Family Christian Ministries
Defending Orphans Family Christian Ministries partners with the Oaks Indian Mission in Oaks, OK to serve Native American orphans. "Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." Isaiah 1:17 (NLT)
Mission History The Oaks Indian Mission began in Springplace, Georgia in the 1700s when Moravian missionaries established mission work among the Cherokee people. Successful in this relationship, the Cherokee Mission (now Oaks Indian Mission) began in 1801. After almost 20 years of preparing and educating future Cherokee leaders, the discovery of gold and population expansion triggered the U.S. government's Indian Removal Act which mandated Indians relocate in the west. In 1838-1839, the Cherokees were forcibly moved to New Indian Territory west of the Mississippi on the trek known as the “Trail of Tears.” The area they found in northeast Oklahoma (and where the Oaks Indian Mission is located today) was originally named New Springplace but was later renamed Oaks. Since 1926, Oaks Indian Mission has been a children’s home.
Oaks Indian Mission The children who call Oaks Indian Mission home are members of tribal nations located in Oklahoma and surrounding states. Most are homeless or have parents or grandparents who simply cannot provide adequate food, clothing, a stable home, education, discipline or spiritual guidance. The Mission cares for up to 48 children throughout the school year, ages 4 to 18. Some children stay through the summer months. The children represent a proud and noble heritage and bring with them gifts, talents, hope, prayers, and dreams for a bright and successful future.
Creating Ripples
God will use Family Christian’s team TOUCHES to create ripples of blessings in the lives of the Oaks family. Here are some things our teams have accomplished…
• Remodeled Seminole cottage for the boys by painting every room and installing new wood flooring throughout. Seminole hadn’t been updated in years. • Painted Cherokee and Chickasaw cottages and repainted Seminole cottage for new house parents • Built a Green House / Gardener Training Center • Multiple teams have cleaned, organized and inventoried donation rooms—clothes, household items and commissary items • Removed carpet and installed wood flooring in Creek cottage plus additional flooring work in the Seminole cottage • Set up and organized recreational center and campus library • Helped maintain OIM’s garden by weeding, harvesting vegetables, watering plants, etc.
Ripples…
• Purchased and installed new windows for Cherokee cottage • Installed new windows in Chickasaw cottage • Deep-cleaned numerous cottages and the dining hall • Made walking trail by historical spring house • Installed stepping stones, wooden steps and benches overlooking the ridge on campus • Installed benches at Spring Creek • Refinished dining tables in Seminole cottage • Refinished cabinets in Chickasaw and Seminole Cottages An OIM staff member commented that Family Christian provided / funded most of OIM’s recent campus remodels.
Lives Touched Mission Trip Memories from Family Christian’s mission team members Being foster parents, Pastor Lambert and his wife really touched my heart. The Pastor told me that he does all he can to keep in touch with every child that comes into their lives. Both he and his wife have so much passion in all that they do for their foster children. My husband and I have talked about fostering and adopting but we held off because we didn't want to be hurt. What God told me through the Pastor’s family was that by not taking in hurting children, it could harm them more. The Lamberts gave me some information and tips on how to get started. They prayed with me which gave me peace about fostering. I feel such joy for what the future holds. SEQUEL: This employee and her husband began pursuing adoption upon her return home. ď Š
Coach’s Clipboard
Joey is 14 years old and he’s the finest teenaged old boy I have ever known. I was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time getting to know Joey. He is a very driven, dedicated young man. Joey and I spent some time playing basketball and I loved the way he called me "Coach." Joey is actually pretty good at basketball. On Tuesday evenings Joey has an exercise class where we worked out to Biggest Loser on Xbox Kinect. Joey has actually lost 65 pounds. Amazing! I am going to miss Joey, however, I know he will be okay. He is in God's hands. Joey has a strong faith and truly loves our Lord. I plan to keep in touch with Joey and watch him from a distance as he grows into a fine young man.
Like Navy Seals – but different
Our week at Oaks was full of God’s wondrous acts. Because of our team’s size, we split the group up into four smaller teams – like Navy Seals … but different.
TEAM 1 built new bunk beds for the Guest House which future mission teams will appreciate. The four bunks they completed and stained by weeks’ end will provide eight new beds for future teams. TEAM 2 built a beautiful deck on which the future Green House and “Gardener Training Center” will be built. They also laid new flooring, new carpet, rehabbed, and refurbished another bunk house for future teams. The new bunk house is in move–in shape thanks to Team 2. TEAM 3 blessed the house parents of one of the cottages by doing laundry… 22 loads in 6 hours, plus cleaned rooms, walls, closets, and floors to take the burden off of the house parents. Team 3 also rehabbed and cleaned one of the vacant children’s cottages in preparation for future house parents and kids from a growing waiting list. TEAM 4 stocked and organized the garment room and then tackled a total repainting of the kitchen. Once they were done there, they began the updating process and painted the basement in one of the children’s cottages. Busy little team they were.
Here I go‌ In the crazy beautiful mosaic of pictures that my week at OIM was, the biggest image for me is "time concept with intention". As I played and loved on all those precious children, thoughts of "Why don't I do this at home?" kept coming to me. Why do I waste time on perfectly cleaning my house? Who cares if the floor is covered with toys? As I sit writing this, Oaks children are waiting for me to come out and play. Here I go‌ Because a long story is less important than the last half hour I get to spend with these beautiful, sometimes hurting children.
Tryg, OIM’s Residential Childcare Director, is one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met. Every time I saw him, I observed how he gave his all to the precious children God placed in his care. When he looked at them, it was like nothing I've ever seen and to hear him speak about the children, you would think they were all his sons and daughters. That is surely how he loves them. I imagine this is how God loves these same children. Tryg is everything we are called to be to the orphan and he’s a great example of God's amazing, neverending, unwavering, unconditional love. This was my first mission trip and Oaks Indian Mission is my new love and passion. The experience has ignited my soul and convicted me to continue to be His hands and feet.
Extraordinary Love
Family Christian Ministries is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Family Christian to meet the needs of orphans and widows in the communities it serves and around the world. Family Christian partners with their customers in a shared mission; reaching out to orphans and widows, showing them the love of our Heavenly Father. Through the Foundation, Family Christian customers participate in various in-store promotions. Family Christian Ministries serves orphans and widows in four primary ways: • adoption assistance programs • hands-on orphan and widow care work • quality of life improvements for orphans and widows • encourage the Church to fulfill God’s commitments to orphans and widows