Hero Partner Spotlight: The Deavers
Audrey Deaver’s son, Joshua Adam Deaver
When you make a gift to the Children’s Homes (ABCH), there is the option to make a gift in memory of someone who has passed away and have an acknowledgement card sent to their family. It’s a beautiful, generous way to honor a friend or loved one’s memory while investing in the lives of others. This thoughtful gesture a loved one shared in memory of Audrey Deaver’s son was a sweet blessing that eventually led her to become a Hero Partner.
“Our youngest son [Josh] died on December 23, 2007, at the age of 17. He went to sleep one night and never woke up. When we received a card from ABCH notifying us that someone had made a donation in his memory, we were touched so deeply,” she shares. Audrey describes Josh as “an extraordinarily intelligent, funny, and loving young man.”
“Although we were heartbroken to no longer have Josh with us, we were also so grateful to have been Joshua’s family for those 17 years.” Reflecting on Jesus’ teachings about children and how special they are to Him and to the Kingdom, the Deavers wanted to show Jesus their gratitude for the time He had given them with Joshua and decided to express this gratitude by becoming monthly Hero Partners. She continues, “Each month’s donation to Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes, it is us thanking God for Joshua.”
Though a Hero Partner for a few years now, this was not Audrey’s first introduction to the Children’s Homes. “I’ve always known about the Children’s Homes. One of my earliest memories is from when I was four or five years old, and my parents took our family to Birmingham. We visited and met several children. I remember a young boy singing Jesus Loves Me with such a sweet smile on his face,” she tells.
ABCH also holds a special place in Audrey’s heart because of what she believes is our honor and responsibility as followers of Christ. She feels it is not enough to simply talk about the love of Jesus, but we must also show it.
She shares how encouraging it is as a donor, to see this displayed throughout our ministry: “I am so grateful to everyone with ABCH that provides for the children that so desperately need help, as well as for the help that is extended to mothers so they can restore their family and provide for their children. The families that foster, the families that adopt, the ones who mentor moms, the staff that brings it all together . . . We may tell someone that God loves them, but when we contribute to their needs, we are showing them that God loves them.”
When asked if she has been personally impacted by her involvement with ABCH, she shares, “My involvement has been a continual acknowledgement of God’s blessings to me and my children, and that makes me praise Him.” Praise can indeed be a powerful tool to help us stay thankful and get us through difficult times.
So, while it was an acknowledgement card over a decade ago that inspired Audrey to first give, she expresses it is an eternal perspective that keeps her giving and serving as a Hero Partner, “I want to stand before Jesus one day and hear him say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! What you did for these little ones, you did for me.’”