Women of Compassion Group
Focuses on Disadvantaged Children
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| Pictured above is the Women of Compassion group that recently met on the Lakeland campus of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. The group gathered to learn more about the Children’s Homes’ ministry and to raise funds for special projects. The March 5 event raised more than $75,000. In addition, the women voted to direct $50,000 to help build homes for disadvantaged families in Guatemala and Honduras. Click picture to enlarge |
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| Heather Rowell, director of women’s ministries at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola leads the worship at the Women of Compassion event. Also pictured is Lysa TerKeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries who also spoke to the group. |
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| MacKenzie Small, a resident of the Children’s Homes’ Tallahassee campus spoke to the Women of Compassion group about her life before and after coming to the Children’s Homes. She is in her senior year of high school and plans to attend the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville next year. |
LAKELAND, Fla. – The day included frequent laughter as well as a few tears, but the day ended with hugs and a strong commitment from more than 70 women from across the state to reach out and help more hurting children in Florida and throughout the developing world in the name of Jesus.
This group, known as Women of Compassion, conducted their annual meeting on March 5 on the Lakeland campus of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. The group, which is comprised of women that have contributed $1,000 or more to the Women of Compassion Giving Society of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes, works to unite women around key goals and objectives of the ministry.
Julie Boyd, vice president of development for the Children’s Homes said that the annual Women of Compassion meeting is an opportunity for the group to learn about the important needs and objectives of the Children’s Homes’ ministry.
“One of the goals of the group is to raise money for some critical needs, but the group also serves as a platform to maintain an ongoing dialogue on the plight of disadvantaged children in our community, across the state, and around the world,” Boyd said.
Boyd also explained that the women vote on how to spend a portion of the funds that they raise, with the remainder being used for the daily care of the children statewide. “We prepared a video documentary on five projects from around the state that are in need of funding. The women then voted on the project that they determined to be the highest priority,” Boyd said.
“It was an agonizing choice for many of the women since all of the projects are so important. However, the women eventually voted to direct $50,000 to help build homes for disadvantaged families in two of our international mission locations in Guatemala and Honduras.”
The day’s event also included a number of speakers who brought inspirational messages of hope. These speakers included Lysa TerKeurst, Heather Rowell, and
MacKenzie Small.
Lysa TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, which airs a daily national radio program on over 1,200 stations. She has appeared on Good Morning America and the Oprah Winfrey show. TerKeurst provided her personal testimony about adopting two teenage boys from Liberia after already having three biological girls of her own.
Heather Rowell provided worship music and shared her personal testimony of hope. Rowell is a recording artist from Pensacola where she serves as director of women’s ministries at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
MacKenzie Small is a resident of the Children’s Homes at the Tallahassee campus. She told the group about her past of extremely difficult circumstances and how the Children’s Homes not only provided her with safety and security, but also showed her the love of Jesus Christ.
“When I got to the Children’s Homes I had an immediate sense of ease and love surrounding me,” Small said. “With this amazing opportunity I have truly found my Heavenly Father.” Small is in her senior year of high school and plans to attend the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville next year.
Kristy Wells from Winter Park chaired the event. Angie Dennis, wife of Jay Dennis, senior pastor at First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland served as the emcee.
“What a joy it was to spend the day with such a great group of women. They all have a heart for Jesus and a passion for reaching out and helping disadvantaged children. It is just a blessing to be part of this group,” Wells said.
To learn more about Women of Compassion contact Julie Boyd at the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes at 863-687-8811 or Julie.Boyd@FBCHomes.org.
