As was true for Martin Luther King, Jr., Pastor W.C. Martin also has a dream. It is also about children and their families. Pastor Martin wants to save a whole generation of children, and together with his wife, Donna, and 40 families in his tiny congregation at Bennett Chapel, in Possum Trot, Texas, he is practicing what he
preaches.

And make no mistake. Pastor Martin talks the talk and walks the walk with all the enthusiasm of a man of conviction - and a vision. His work, he says, is not of his own choosing, but his response to a call from God. As a man of faith, how could he turn his back? As a leader of his church, how could he not share his vision with his tiny congregation of 200 families?

The families received the call. To date, 70 children ranging in age from one to 15 have been adopted, and another 10 are foster children in the process of finalizing their adoptions and becoming full family members. Once families adopt these children, they get no assistance from the state. Medicaid, however, is available to
assist with on-going health care needs. Texas Social Services has remained available to help as well, especially with school adjustment - for both the new students and their teachers.

"God has a purpose for these children," he added. "He wants them to believe that they are somebody, that they can be somebody someday. We can't know the future, but we can enrich the present by helping these children learn what they need to know to become productive adults in their communities."

"These children are so needy," said the Pastor in an interview with FFT. "They need so much, but most of all they need love. They need to learn how to be children - not again, but for the first time in most cases. They've lived just to survive and have been visited by all sorts of bad habits just to stay alive. They know how to steal,
to lie and to manipulate. They don't know anything about trust, and why should they?
They need to be trusted if they are ever going to learn to be trustworthy?

Some have questioned the Possum Trot families' naivete in taking on so many of their state's most challenged children. Love, after all, they remind them, cannot overcome years of deprivation, neglect and abuse. But the families would argue this because they are seeing the powerful effect of love - and unconditional commitment - unfolding in their lives, a day at a time.

Could the miracle that's going on in Possum Trot be duplicated elsewhere, we asked? According to the Pastor, it can, without a doubt. "What we are doing here is not of our own doing, but of God's. Anyone can answer the call to help the widowed and the orphaned if they just open their heart to hear it."

Do you hear the call? You can help!

Pastor Martin has another vision - a response to a call that he will not turn his back on. He dreams of building a Family Life Center that will house programs that will include tutoring and mentoring, after school and summer camp programs, day care, a clothing store and GED programs and career development.

"Our church congregation is a family that works and prays together. Most of our members were born and will die right here in Possum Trot," explained Pastor Martin. "Most of the families who have responded to God's call have already raised children and are now opening their arms to these young ones and doing it all over again."

The families know that you can't just preach at the kids. You have to give them something healthy and fun to do. "I'd love to include a gymnasium so these kids can play basketball and have a drill team," added Pastor Martin. "Kids today have so much energy to run off and they need direction."

Although many organizations have recognized the efforts of Pastor Martin, his wife, Donna, and the entire Bennett Chapel Missionary Baptist Church congregation, they have received little financial help. Clothing and toys arrived from around the country before Christmas and were distributed to the families who welcomed the
gifts. To date, the Outreach Center has received approximately $15,000 toward the construction of the dreamed-of Family Life Center.

For information about Bennett Chapel Church and its ministry to help abused and neglected children, please contact Reverend Martin at 936-598-5509 or visit www.bcministry.org

To contribute directly to the Bennett Chapel Family Outreach Center, you can donate online at www.bcministry.org or send a check to: Bennett Chapel Family Outreach Center Inc., P.O. Box 1147 Center, TX 75935.

Credits: Cynthia Peck