7 Southwest Texas UMs
visit children’s home in Waco

Seven Southwest Texas Conference representatives attended the Oct. 4-5 commissioners meeting at Methodist Children’s Home, Waco.
The seven—Bob Butler, Austin District; Silky Crockett, Austin District; the Rev. David Edgar, San Angelo District; Pastor Mel Hazlewood, Corpus Christi District; Thurman Head, Kerrville District; Pastor Patti Hern-don, Victoria District; and the Rev. Floyd Vick, Austin District—are to serve as liaisons between the Waco home and United Methodist congregations in their areas.
“Being a commissioner and visiting Methodist Children’s Home was a very rewarding experience,” said Rev. Francisco Campos, pastor of Kelsey Memorial UMC, Corpus Christi. “I’m looking forward to promoting the Home’s ministry on a local and districtwide level.”
To get a well-rounded view of the programs and activities at the children’s home, commissioners toured the Waco campus and the nearby Boys Ranch. Commissioners heard from childcare professionals and residents of the home and Boys Ranch.
“At Methodist Children’s Home, we focus on providing children with a stable, meaningful relationship with an adult,” said Don Scott, Boys Ranch administrator. “These relationships lead to trust in others and in themselves and cultivate an environment where healing can start.”
Bobby Gilliam, children’s home president, told commissioners to “fear not.”
Gilliam listed specific examples of obstacles facing children and youths in the United States as well as challenges that programs seeking to help them must overcome. He described how the children’s home has historically overcome such difficulties through a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, aided by the faithful support of United Methodist church members.
“Today, other similar programs are closing, and few new programs are taking their place,” Gilliam said. “At the same time, the number of ‘at-risk’ children and youths is increasing every day.
“To meet this need, Methodist Children’s Home will increase the number of children and youths it can serve from 500 to 1,000 over the next five years.”
The Rev. Rick Wolfe, pastor of New Home UMC, Lubbock, said, “As United Methodists, we must double our efforts to help the home meet its goal of doubling its capacity to help children. There’s no other ministry of The United Methodist Church as needed or as successful as this one, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Herndon, pastor of First UMC, Ganado, called the meeting “a positive experience.”
“I’m convinced this ministry is too important to neglect,” she said.
Founded in 1890 as an orphanage, the Waco home is affiliated with the seven annual conferences of Texas and New Mexico, including Southwest Texas. The home currently serves 500 children through five programs: the Waco campus, Boys Ranch, foster care, Partnership in Parenting, and College and Vocational Education.