CAMDENTON – It’s hard to miss Susie Ginnings’ passion for the unchurched, especially children.
Ginnings directs the The W.E.E. Care (Weekday Early Education) year-round program of the First Baptist Church of Camdenton. The program has long made a difference in the lives of children, aged 2-14, and the often broken families from which many of Ginnings’ charges come.
Her love for children has activated her church to share the vision.
The church held a multi-faceted W.E.E. Care graduation service, Aug. 3. Many of the 137 children enrolled attended and brought family members. The church served about 200 people with a free hot dog meal. Licensed beauticians in the church gave free back-to-school haircuts. Church youth set up a manicure station to paint girls’ nails. A bounce house was set up for children to play. An outreach committee set up other games.
But the outreach event was not just fun and games.
“The kids had been working on songs in the daily worship and performed them for the parents. Twenty-four of the kids who are going to kindergarten in big school this year were given NIV hardcover Adventure Bibles,” Ginnings said. “There was an Awana sign-up.”
Additionally, the service included the baptism of seven of the 11 older children who were saved in the just-ended program. Those seven also received Bibles. Pastor Kirk Baker personally delivered baptismal certificates to the children’s homes.
“God was glorified,” Ginnings said.
W.E.E. Care opened in January 1977. Ginnings, the director for 30 years, was honored with a surprise monetary recognition for her service at the graduation event.
The program reaches the unchurched, including 22 children in foster care. Only seven or eight of the children regularly attend Sunday morning church activities.
As Ginnings puts it, “It’s a home away from home while Moms and Dads are at work. I can’t wait to get here every morning. It’s a fun place to work.”
At W.E.E. Care, Bible reading is stressed. Ginnings challenges children to read their Bibles at home or, if they are too young, to have their parents read to them. Those who can verify Bible readings to her are routinely treated to ice cream cones from a shop near the church.
“God has blessed, and they are reading the Word. One kid said (that they didn’t read the Bible) for the ice cream, but to read the Bible. It’s like putting on your shoes. He reads his Bible before he puts on his shoes. We want to make sure the foster kids have Jesus in their lives to help them deal with the circumstances in their lives,” she said.
There are further benefits to the Bible challenges. Some parents say they have been blessed and learned things by reading the Bible themselves.
“The parents are lost,” Ginnings said. “In the past year, we’ve had three mommas and one dad from W.E.E. Care (students) who have been saved. The more of God’s Word you pour into your heart, the more opportunities you have to walk with God.”
Since the program year-end graduation, the church’s Women on Mission group had backpacks and school supplies to distribute for 90 kids for free in the W.E.E. Care store.
“The church really supports the children,” Ginnings said. “God is so good.”