Seana.Milner,Executivedirector

TheBaptistChildren’sVillage

AnnualReport

2016-2017

SeanA.Milner,ExecutiveDirector

YourBaptistChildren’sVillage(“BCV”)continuestoseekchildrenandfamiliesincrisis.Whethertheyare incrisisasaresultoftheirowndecisions,orwhethertheyarevictimsofcircumstance,yourBCVseekstosharethe gospelmessageofJesusChristwithallofthechildrenandfamilieswhoGodentruststoitscare.ThiswasGod’scallto MississippiBaptistsintheearly1890sanditremainsourstandardtoday. Feeding,clothing,educatingandsheltering at-riskchildrenarebiblicalrequirementsforGod’speople. Thisisyoudemonstratingtheloveandthegospelmessage ofJesusChristtothosewhohavebeenmadedeafandblindbyhurt,needandbytheirownfailures. Yourlovingacts ofserviceareundeniableandlouderandclearerthanalloftheschemesofSatan. Onceexperienced,thesechildrencan hearandreceivethespokengospelmessageofJesusChrist. Thanks,betoGodforprovidingtheanswertotheirneed, andthemeansbywhichtoexpressHislove.

Oneoftheyoungteenagegirlsthatyouhavesoservedforseveralmonths,andwhomyouwerebringing homefromthedoctor,lookedatyourstaffworkerandsaid,“Welikelivingwithya’ll.” (Shewasspeakingofsheand hersisters). Yourstaffworkersaid,“Well,weareglad. Wewantyoutolikelivingwithus.”Towhichtheyounggirl replied,“No,youdon’tunderstand,youmakeusfeelimportantlikewehavevalue.” Onlyaftermonthsofloving service,couldshehearandsee. YouthensharedwithherhowvaluableshewastotheCreatoroftheuniverse. So muchsothatHesentHissontodieforher.

Youhavesoministeredtoanaverageof66residentsandtheirfamilieseachmonthforthepastyear(July1, 2016-June30,2017),throughyourresidentialcareministry. Totheseyouhaveprovidedamonthlyaverageof26 doctorvisits,5eyedoctorvisits,and12dentalvisits. Inthelast12months,youhavealsoprovided2hospital admissionsand10emergencyroomvisits(kidsarekidsnomatterwheretheyare). Mostimportantly,thegospel messageofChristwassharedwithallresidentsthroughwordanddeed. Eleven(11)residentsmadepublicprofessions offaithand5residentswerebaptized.

Dr.RoryLeeretiredastheExecutiveDirectoroftheBCVafter13yearsofexemplaryserviceand leadership. Dr.Leecontinuestobeatruefriendtoyourministryandcontinuestomakehimselfavailableforwise counsel. SeanA.Milnerbecamethe11thExecutiveDirectorofTheBCVinNovemberof2016. Seanisanattorney andpracticedlawasalitigatorspecializinginfamilylaw,realestate,andwillsandestatesfor23years. Heisan alumnusoftheBCVandholdstheinformalrecordoflivingatyourBCVlongerthananyotherchildinitshistory-18 years.

Inthespringofthisyear,theBCVheldareabanquetsaroundthestate. Thisis,andwillcontinuetobe,part oftheBCV’sefforttoinformandengagealloftheMississippiBaptistChurchesastohowtheymaybestbeinvolved inreachinglostandhurtingchildrenandfamiliesaroundourstate. TheBCVwouldliketothankFirstBaptistChurch inSenatobia,ChrisWilliams,Pastor;GastonBaptistChurchinBooneville,MattBrown,Pastor;FirstBaptistChurchinLaurel,RandyTurner,Pastor;FirstBaptistChurchinGreenville;FirstBaptistChurchinBrookhaven,GregWarnock, Pastor;NorthcrestBaptistChurchinMeridian,Dr.DanLanier,Pastor;andMorrisonHeightsBaptistChurchinClinton,Dr.GregBelser,Pastor;forsograciouslyhostingtheseevents. ItwillbeexcitingtoseewhatGodwilldo throughHischurch.

OnMay12,2017,yourBCVcelebrated120yearsofobediencetoGodthroughservicetolostandhurting childrenandfamilies. Thenumberofchildrenwhohavepassedthroughyourministryisapproximately8,000. This numberreflectstheadditionof67newchildrenandtheirfamilieseveryyearfor120years. Myfoursiblings,my motherandIwereamongthosewhowereserved.Thenumberofchildrenthathavebeenborntothefivesiblingsinmy familyis16. Multiplythatnumber8,000timesandyouonlybegintoseetheimpactofachurchobedienttoGod’s call. God’swordwillnotreturnvoidanditseffectsareimmeasurable. Dareweimagine? WhatwouldtheStateof MississippilooklikewithoutourBaptistChurchesansweringthecallofGodtocareforchildrenbyestablishingthe ministryofTheBaptistChildren’sVillage. ThankyouallforyourobediencetoGod,andforyourloveforyourBCV childrenandfamilies.

The BCV Report 2017