New Place, Same Mission
Alabama Baptist Children's Homes (ABCH) social worker, Elizabeth Williams, has been a tremendous blessing to our Dothan families for years. Beginning in 2017, she began serving children and families in the newest frontier of our foster care ministry, which has taken root in the Auburn-Opelika region!
Elizabeth began her service with ABCH in Dothan four years ago. Before coming to us, it had been her prayer for several years that the Lord would lead her to a social work position within a Christian agency. Her local church had supported the Children’s Home in Troy, and, when she was a young adult, she and her husband completed their home study with ABCH, enabling them to become adoptive parents.
After helping Elizabeth start her family twenty years ago, Elizabeth’s role has come full-circle several times now, as for the past four years, she has served others in their family journeys through ABCH.
“The families I have met so far have been the most rewarding part of beginning this program (in Auburn-Opelika). They are all so interested in serving the Lord and making sure they follow His plan for their lives and for the lives of the children and birth families they will encounter in this process,” Elizabeth said.
President/CEO of ABCH Rod Marshall shares of this new work, “Elizabeth is a very hard worker, and I am excited to see what God will be doing through her efforts in the Auburn-Opelika area. Her passion for foster care is infectious, and her desire to serve children from hard places is deep.”
By the end of 2017, four families were licensed in the Auburn-Opelika area, and three children had been placed. So far, 2018 has started with great interest, as eleven families have begun foster parent training classes this winter!
Elizabeth shares how encouraging it has been to see families in the Auburn-Opelika area stepping up to serve as the hands and feet of Christ as they care for His children. There is a great need in this part of the state for foster homes, and we are grateful for the doors the Lord has opened to begin serving there! Many local churches, the surrounding community, families, and ABCH staff members like Elizabeth continually uphold our ministry in prayer and service and have helped us reach this new growth in care.
We received a substantial amount of financial support from donors and nearly 15 churches to launch this new program in East Alabama. Key to this support is First Baptist Church Opelika. They not only provided financially to help us get started, but they are also providing Elizabeth with office space—both rent and utility free—as well as training space and childcare services for families attending these training classes! What a blessing, for so many. We are so grateful for this Kingdom partnership!
Other churches that have also been key partners in seeing this new ministry take shape are Providence Baptist, Lakeview Baptist, Parkway Baptist, FarmVille Baptist, the churches of Tuskegee Lee Baptist Association, and Church of the Highlands Auburn.
As we continue to recruit, train, and license more homes, we are prayerful and hopeful to see God grow and lead more hearts to him as we point children in the Auburn-Opelika area to the source of true life and hope, Jesus Christ.