Wifflefest to benefit Hope Children's Home

Just under a month ago my wife and I welcomed our fourth child, Will, to our family. He is the healthy, strong, bouncing baby boy that our entire family hoped and prayed for. The night before his birth, my wife and I lay in bed talking about what was going to happen the next day, as she was scheduled for her fourth C-section. Needless to say we were both very nervous. C-sections are amazing things for the simple fact that if doctors would not perform them, or if we lived in a place or time where we did not have access to them, our family would look extremely different (in a bad way). Fourth C-sections are the so-called ‘worst’, so we were told, and that thought had weighed heavily on our minds.

There, as we talked and prayed, I opened up about my thoughts about the next day. I was worried, but told my wife this comforting thought: All my life, God has treated me with kindness. He has dealt with me so gently and lovingly, that our lives have always worked out for good. God’s goodness and grace are always present, and have been present, even when I was so undeserving. In my mind, the next day would not be any different… and as God would have it, it wasn’t.

Going forward and also looking back, I do realize that my family is truly blessed. We have four beautiful children, good health, food, shelter, clothes, friends, and the love and support of family. As many of you know, that is not the case in every family.

Through my work as the children’s minister at Fruitland Community Church we have begun to make connections with area foster children. Some of these children have a connection with the Hope Children's Home in Jackson, MO. It is a foster home for about 12 children, but also is a connection point for other children and parents who are in the foster care system in the Southeast Missouri area. Members of our church have reached out to the Hope Home and some foster children are now playing in our Upward Soccer program. Our church has also been given the opportunity to host monthly birthday parties for the area foster children.

As coordinator of Wifflefest, I would like to announce that we will collect donations for the Hope Children’s Home at Wifflefest 9. Over the past eight year’s we have been able to collect roughly $3500 for various children’s charitable organizations. It is my hope that the blessings we have shown can also bless others in the area foster system. Please join us at the Justin Osborne All American Wifflefest as we support this great cause!