The Wingard Home Blog

Thanks go out to all of you awesome prayer warriors who have been praying for our Kroger pick-up (see last post) ……we have our Kroger back. We were two long weeks without the everyday bread, dairy products, grocery dry goods and the meat that we had come to depend on from our Kroger pick-up four times a week.

However, God moved in a mighty way and delivered the pick-up back to us and now we pick-up 6 times a week and it is just AWESOME, OVER AND ABOVE….MULTIPLIED! WITH OUR CUP RUNNING OVER! God is not a half-way God and He is not a God of lack and He has never left the rightous forsaken nor begging bread ( or dairy, or groceries, or meat!) We are so grateful and blessed to have the finest grocery store on the planet in our corner. Kroger really cares about the community they serve and they prove it by being involved.

Please know that we still need your prayers as we are already in out “slow” time of the year as far as financial support. We have in the neighborhood of 6 thousand dollars worth of utility and operating expense payments due for June and there is about a thousand dollars in the ministry account at this writing. I do not say this to whine or beg…..I want you to be informed so you are in line for an opportunity to be a blessing and not to miss out on being able to lend a helping hand to folks in need. We are asking for tools to do this job. You can easily go to our “donate- now” button on our site and help right now. We appreciate your help and will continue to do the work here as long as God has those tools in place through good folks like YOU!

Please visit Charlotte or Roy on Facebook, too! We are excited about the opportunities to make new friends and have you keep up with the everyday goings on here at Wingard from a little bit more personal viewpoint.

Please send me a friend request to    http://www.facebook.com/charlottewingard

OR  http://www.facebook.com/rwingard

That’s what we’re talkin’ ’bout, COWBOY!!

A couple of months ago, Wingard Home was presented the awesome opportunity to purchase Horse Haven (in Jackson at the corner of McCluer and Henderson Road). This is SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY because the price is far below appraisal and the place is fully functional and already set up as a dude ranch. It is 44 acres of country “heaven” inside the city limits and falls under a “special use” ruling that allows for the riding, roping, rodeos, and farm animals. This will allow us unlimited ministry opportunities and possibilities for helping all types of children and teens. We are so excited, too, that this property is only minutes from the downtown area where our main ministry campus is located.

The deal is for all 44 acres @ $6,795.45  per acre which comes to $ 299,000.00! Now! Just the land alone is worth more than that…….but, the land has 4 ponds, a flowing brook, 3 barns, riding arena (lighted with announcers stand & concession area & bleachers), round pen, wash racks, large party room, and a three bedroom house in good condition!

Our vision for the Trinity Acres Ranch (as we have already given it a name) is MINISTRY!

PHOTOS OF THE RANCH AS IT IS RIGHT NOW!

Please tell everyone you know who wants to invest in the life and well-being of a child. We have about a month to produce enough money to purchase the property…….NO! we are not going to apply for one of those “easy” government grants! We do not accept monies from city, state, or federal programs. We do accept private donations, private foundation’s gifts, and support from groups, individuals, corporations, and churches. God’s got an army out there and we just have to believe and have F A I T H. We are going to “stick our foot in the water” and stand in awe as God “parts the Red Sea!”

http://www.mc.edu/about/offices/public_relations/news/?story=1314

Click on the link above to see the wonderful story about our recent Christmas trip to Mississippi College!

 To all Friends and Supporters of the Wingard Home,

CAUSE AND EFFECT:

Most of you have probably already heard about Roy’s horrible accident on November 3rd. As we are entering an incredibly busy time of the year for this ministry, suddenly we are thrust into a spiral of ambulance, trauma unit, hospital stays and two surgeries so far. We are now waiting on the all-clear for the third surgery. We are blessed to have had Christian friends and supporters who have been praying without ceasing. Miracles! are what we are seeing!

OPPORTUNITY TO HELP:

As we go through the just-before-December slump every year, we have to do a little shaking of the bushes to raise the extra support. This year, because of Roy’s accident I have not been “at full capacity” to make folks aware…….that we are getting seriously behind.

 We have close to $ 5,250.00 in bills for the month of November and only  $1,000 in the bank.

To quote a friend of ours from a local church ” there are goods folks out here who are willing and able to help, but you have to let them know where the need is!”

ON TASK: 

As far as the ministry is concerned, we are still running as usual- taking people in, making pick-ups, counseling, doing the interviews for the Christmas Festival and having Chapel four times a week! Supper is prepared every day for 40 people. We have on-going projects and are still in need of volunteers. We are full-steam-ahead with the big Christmas Festival for the hundreds of needy children.

WE ARE BLESSED:

Roy has round-the-clock care here at the ministry because of God bringing us an awesome nurse named Joe and a volunteer ministry intern named Amanda who is working in the kitchen and food pantry. Our children have been wonderful helpers through this whole ordeal and I, personally, am leaning on Jesus and one of my favorite scriptures- “Not by might, not by power, but, by my Spirit, says the Lord.” I have no idea how anyone could survive the trauma this family has been through the past two weeks without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ……I could NOT do this without God in our life!!

We love you all and thank-you for your prayers and support in the past: we pray you choose to continue.

Love in Christ,

Charlotte Wingard and family 

I must tell you about an awesome printing company in the metro area (located in Flowood,Ms): Harvey Dallas Printing Co. ! If you ever want to get a job done and get it done right, then they are the company for you! I am so impressed by their professional attitude…..and they are “techno awesome” !

They did an awesome job for this ministry…..thousands of Christmas Festival Flyers will go out to the Rankin County Schools this week in order to reach the families there who need assistance…….and Harvey Dallas made that possible. Check them out at the link below. I think when you find something wonderful, you should share it:

www.harveydallasprinting.com

 To All Supporters & Prayer Warriors:

Some of you have asked me for an update on the “house next door” and other projects and goings-on in the ministry. The summer has been so busy and with back-to-back projects and programs and people needing help - more than ever in our entire 21 years in ministry, we have not been in the office very much. We are so blessed to have you all praying and supporting and I personally ask you to forgive my slow response time in some areas.

The house next door is still there and depreciating by the week as vagrants and drug addicts filter in and out of the broken windows. We were able to gather 16,000 dollars (it was 19 thousand, but one lady who gave 3 thousand told us to put the money where most needed, so we moved it from the “house next door” fund to the “pay the high utility bills” fund). Mark Samsell refuses to take what we have gathered for the house, so we are holding the other until God tells us what to do. If Mark sells the house to someone else in the meanwhile, then we will return the 16 thousand to all you good folks who gave toward the purchase.

During the summer, Mr. A Joseph donated 4 single-dwelling houses to the ministry. They all have minor fix-up issues but are in the Farrish Street Historic District. Three of them are beside the Bethlehem Center and the other one is on Cohea Street, right around the corner. Pray for us to find and follow God’s purpose for these houses. We offered them to Mark Samsell as an even trade for the “house next door” but he wants all four houses and the 19 thousand dollars…..God laid a definite NO! on my heart for that deal. 

Last month, a three bedroom house was donated to the ministry. It is a single family dwelling in the McDowell/ Terry Rd. area near I-55. The house needs some assorted repairs and a lot of cleaning and painting. It would be a beautiful starter house for someone or a great ministry house. It is a project waiting to happen and a grand opportunity for a blessing.

 On and off all year, we have had the Crossgates Baptist church (Hands of Hope Ministry) coming over as they could and working on our men’s / family dormitory. They are very-much-sought-after so we are more than blessed that God assigned them here for this project. They are truly miracle-workers!! 

Some of you have asked about a way to give monthly to ministry so you would not have to remember to write a check every month. It never occurred to me to tell you that our web site has a ” donate now” button on it and on that service, you can choose to have groundspring automatically deduct whatever you choose to give each month. I copied the statement below from our website and present it to you so you will know. Our web address is    www.wingardhome.org     & then click on the “donate now” command.

    ”If you select “I want to make a recurring donation”, you will be registering to make a credit card donation every month, 3 months, or year. After you complete this initial donation, future donations will be made automatically. For example, if you choose to make a recurring monthly donation of $10.00, your next donation of $10.00 will be automatically charged to your account one month from today.

    You will receive an email receipt for each recurring donation with a link to the site where you can login and change your donation options (amount, frequency, billing information, etc.) at any time. Of course, you will also be able to cancel your recurring donation at any point in the future.”

 Thank-you! is not enough of a word to express our gratitude so we will continue to serve God through this ministry and ask Him to thank-you for us. We are humbled and totally blessed by your faithful support, your prayers, and your encouraging words.

Charlotte Wingard

I received a phone call this morning from a dear friend, “John Wayne” Blough in Brandon, MS. If any of you have read materials on our web site, you will know that Wayne and his family helped us with our son, Marcus. By help, I mean that I started taking Marcus out to Hilltop Painted Acres in Brandon, MS when he was only 11 to be trained in the “ways of the cowboys”. Wayne and his family are Christian folk and taught Marcus from the Bible, using the Word of God as a teaching tool for riding, caring for the horses, and roping. Our son was at an age in his life where he refused instruction from us, his parents- even though we are both ministers! But, he would receive from his cowboy friend and now, his life is changed forever because God used Wayne Blough and his C.O.W.B.O.Y.S. ministry to mentor Marcus. I tell you that to tell you this……..

Sometimes, we get so busy with “life” taking care of the stuff like working a job to provide a living for our family and getting through the “rearing children” and paying for their needs, that we put our “callings from God” on the back burner. Sometmes, we just can’t see a way to do what we are called to do and take care of our family too. That is basically what Wayne was telling me this morning, but God has spoken to him in the past few days- spoken in a “burning bush- thunder and lightening” sort of way. Wayne has a non-profit called the C.O.W.B.O.Y.S. inc and God has definitely given him a detailed plan on putting this back as a priority in his life.

Wayne has a burden in his heart for homeless and abused children……God has a plan……BRING BACK HILLTOP PAINTED ACRES!!!! Wayne and his family are sitting on the “promised land” and Hilltop Painted Acres WILL be again……because God said so!!! Get on board and be a part of the miracle that God is performing in Brandon Mississippi. Do it because it is the right thing to do and because it is for the children. We know his program works, because Wayne has always welcomed and helped the homeless children from our ministry; and, of course, he helped Marcus.

Click on this link to photo show

On Saturday, May 30, 2009 (just the other day) our ministry campus in downtown Jackson was buzzing with almost a dozen Wal Mart Associates…….most were the Asset Protection Associates from Richland, Flowood, Vicksburg, Hazelhurst, Highway 18, Clinton, and Brookhaven. They came armed with gloves, yard tools, woodworking tools, flowers, sand, soil, BIG SMILES, and such servant’s hearts. They spent the better part of the day with us on Saturday and accomplished a ton of “yard stuff” that badly needed to be done ( including the hanging of “old Glory” after repairing the flag pole) !!

Praise the Lord for Wal Mart !!!! Please watch the slide show and be blessed.

WalMart Photo Show

To up-date you all on the progress at the Wingard Home Main Campus, we are very soon to finish up all the work in the dining hall and kitchen of the main house. We now have ready a list of supplies needed before we can begin to go to work on the men’s dorm bathroom and laundry area. We have closed the men’s area and moved the male residents remaining into 1/2 of the women’s dorm.

We need to move as quickly as possible with this project, because we are 10 beds short as long as the dorm is closed. Please look at the list below to see if you can help:

Please forward this list to others if you would like……we desperately need the supplies before we can start this phase of our renovations:

3    2 x 6 x 16 treated wood

9    4 x 4 x 8    treated wood

2    boxes of 16 penny nails

9    80 lb. concrete mix

53    green board  4 x 8 x 1/2   (or yellow)

22    2 x 6 x 8  spruce boards

12    2 x 6 x 8  treated

48    2 x 4 x 8  spruce boards

60    2 x 4  spruce studs

12    2 x 4 x 8  treated

4     2 x 4 x 16  treated 

4     1 x 8 x 10  treated   

4     2 x 4 x 16  spruce

4     2 x 6 x 16  spruce

4     2 x 6 x 10  spruce

4     1 x 6 x 12  spruce

16    1 x 6 x 8   spruce

15    4 x 8  T/G 3/4″  Flooring Plywood

20    3 x 5  #500 Hardie Backer Board

8     4 x 8 x 1/2″  blue insulation board

12    4 x 8 x 1/2″   silver insulation board

2    shower floor pans  5′ x 5′ rubber

1    roll  12-2  electric wire (250 ft.)

1    box of wire nuts (red)

1    box wire nuts  (yellow)

5    5 lb. boxes of sheet rock nails

2    5 lb. boxes of sheet rock screws    

1     toilet    

1     urinal

2     32″ interior door units

2     rolls sheet rock tape

2     5 gal buckets of sheet rock mud

2    5 lb. boxes 16-P nails/ sinkers

2    5 lb. boxes 12-P nails/ sinkers

1    5 lb. box 8-P nails/ sinkers

1     5 lb. box 12-P nails/ casing

2     bathroom vent fans

4     florescent light fixtures 3′ with cover

11     light switches

7     switch cover (single)

2     switch cover (double)

1    case of Alex Plus Caulk

1     Heavy Duty Washing Machine

1     Heavy Duty Clothes Dryer

* Please be in agreement with us that God will provide the materials or the resources for the materials….in all things, let us Praise God!

With Great Expectations,

Charlotte Wingard

601-906-1976

Thank-you’s go out once more to the Morgan Foundation ……this time, for the money to provide our main house on West Street with a fine metal roof. We had so many leaks that we did not have enought pots to catch the water: and now we have NO LEAKS !!!!  Don Sebren of Sebren’s Home Improvements gave us an awesome price on the roof and since we know him personally (he is also the youth pastor at Castlewoods Baptist Church) we KNOW that he is a man of integrity and sound Christian values. I always love doing business with one of God’s people.

Mr. Joel Price, of Southeastern Wood Products Co. brought a crew of his men and fixed the sagging ceilings in the main house of the West Street property. Thank God for Mr. Joel and his heart for the Lord. I tell you the truth, when his men told him about the severity of the situation at the house and let him know it was going to be a lot more trouble than expected to get it fixed, they had already told me that they did not think he was going to go for the fix-up project after that. Mr. Joel simply looked at them, once he heard their report, and said, “What do I think? Well, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to be a blessing!” What a man of God!!

We have so many projects going on here at the Ministry….and they are all going on at the same time, it seems. There are numerous opportunities for you to come over and use your talents to keep this place maintenanced. Joe Drake, from Pine Lake Baptist Church has also done extensive work on the entire property, as have Paul Atkins, and Darryl Thurman. God’s got an army, folks…..please remember these men in your prayers.

 We are still gathering money for the house next door and need you all to pray for the owners so that their hearts would soften toward this ministry. At present, we have gathered approximately 19,000 of the 39,000 they are asking. We are believing God that they will cut that price down some more.

More later and some photos of the roof will soon be on the blog.

The house next door, still sits next door and still belongs to Mark Samsell. We have received 15,000 of the 39 being asked for it and have also checked to make sure the city is ok with the fix-up possibilities-and they are. We are waiting on God to give us further instructions in the matter.

Are you praying for us? Are you praying that Mark Samsell’s heart will be made tender to the plight of the homeless and to the needs of the ministry in this matter? Are you praying that God’s will be done in this business matter? Are you really, really praying? We need you to join with us as partners in prayer agreeing that God will be glorified in this matter and in all that this ministry does for the homeless and hurting who come here for healing and help.

 JOBS…….

We have some really good people here right now and they are seeking employment. If you can assist someone with a job, that would be an awesome thing that you have done…..to give someone a chance to begin to make their way in this world by working and being accountable. I will list a few and something about them in this post and pray for you that God will move in your heart to give one of these folks an opportuity to work and make a living for themselves. Listed below are a list of the folks we have who are looking for a JOB AND THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE:

BRITTNEY GIBBS/ CASHIER, FOOD SERVICE, FAST LEARNER, 19 YEARS OLD

BRIAN LAWSON/ FORK LIFT DRIVER/STAND UP OR SIT DOWN/ WILL DO FACTORY WORK

MARY MCFARLAND/ LOTS OF FACTORY WORK IN SUPERVISOR & INSPECTOR POSITIONS/ GREAT RESUME  !!!!

RACHEL CASSATT/ LOTS OF FOOD INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE/CASHIER/VERY PEOPLE ORIENTED

DARRYL THURMAN/ HOUSE PAINTING SUB-CONTRACTOR LOOKING FOR JOBS TO DO OR TO BID ON

PAUL ATKINS/ HOME REPAIR AND FIX-UP SUB-CONTRACTOR/GODLY MAN WHO LOVES JESUS MAKES A GREAT WORKER WHO CAN BE TRUSTED.

BOTH PAUL AND DARRYL HAVE  DONE SOME BEAUTIFUL WORK FOR THE MINISTRY AND ARE VERY REASONABLE IN THEIR BIDS……….YOU SHOULD GIVE THEM A TRY!

I am really praying that these folks all find a way to honestly support themselves and their families…….Paul has children, Darryl has children, Brian is expecting a child in September, & Rachel has three children. Spread the word, call me if you need to…..601-906-1976

Loving Jesus and Running to Win!

Charlotte Wingard, House Director & Women’s Pastor

We are so very excited to tell you the good news! Our cry for help has been heard and you are calling and responding to the needs here at Wingard Home. Praise God for you!

 This is not a one time shot, though; God wants you involved and you know that. We have met some awesome people in the past week……the timing was perfect for all of us. God used this dilema and was glorified in it as he turned everything around to bring us “out of the valley” and back up the mountainside.

One of the wonderful friends we have made during this “storm” is Amanda Wells, an incredible Mississippi writer who came to do an article on the Home. She has a blog called “Shamelessly Southern” where you can find a link to her article on Wingard. The beautiful photos were taken by Melanie Thortis, a very talented young photographer, who knew just how to capture the spirit of the Home and our people. All things have indeed worked together for good….and you know that we certainly love the Lord in the good times and the bad.

We have also received a call from the owner of Mac’sCove . This magnificent clothing wholesale fashion designer is also a fine Christian woman who was looking for a way to do what she loves and glorify God “in the mix”. Desire was there- God’s perfect timing- we had a need- and God put us together. Please follow the link to her web site and see how Natasha McLaurin is helping the homeless at Wingard.

I have so many “praise reports” that I don’t know tell you all. I know that God is in control……and that is exactly the way I want it to stay.

 I wanted all of you to know that the water bills are paid…..Praise the Lord!

We have also been able to pay the Atmos Gas bills today and also the Allied Waste.

PLEASE DON”T STOP PRAYING !! The other bills on the list MUST be paid also.

The Word says that God has never left the righteous forsaken nor begging for bread!! I refuse to beg anything. I am asking for you to be a blessing to homeless, needy, & battered folks….the ones who are trying to change their lives by doing something positive—not the ones who stand on the street intersections collecting YOUR hard-earned dollars in the name of “charity”and running a con on everybody OR lay up in a motel and drink beer while they watch dirty movies (all at your church’s expense).  Hey! It’s time to get serious about this problem and step un to the bat to do something about it!

We house lots of people here at Wingard: people who are NOT on welfare, NOT begging money from your churches, Not drinking and drugging. Our people are about getting their lives straightened out, working hard, saving their money, and learning how to live by the Word of God. Don’t you want to support something that really works and is producing good results….ask around; our record speaks for itself.

Below is the remainder of the previous list I sent……the ones that are paid are in purple…the ones still pending are in black.

• Entergy (due 8-1)……$50.66 & $49.73
• Entergy (due 7-21) ……$577.65,  $386.70,   $1,036.49,  &  $287.66
• City Services (water bills) ……$211.66 *due for cut off on 7-17   &   $367.20 (due on 7-18)
• Cellular South (due 7-27) ……$507.36
• Atmos Gas (due 7-14) ……$189.02, $16.62, $35.75, & $26.51
• Sam’s Club (where we get gas for the pick-up truck) $1,604.95  (due on 8-1)
• Aregood Technologies (past due) $192.49
• Allied Waste (due7-16) …… $101.16
• Bank of America (past due) ……$2,280.69  development of Natchez Trace Children’s Ranch

Add the figures….we are still needing around $6400.00 ………..

Expecting a Miracle and FIRED-UP for Jesus,

Charlotte Wingard

Bless you all in Jesus Name,

I feel as if the summer is flying too quickly and I certainly know that the “school season” is upon us. We have a whole new group of children this year. They must be equipped for the task ahead of them. Since we never know who we will serve from one week to the next, general supplies and gift cards (for clothing and uniforms) are best for us.  

This is your “opportunity time” to do something good for someone in need. Take it and run with it!!

There are homeless children here who need to go to school and have supplies just like every other child. They don’t need or want to be or look “different” from the other children. We at Wingard Home depend on God to work through you to help us meet the needs of these children and teens.

After school begins, we will need certain color notebooks and certain this and that —the teachers have their own special requests and there are workbook fees and athletic fees and such. You are in an awesome position to have a positive impact on the future of a child this year.

Our Spring grant from the Morgan Foundation has been a blessing all summer, but is gone now. The summer has been a hard one and the needs of families and battered women have been many times greater. We have seen some miracles out of these times and, I am certain, we will see many more. The good work must continue. If you ever wanted to reach out to someone in dire straits, homeless, battered, abandoned, or threatened, then, this is your time to “show out” for Jesus.

 WE MAX OUT AT 42 PEOPLE! TO ADOPT ONE OF THE BILLS LISTED BELOW FOR THE MONTH, YOU WILL BE HELPING US HOUSE ALL THESE FOLKS………WANNA BE A BLESSIN’ ?? NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!

• Entergy (due 8-1)……$50.66 & $49.73
• Entergy (due 7-21) ……$577.65,  $386.70,   $1,036.49,  &  $287.66
• City Services (water bills) ……$211.66 *due for cut off on 7-17   &   $367.20 (due on 7-18)
• Cellular South (due 7-27) ……$507.36
• Atmos Gas (due 7-14) ……$189.02, $16.62, $35.75, & $26.51
• Sam’s Club (where we get gas for the pick-up truck) $1,604.95  (due on 8-1)
• Aregood Technologies (past due) $192.49
• Allied Waste (due7-16) …… $101.16
• Bank of America (past due) ……$2,280.69  development of Natchez Trace Children’s Ranch

 We present these to you for your prayerful consideration and for your help: a large part or a small part-any help will be a blessing and will, indeed, bless many!……We must move quickly, though, because these must be paid now.

May God bless you and keep you healthy, sober minded, prospering you above all measure physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Charlotte Wingard

We have had quite a month here at Wingard Home. There is not a lot of “strange” goings -on, but we always have a report to make. Lives are being changed for the better and souls are being saved from hell! In one of the parables Jesus told about the shepherd who left the 99 sheep in the flock and went out after that 1 sheep who had gone astray………one soul saved from hell is certainly worth our time and resources.

We are blessed to have opportunities to tell you about the ministry we have here and so blessed to have opportunities to serve God each day through the resources and tools you provide. God called us to serve here day and night every day ministering to people who have given up on productive lives…….God may have chosen you to help in some other way. We all have talents and resources that differ and God wants to pour Himself out over this wicked world by using your life as a vessel for His mighty healing power…….are you with us? Let’s Do It!!

For the whole Jackson area, the month started out with, with some really bad weather and a lot of destruction….especially in north Jackson. We had no damage to speak of; except that we were without electricity for about 5 days. We are so blessed to have a generator from the Katrina days.

On April 25 and 26, we were supposed to have more thunderstorms and more rain. We were also supposed to a group of nursing graduates come over to do some “outside projects”. They came….and the rain stayed away, praise God for the awesome group who came and for all the projects they completed. John-Israel was on hand with his camera to capture the day in photos. The week before we had about four nursing grads come to work organizing our library, but we have no photos of that project to share. All three groups just amazed us with their eagerness to serve and their joyful spitits. We have a wonderful photoshow about that day to share with you…..just click on the following link and choose the Sunny Day Projects photo show from the selection. While you are there, you can view any of our photo shows.

Sunny Day Projects

On Saturday morning, 4/26/08, Crossgates Hands of Hope was due to come and build a playground in conjunction with the Crossgates Ladies Ministry, who designed and funded the project. The storms moved in early that morning, and, as it began to rain, all the volunteers began showing up…..truck after truck after car load! They moved inside an area where we plan to build the family dorms and began to do the necessary demolition work on that project until the rain slacked up…..and it did slack up! Prayer and God’s grace, my friends. God sent Crossgates there to do a job and He never leaves nor forsakes us…..that rain JUST HAD TO GO! I can’t even describe the miracles that happened after that so I will invite you to judge for yourselves by clicking on the following photo show link and choose the photoshow that says: God Bless the Day that Crossgates Came Over to Play!

Crossgates

If you would love to be a part of this ministry support system, know this, Crossgates Hands of Hope is coming back to construct family dorms. They need all sorts of building supplies. If you feel led to help with this, e-mail me and I can e-mail you back a list of supplies needed OR you could purchase and send us a gift card to Lowes or Home Depot and we will get them to the purchasing person with Hands of Hope at Crossgates.

I am Charlotte Wingard             wwjdcaw@aol.com

God richly bless you!

And, I really liked this blogging idea. I seemed to have it going strong…..and then Christmas 2007 came….and went….and then New Year Celebrations and all those resolutions- but no blogs from ME.

Isn’t that the way it is with a lot of our “really good habits and routines”( like Sunday church, Wednesday night church, going to the gym, volunteering at our favorite charity….and the list goes on and on) ? If we miss one, then it makes it so easy to miss another and another until we are looking at weeks, even months, gone and we don’t even remember when we started slacking. Going back is hard for most of us, because so many other things have squeezed themselves  into our schedules….but the going back is necessary and much-needed; because, those are really good habits.

I don’t believe in making “resolutions” and empty promises to myself or to God. I do, however, believe in repenting and then bringing forth fruits to meet repentance. I vowed to keep you all informed about the goings-on of the home and our family, but I have not done well. This blogging is really easy and I am blessed to be able to just write and post……..knowledge is so awesome to have at our fingertips.

Many times, folks have told me that they are willing to help….if they just knew what we needed. I am on the Job with this Blog…….rededicated to communicating with you. Thank-you for your prayers, your love, your support, and your friendship.

Serving with a glad heart,

Charlotte Wingard, ”blogger extraordinaire” !!

I tell you the truth, “Never underestimate the cumulative power of a group of kids on a “mission”. The 1st through 5th grades went all out on a mission project to gather food for this ministry. They used the same needs list that appears on this blog. We have been seriously out of some necessary items and had no breakfast foods for children. The children took it and ran with it under the leadership of Ms Bonnie Armstrong and some fine Christian folks who worked with the children. Bonnie has a tender heart for the children and such a burden to bring them to a full understanding of what missions really is.

 I tell you that we are so blessed to be the reciepients of that food drive. We have 20 children here right now…I wish you could have heard what I did when they came home and saw all the cereal, pop tarts, puddings snacks, flavored oatmeals, and just the massiveness of the donation. Almost every kid here wanted to eat fruit loops for breakfast the next morning.

There were many more blessings such a toilet paper, cleaning supplies, canned soup, and personal care items…..oh! MY! “….and they shall be lead by a child!”

God is good and meets the needs……through the vessels who were willing and said “Send Me, Lord”…….precious vessels, the children and their adult leaders at Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon, MS, USA

Thank all of you! Wingard Home loves Crossgates K.I.D.S Church and Ms Bonnie Armstrong

On Saturday (Sept.15) we were blessed by a visit from a wonderful group of ladies. They were from Bethesda Baptist Church and I definitely was blessed by them coming to fellowship, to ask questions  about the ministry’s purpose, &  to take a tour of the ministry property. Saturday is our work day at the ministry in Jackson and on the Natchez Trace. We do all the things ”other folks” do on Saturday and we always welcome volunteers of any sort.

I want to say a big Thank-You tho the ladies from Bethesda. When I gave them an idea of a few needs we had and told them some things we were out of, they returned that afternoon with a car trunk full of “treasures”. I think the best thing they brought was cereal for the kids……oh, yes! we had some happy kids this moring when they had fruity loops and honey nut cereal for breakfast.

We have so many little “projects” that need to be done around here, that the only really good way to be fully aware is to come here and see for yourself. We would love to have you visit and I have to admit that I do LOVE the Christian fellowship. This is a battleground (spiritually speaking) and your visits and prayers help charge us back up.

Another thing we are trying to accomplish is the purchase of a warehouse. I thought we had one the first of this year, but, a company bought the building before I could round up the funds and then wanted to sell it to me after they jacked up the price more than was ethical in my opinion. Needless to say……we continued to look for a warehouse. On State Street, just north of Northside Drive, are a cluster of storefront warehouses owned by Mr. Warren Wright. They are all for sale and his “A” or “A&B” or “C&D” parts of the property would be perfect for this ministry. God is in charge and, so, I am placing it in His hands with you all as  my witnesses. If this purchase is in God’s will, the money doners for this warehouse will come forward and it will be in God’s time….not in mine. Some times this “faith walk” is not easy, my friends, because I want and NEED the warehouse yesterday! 

Praise the Lord!!! Ashley is now employed in a very good job with the state with good benefits. She is definitely going to put her patient people skills to the test now. Thank- you for your prayers and for good job leads for my people……keep them coming and I pray God bless you in the same measure that you are blessing His little “sheep”.

….and he loves the “big” children, too! That song played over and over in my mind yesterday as we went through work day at the ministry (every Saturday is work day for every one of our guests who don’t have to be at their place of employment). We have 20 children on our property right now and 16 of them are 8 and under. Six of the 20 are boys and the rest are girls. We are so blessed to be entrusted with the discipleship of the children and their parents.

We have five people looking for really good jobs so that they are able to take care of their families without living on welfare. You really should call me and ask questions about them if you think you have a job lead for them…….

Susan has a degree in medical work- not nursing, it is the office part:

Charles has much experience in custodian and floor care machinery:

April is office savvy, extremely quick in picking up new methods & well spoken in the executive world:

Michael- I call him preacher man….he is so packed with degrees (he has a Master of Divinity) and needs a job that will not be manual labor because his back is in the process of healing. This man would be an awesome teacher…..he is so smart and has traveled all over. He has even been the principal of a school in South America.

Ashley is undoubtedly the most patient lady I have ever met….you cannot make her mad- I have tried!! If anyone wanted a customer service expert, Ashley would be well worth the hire! She is soft spoken and well presented…..she has three small children to support by herself and really needs a good stable job with benefits.

Urgent needs today, September 9, are toilet paper, Dawn dishwashing detergent, sugar, uniform money for the two new children, and cereal.

We are also looking for a small economy car to use for running around town for the women and children. God is Faithful! Don’t miss out on YOUR blessing by thinking that someone else will surely help so you won’t have to……..this message is for you-not someone else!