Gabriel’s House Ministry

A few months ago Tim and Marla Strother visited New Covenant. They brought with them several very sweet
children. The Strothers told us that they had moved here to be house parents at a foster care facility in
Midway, GA called “Gabriel’s House Ranch” (GHR). Since we had not heard of this foster care facility, the
Strother’s recently provided us with some information about the history and purpose of the organization:
“Gabriel’s House was founded in 2004 as a residential child care facility in Hinesville, GA. We started out in
a leased 17,500 sq. ft. facility comprised of a boy’s wing, girl’s wing, nursery, dining hall and common
living areas. Since our inception, Gabriel’s house has served approximately 500 children taken from their
homes by the Department of Family and Children Services for reasons of abuse and neglect. Gabriel’s
House was founded specifically to keep sibling groups together and prevent them from being placed in
separate foster homes…In 2007, Gabriel’s House purchased 77 acres of land in Midway to create what is
now Gabriel’s House Ranch…In 2010, Gabriel’s House broke ground on our first cottage which was
completed in the fall of 2011 and a second cottage was completed in the Spring of 2012.”

The Strothers’ goal is to utilize a “house parent model where there are a mother and father figure in each
cottage to provide the love, support and stability every child deserves.” They are striving to attain that goal
and will hire house parents. Until then, caretakers are working in the cottages.

A little over a month ago we began discussing the possibility of starting a ministry to the children at
GHR. A few Sunday’s ago we took a group of adults down to meet the Strothers and the foster care
children. We were able to do a brief devotional on the biblical account of Zaccheaus and to sing a few
Christian children’s songs with the children. The day after we went down for this initial meeting, Tim wrote
us to express his gratitude. He noted: “On the way to the bus this morning the older children from both
cottages were singing Zacchaeus was a wee little man.” This was a sweet encouragement for us as we try to discern how we can best be of service to the Strother’s and the children at GHR.

The Strothers have also given us a better sense of what we can do as we approach the Christmas season, and throughout the time that we may be able to be involved in some ministry capacity. They wrote to explain to us what sort of items would be helpful for us
to give:

“We are most interested in things that will be beneficial to the spiritual development of the child.
We are big believers in music and books…So, we are interested in good books and good CDs and DVDs.”
At this point in time, it would be easiest if those who would like to give to the children would give
specifically to New Covenant for the purchasing of solid, biblical books, CDs and DVDs. If you would like
to give specifically to the purchase of these items, please mark that on a check and put it in the offering
plate or come and speak with me about it. We will be happy to purchase the items for you and then give
them to you to send down with a card and anything else you would like to send along to a child.
Additionally, Adrian Bland is helping coordinate for other items that would be of service to the children of
GHR. Among those items that would be of use are diapers, pull-ups (current sizes: diapers 4-5 boys and
girls pull ups: 4 and up, night and daytime, boys and girls), wipes, diaper creams and toilet paper.
Donations, for these items, are being accepted at:

West Rehab in Richmond Hill and Hinesville, New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond Hill
and The Children’s village in Richmond Hill. If you have any questions about giving these specific items
please send them to amspen7822@gmail.com. It is our desire to go down to GHR again at the
beginning of the New Year. If you would like to be involved in this developing ministry please see or
contact Terry Logan at terry.logan@gmail.com or Beth Wise at bbwise@centurylink.net. As of now we will
only be taking adults down with us due to the high risk involved in foster care. There are many unique rules
and procedures that need to be followed. We want to familiarize ourselves with the ministry and then
evaluate how it may develop in the future. Even if you do not decide to come down to GHR with the group
from New Covenant, we ask all of you to be praying that the Lord would bless our efforts to see His Gospel
reach the minds and hearts of the children there.

--Rev. Batzig (Dec. 2013 New Covenant Monthly)