One of the joys of my role serving Kentucky Baptists is that I am invited to participate in the regular board meetings of five Kentucky Baptist agencies and institutions. One of those is Sunrise Children’s Services, formerly known as Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children.
Sunrise, as a recipient of Cooperative Program support, helps Kentucky Baptists fulfill the James 1:27 mandate — “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
When we invest in Sunrise, we are partnering with it in caring for Kentucky’s most vulnerable children.
Below is a list of five reasons we need Sunrise Children’s Services in Kentucky:
1. Because of its model of ministry: Sunrise provides residential therapeutic care and foster care placement for many of Kentucky’s most vulnerable children. Each year it ministers to nearly 1,200 children who are in the care of the state. It helps children who have been hurt by others to find hope and healing through its ministry. The work is hard, and they do it well.
2. Because of its heart for children: Sunrise was born out of love as three women from Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., saw children orphaned from the Civil War in the streets of Louisville and knew they must act. And act they did. Those ladies put into motion what would become one of the largest, if not the largest, provider of services to hurting children in our state. Those who answer the call today to serve children through Sunrise do so because they love children and want to help them.
3. Because of its understanding of the greatest need: Dale Suttles, president of Sunrise, knows that these children need to have their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing met, but they need something more. He also knows that their greatest need is a relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus. Dale strives to create a culture at Sunrise where children have access to Christ and His gospel.
4. Because of its ability to respond: State Auditor Allison Ball recently released a careful study of the foster care system in Kentucky revealing that our state is in a foster care crisis. Children are being forced to stay in buildings and offices not designed for them. Her report indicates the need for care is great in Kentucky, and Sunrise is responding to this need.
5. Because of its end goal: Sunrise knows that the children it cares for need to be in a permanent home with a mother and father who love them and will dedicate their lives to giving them the best they can provide. To that end, Sunrise just celebrated its 735th adoption since 2006. Kentucky Baptists can also celebrate each of those adoptions because through your Cooperative Program giving, you had a hand in every one of them.
Join me in praying for Sunrise and consider if you, your church or your business could help in some tangible way. It could not survive without the generous support of Kentucky Baptist churches through the Cooperative Program and also gifts from churches, individuals and business owners. Your prayers and support will help Sunrise continue to do what it does best — care for Kentucky’s hurting children, help those children find a permanent loving home and give them opportunities to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Todd Gray 