able to be very involved. The students' schedules are very different than my kids' schedules!

God answered our prayer almost immediately. The Barrets were at our house for dinner, and Mark asked if I knew how to do something on Excel. The next thing I knew, Justin was volunteering me to do their administrative work for them. I am so glad he did! The ministry and the work I do for it have really been such a blessing to our family. I love staying home and raising my children, but I have also realized how much I love being connected with the outside world through this ministry! Justin is also very involved and we have loved this new part of our life. The Barrets have become very dear friends of ours over the last year. (And you know it's a bonus to be good friends with your pediatrician!)

The last few days have been pretty busy getting everything ready, because the Barrets (Mark and Monica and their two girls) flew out this morning on their way to Uganda. I would love for you to check out the Parental Care website and read even more of what this ministry is all about. I mentioned this in another post, but we sponsor a boy named Bosco. Here is a picture of him from July:

Monica thinks he looks like one of our kids...what do you think? :-) I think he's so handsome.

What I love about our sponsorship is that it is so personal. We mail letters directly to Bosco, and he mails letters directly to us. No translators or middle men. Also, the Barrets know him! Last time they came back with a video of him talking to us...he actually said our names and knows us from the pictures and letters we send him. Parental Care and Pastor Emmy are committed to giving these children an education, and more importantly, leading them to a saving relationship with Jesus.

The ministry also supports a network of pastors by providing money and training for them. It helps build churches and buildings at the Parental Care school and...anyway, I could go on and on and on and on...but I'll stop there. :-) If you're interested in more information or sponsoring a child, please check out the website or e-mail me or leave me a comment. Also let me know if you would like to get an e-mail telling you when the Parental Care Ministry blog is updated, and I'll add you to the e-mail list. Once the Barrets make it to Uganda in the next couple days, I expect to have new blog updates up almost every day until they come home. Reading the blog will give you a great understanding of what Parental Care Ministries is all about!

Thanks for taking time to read about this new blessing in my life!