As I wrote my August blog, school had just begun.  Now, with schools being in session for a month, we find one missionary couple, Frank and Judy Caulder, hard at work delivering food orders so they can begin sending weekend food backpacks home with students.

During the spring of 2006 Frank and Judy came with their local South Carolina Baptist Association to Harlan County, Kentucky on a short-term mission trip.  On that trip they learned of children who did not have enough food to eat on the weekends.  After going back home to South Carolina God would not let them forget these children.  They themselves had never been without food and could not imagine that there were hungry children in the United States of America.  They prayed for God to show them what He would have them do and soon began Sacks of Love Ministry, helping supply food to one of the local schools.  Eventually more schools requested assistance and now they are working to provide weekend food backpacks to students in seven schools.  Once a month the Caulders try to give each child a jar of peanut butter, especially during the winter months when the children may be out of school for several days or even weeks at a time.

In 2008 Frank and Judy purchased a home in Benham so they could spend more time in Kentucky.  Frank uses his truck on a regular basis to not only deliver food to the schools but also to transport donations to Kentucky as they travel back and forth between their South Carolina home and their Kentucky home.

While working through the School Resource Centers they learned of more needs than just the weekend food.  Just like the prayer of Jabez, God began to expand their ministry, which now includes school supplies, clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and other needs the children have.

During the summer the Caulders host mission teams which help to lead Family Fun Days and Back-to-School events at some of the schools and parks in the community.  A team from Woodland Park Baptist Church in Hammond, LA comes several times a year, even though it is a twelve hour ride.  Teams have also come from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and other parts of Kentucky.

Frank hauls a big grill on the back of his Ford F-150 and cooks hotdogs for these outreach events.  Judy said they had probably cooked at least a thousand hotdogs this summer.

At each event the Gospel is presented, and a Gospel tract or other Christian literature is inserted into each food backpack that is given out.

Last month they helped a family that had recently moved to Harlan County to get an apartment, furniture, household items, clothing, bedding, and mattresses for them to set up housekeeping.

The Caulders work closely with local Director of Missions Bill Wallace and served two weeks this past summer at the association’s Camp Howard.

They work with the “Empty Stocking Fund,” a 30+ year old ministry directed by a retired Cumberland coal miner.  This ministry works year round to collect items for the approximately 600 food boxes and toys they distribute each year.

Frank and Judy, thanks for your service.  You have certainly found your place, and God is using you to reach many families and children, in your “new” Kentucky home.

For more information on Sacks of Love go to www.sackoflove.com or Facebook at Sacks of Love.

Cincinnati is in need of the gospel and Kentucky Baptists can help spread the message of Jesus in this river city.

Over 1.6 million people live in metro Cincinnati, but only 43.6% are affiliated with any religious group. Still yet, only 13.9% are connected with an evangelical church. NAMB tells us that there is only one SBC church for every 10,587 Cincinnatians in the five counties around the city.

The Send City Strategy through NAMB hopes to see 77 churches started throughout the city. Here’s the catch: this goal will not be accomplished without churches. Churches need churches to plant churches for gospel impact. Churches are needed from all over the SBC to help with this strategy in Cincinnati. However, with Cincinnati as our KY neighbor, Kentucky Baptists have a tremendous opportunity for frontline gospel advancement in this near-by river city. As an added incentive for KBC involvement, the Cincinnati Send City strategy now includes Northern Kentucky.

On September 28-29, in conjunction with NAMB, the Missions Strategies and Partnerships office will host a vision tour of Cincinnati. Participants will hear from church planters, see areas of lostness in the city, and discover how their church or association can develop meaningful gospel partnerships.

Those interested in participating can register at www.kybaptist.org/cincy. These vision tours are designed to raise our awareness of the needs in key gospel partnership places. When we are unaware of the needs, we will never seek to meet those needs. Further, these vision tours aim to move our affections. Head knowledge accompanied with emotional motivation more often leads to action. When we see it, hear it, smell it, touch it and taste it, we are more likely to do something about it. Lastly, these vision tours intend to equip us for action. Upon knowing the needs and being stirred, we want to help KY churches act in obedience.

Will you help plant churches and spread the gospel of Jesus in a city that needs gospel partnerships? Join us on September 28-29 and be part of God’s plan to advance the gospel in Cincinnati.