[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to the Arkansas Baptist Women podcast. This year we are focusing on what it means to be an Arkansas Baptist woman. A woman who loves the Lord, lives on mission for the gospel, is present in her calling, is trained and equipped to lead, and is sold out to Jesus. I'm excited to talk about life, ministry and our relationship with Jesus. So grab a cup of coffee and join the conversation.
[00:00:24] Speaker B: Hey, sweet friends, it's Andrea. I hope that your day is off to a great start. I am so excited to come to you today with more information about conference. I mean, it is conference season right here in Arkansas. If you have not registered, today is the day. Grab your friends, grab your people. Register for Arkansas Baptist Women Conference join us on Saturday, September 21 at First Baptist Church in Benton, Arkansas. We're going to talk about more of Jesus, and one of our favorite things to do at conference is to feature a ministry project. This is a big part of who we are. This is a big part of why we exist as Arkansas Baptists. We want to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We want every man, every woman, every child in Arkansas to hear about the good news. And our ministry project this year is partnering with Arkansas Baptist children and family ministry, and it is going to be so fun and so exciting. So before we get to the details, let me introduce you to our special guests. We have Tanya Lamoya from Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries. She serves as the director of community outreach. So welcome, Tanya.
[00:01:30] Speaker C: Thank you so much for having me.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: And Tanya, you brought a friend so excited about this that we have three people sharing and talking on the podcast. Heather Knoll, who's the director of communication, is also joining us from Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries. So, Heather, welcome.
[00:01:49] Speaker D: Thank you. It's so good to be with you.
[00:01:52] Speaker B: So we love Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries. I know some of our listeners may not be familiar with the ministry. I'm going to give you a chance to share the mission and vision of it. But for so many of our listeners, they know who you are. They're excited about what you do. And we really are family. We really do partner together. So, Heather, give us kind of the vision for Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries, who you are, what you're about, and how our women can be involved.
[00:02:20] Speaker D: Yes, I would love to do that. So this year is actually our 130th year of ministry. We began in 1894 on our flagship campus in Monticello. So most people in Arkansas Baptist life know us as the children's home. Today, 130 years later, we encompass six ministries that share one mission, which is to offer hope and healing to the children and families of Arkansas. We have six divisions of services now. We are statewide and we are thrilled to be able to meet the needs of vulnerable children and vulnerable families, however they need across Arkansas.
[00:03:02] Speaker B: That's so exciting. And I've kind of had the privilege, I guess, just being in this role for the last ten years of watching the ministry develop and specialize in different branches and areas. And so, Heather, how long have you been with the ministry? And tell us a little bit about your role specifically.
[00:03:23] Speaker D: So I came on staff with ABCFM five years ago in September, actually, I came on when we were first launching our foster care ministry, connected foster care, and I was a caseworker and then a coordinator, so I'd been, our family was a foster family.
My background was suited for the foster care world, and so I came on to help us get foster care launched. And then I have just slowly merged. And so I've been director of communications for the last couple of years, and I get the wonderful joy and privilege of sharing our stories and sharing with our church partners and our donors and our Arkansas Baptist family and friends what we do and how they can get involved.
[00:04:10] Speaker B: I love how God works. You know, we take that one step of faith, that one step of obedience, never really knowing all that God has, you know, in the future. I can hear that in your story, your testimony. But isn't it neat to know that God is working all things together for good and that he's going before us? And that passion for connected and foster care now gives you this platform to be able to share about all the amazing things that are happening through Arkansas Baptist children and family ministry. And I know it's like a family ministry for you, like your family's involved, y'all are invested. And that's so exciting when you think about just how that shaped your walk with the Lord and your passion for the local church and then also just for the children of Arkansas, how do you see God just prepare? How did he prepare you for such a time as this?
[00:04:59] Speaker D: That's an incredible question. I think that God's been shaping that my entire life, my own personal story. As many of us within ABC FM, our stories lend itself to be inside of this ministry. And so for me personally, that's a launching pad for my passion is my own personal lived experience in my own personal story and how Jesus has been with me. And then I've been a pastor's wife for over 20 years. And we actually were introduced in student ministry 20 years ago to Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries, taking our students to the Monticello campus to serve for backyard bible clubs and work projects, which is what led us to become a foster family down the road. And so we were a foster family when our three kiddos were in high school, and that gave our daughter a calling to do social work, and she just graduated with her social work degree. And then from that, I. From us fostering, God opened up this door to expand the number, to expand the kids we would be able to serve as a family.
We miss having our home open to kiddos, but it is an incredible opportunity to share with others so that even more foster homes can be open and single parents can have the support that they need and people can get the mental health services that they need all through this ministry. And so now, my husband and I both, he came and joined us, ABC FM, a couple of years ago. He's our director of church partnership and admission advancement. And so now we're in ministry together in this way. And it's incredible how our family has walked through ministry together, and now we're serving ABC FM together. It's just been incredible to watch how God has used each and every step of our journey to bring us to this place, to have the incredible privilege to be a part of what ABCFM is doing.
[00:06:56] Speaker B: I love that. And, you know, it's hard to know this side of eternity, the impact that is made. But just think about all the lives that have been touched through Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries, whether that's through, you know, the flagship house in Monticello or any of the different divisions and branches. It's incredible what you're doing. It's incredible what God is doing. And so we want to say, keep on keeping on. And that brings us to a more specific question. Tanya, I'm going to throw this to you. We talk about our ministry project for this year. I'm so excited about the Toy Bus Express. It's a new emphasis, a new initiative that you have. And so paint the picture for the toy bus Express, what it is, maybe how it came into, you know, being and what, what are some of the things that are happening through the toy bus express?
[00:07:45] Speaker C: Okay, well, Markham Street Baptist Church donated their old church bus to us that we wrapped and made the toy bus express. And it is a sight. It is something that you typically do not see. It draws a lot of attention to itself, and it has been a great way to advertise the services that we provide in our ministry. And it's a great way to serve the families that we are serving. So you have the toy bus Express, which can collect toys from churches or groups or organizations. And not just toys. Any of the things that we need for children who come into foster care, children who come into family care, or children who are served by our connected adoptions team. They work with pregnant women in crisis, and so we often need diapers for when those babies are born or the babies that are in care or toddlers pull ups, all of those things. So these are things that we can go to a church and collect with the toy bus, the kids love getting on it. It's a tangible way for them to see what they're doing in ministry, because we do not advertise the children who we are serving, who are in a vulnerable situation. So you don't see that face so much. But the toy bus can give them just an experience where they understand that they are giving to a child in need or a family in need. So we take that bus, we can pick up the donations, and then that bus can go out to our campuses, our family care homes, or our children in foster care when they have birthdays or at Christmas. And it can supply our resource room in Little Rock and in Monticello and at the ranch.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: I love it when you see this toy bus express. I don't know about you, but it puts a smile on my face. It's literally like love in action. It's like being the hands and feet of Jesus. You know, meeting a child at a point of need, like, for them to feel seen and valued and loved and just acknowledged. Maybe they're in a hard situation. Maybe, you know, they're just not sure what their situation is. But getting that tangible toy and knowing that, hey, there's somebody that loves them, that's praying for them, and that can be a bridge to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. And I know that you're doing that. When we think about the toy bus express and some of the ways that women's ministries or churches can utilize that in their ministries. Tanya, can you give us some ideas of how the toy bus can be used?
[00:10:21] Speaker C: Yes. Recently we went to a church during their vacation Bible school. All week long, that church advertised the need that is happening around the state in foster care. They specifically talked about what was going on in their local area. They advertised the services that we are providing to vulnerable families. And then our champions were there to actually recruit foster parents from the VBS event.
It gave a tangible way that people. The bus draws attention. So people outside were wondering, what is that? And it makes people ask questions. But then it provides that way for the church to donate and to load up. The part that you don't see is the other side and the part that we can't video. So the times when we've taken the toy bus out and children who are in care pick out a toy from the toy bus. One time a child came out of that bus and had an action figure. And I watched that child for probably 60 steps, kiss that action figure all the way out of the parking lot. And it was really, really neat just to see the impact. And not only the children, sometimes biological parents get onto that bus, and then they are so happy to be able to get a toy and then provide it to their children. That is not something that they get to do. Often they don't get to buy a brand new toy and they don't have the resources for it. So we're also empowering that parent to be able to provide for their child. So any event, it doesn't have to be vbs, it doesn't have to be something that big. But anything that you are having, if you're having an event at your church, our toy bus can be part of that. And you can do a donation drive with the bus on your property.
[00:12:10] Speaker B: That's so good. And what I love about that is we're meeting needs, but also the education that takes place to let Arkansas know, hey, here's the need. It's staggering the need when it comes to foster care and just servicing families who are in situations that it's just, it's hard, it's challenging. And so I'm so excited that it's, you're not just doing one thing, you're doing several things. And we know God's not just doing one thing, he's doing several things. And so we are excited to partner with you at Arkansas Baptist Women conference through the toy bus Express. And so let me share, ladies, about how we are going to do the biggest and best toy drive, hopefully, that's ever happened here in Arkansas. When you arrive at conference, we're asking that you bring some toys with you. Let's load this bus up. The bus will be parked out front at First Baptist Church, Benton. We're having that party in the parking lot. So it's perfect to have that toy bus there. You're going to come, you're going to enjoy music. You're going to enjoy that warm welcome from the conference team. You're going to be able to donate, drop your toys off at the toy bus, and then go in and enjoy conference throughout the day at conference, we're going to have some educational pieces when it comes to Arkansas Baptist children and family ministry, when it comes to the toy bus. So bring your toy, but bring an open heart, an open heart and an open mind for how God would have you to be involved in the ministries of Arkansas Baptist children and family ministry. Heather and Tommy will be there. They'll be in the vendor area. They'll be ready to talk to you. We're going to be featuring them in the ministry in the main session. So come excited, come prepared, come expectant for God to just write something fresh on your heart when it comes to loving on our sweet, sweet children here in Arkansas. Now, I want to talk a little bit about what you would hope the women would bring.
You know, I know we tend, let me just say this. I think when I think toy drive, I tend to think about the younger children and the toys that maybe my kids enjoyed when they were three years old or five years old or whatever the case may be. But you service a lot of children and so help us understand the needs and what are some things that our women can bring to the toy bus.
[00:14:30] Speaker C: So when you think of toys, think of something that any person from age zero to age 17 would like. So we're talking from diapers to infant toys to preschool toys to older teens. And really, it's very easy to buy for the younger children. But think about what your teenagers would want. And those children who are 1012 years old think specifically for them because that is probably the need that we have the most because we are servicing children who are older.
Also think about even gift cards. Those are very, very helpful, not just to give directly to our children, but for our caseworkers to take a child to lunch when they're on a doctor's visit or a supervised visit with their biological parent. Any type of gift card that would be for food or to run by Walmart and get what they need, those are needed.
[00:15:26] Speaker B: That's so good. You know, I think how practical that is. You know, I have two boys, and just getting ready for back to school is overwhelming, you know, and we've just kind of gone through that season where kids are going back to school. They have the needs for clothes, shoes, but also just everyday items like binders and notebooks and things like that. But I love the idea of thinking about maybe about what your grandkid or your child likes in this season of life and bringing that, because kids tend to have similar interests. And so if your grandchild likes that, there's a good chance that there's some out there in foster care who's going to love it. It's just going to be such a blessing. So we also want to let you know that on our website, absc.org abwconference, there is a list of needs. Thankfully, Tonya has provided that with some specifics. So if you're struggling to know what to bring, just visit our website, check out that list. I want to encourage you, you know, do a little drive at your church before you come. Even people who aren't able to attend conference, they can send an item. We can pack out that bus, and we can know that God's going to work through that incredibly. So bring your items, come to conference, drop them off at the front of the building, and be ready for God to speak into your heart as to how you can be involved with Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries. I want to finish our conversation, Heather and Tanya, by talking about how you've seen, you know, our theme for conference is more of Jesus. We're talking about more of Jesus, less of me. And one thing I think about when I think about that theme is how Jesus came to serve. He had such, obviously, the ultimate servant's heart. And that is what this ministry project allows us to do, is to love and to serve others in need. But I know there's incredible stories of just God sized movement, God sized provision just within your ministry. And so I'm wondering if I could share some what we might call success stories or just God sized stories. When it comes to what you see God doing through Arkansas baptist children and.
[00:17:29] Speaker D: Family ministries, it is honestly hard to narrow down. Andrea, I am looking at a list of stories from our case workers right now, thinking to myself, I don't even know which one to share. But as we've been talking about the toy bus, what I would love to do is share a story that, it's not necessarily a huge story, but our goal with the toy bus was to be a tangible way, ultimately, for a child, think about a specific child, one child to be seen.
That is the core of our heart for that toy express.
And so I, I want to share with Arkansas Baptist women the impact of bringing a gift card or bringing a box of diapers. Last year, Arkansas Baptist state convention was when we first launched the Toy Express.
It literally just completed the week before state convention, and we brought it and we parked it and we asked our Arkansas Baptist friends to bring a toy. And that was the very first time we had done anything with the toy bus. And that day, one of our connected caseworkers in Jonesboro called and said, hey, I've got a little four year old girl whose birthday is today.
Can I come to the toy bus and shop for a birthday present for her? She was having her biological family visit that day, so the caseworker was wanting to come get a present that her biological parents could give to her at their family visit on her birthday. And it was so profound to me to see how specifically God saw that little girl.
Her caseworker came and she found somebody had, that morning, brought the exact baby doll that that little girl had been wanting. And so that caseworker was able to come get that specific baby doll, take it to the parent visit so that that parent could gift it to their little girl on their family visit. And I thought, for me, that is the why of this toy bus. We wanted. We have incredible caseworkers who are providing amazing services. We have incredible foster families. But God saw one specific little girl.
[00:19:49] Speaker B: So good, so powerful, you know, and we think about just the pursuit of our, of our God, how good he is and how intimately involved he is in the details of not only our lives, but other people's lives. And that just gives me chills to think about how, you know, maybe. Maybe the little girl will never know, you know, all the things that God did, but, oh, my goodness, what she will hopefully know is that God loves her and sees her and that Arkansas Baptiste love her and see her. So. That is so, so powerful. Thank you for sharing that. Tanya, how about you? How have you seen just a move of God through Arkansas Baptist children and family ministries?
[00:20:30] Speaker C: I think that I have seen how foster care is really a different picture than maybe what I had in my head years ago. And too many times we think of it as this ongoing thing. But for many families, foster care is a temporary time in their life. Our goal is reunification, and although we don't always make that goal, and adoption is a beautiful thing, and we celebrate that. We have seen so much healing come through our families when foster care is temporary and it is done through a Christ centered way.
One little boy came into foster care and became a Christian through his foster family and his church. And he actually said, I'm so glad I came into foster care because that's where I met Jesus. And you just don't hear that often and think about that. And it wasn't just a little boy. The little boy became a missionary to his biological family, and he shared the gospel with his biological family and eventually reunified with them. And his mother became a Christian accepted Christ and got baptized with her son. And we are still involved in that family's life even though they no longer partake of our foster care services. So what we're doing is ending and minimizing generational trauma so that it doesn't continue for years and years and years and that the foster care journey is only temporary in a family's life. It doesn't have to be permanent. And I have loved seeing that over and over again.
[00:22:14] Speaker B: So good. Thank you, ladies, so much for your passion, your service, your dedication. I know it, it has to be at times really hard, you know, and it has to be overwhelming sometimes. But God just, he gives you the strength that you need. And I want you to know that you have a huge family in Arkansas Baptist and Arkansas Baptist women who are walking alongside of you. We want to love you, you, pray for you, and give you the tools that you need to do what God's calling you to do. And so, ladies of Arkansas, join us at conference. Come with a toy or two or three for the toy bus, stop by the vendor area, meet tanya and heather, and be open for how God's going to stir in your heart, in your church's heart, so that we can continue to impact the foster care system and also just, just families with the hope of Jesus Christ. And so today, I want to encourage you to register for conference. You can find out all the
[email protected] abwconference and we will see you on Saturday, September 21, at First Baptist Church of Benton. We'll see you soon.
[00:23:23] Speaker A: Thanks for listening. I hope today's episode helps you embrace the full, free, abundant life that Jesus provides. Don't forget to follow, like and subscribe to the Arkansas Baptist Women podcast. If you would like more encouragement to help you grow in your faith, visit our
[email protected], abw. Come back next time as we continue to talk about how we can worship, grow, connect, serve and share together. I can't wait to talk to you soon.
