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Father's Child Ministry offers guidance for youth |
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Thursday, 29 November 2007 |
 Submitted photo/SDN Sgt. Maj. Robert Bishop of the SHS JROTC program, left, mentors students (pictured left to right) Juwan Roberts, Berston Richardson and Marcell Bishop, no relation, during a Saturday program of The Father’s Child Ministry. Bishop also serves as an occasional guest speaker for the ministry. Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of stories profiling various local charitable agencies receiving funding from the United Way of North Central Mississippi. Subsequent stories will be published over the next several weeks.
By SHOSHANA BRACKETT
Starkville Daily News
Children with little or no fatherly influence in their lives have the opportunity locally to learn of the heavenly Father’s love while working on their personal life goals.
The Father’s Child Ministry, begun in 2004, serves Golden Triangle area children age 8 to 18 living in fatherless homes.
“If biological fathers are not involved in their life they can have the heavenly Father in their life,” said Edward Yeates, director.
“We are trying to influence all children whose fathers have not been involved in their life to reach their potential,” he said.
The ministry is one of 28 area United Way agencies.
“United Way is important,” Yeates said. “It is helping in a two-fold way.”
United Way supports The Father’s Child Ministry financially as well as gives the organization credibility and more exposure.
United Way also connects volunteers to the ministry, Yeates said.
Statistics regarding the negative effects of coming from a fatherless home include:
• 63 percent of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of the Census).
• 85 percent of children exhibiting behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Center for Disease Control).
• 71 percent of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (National Principals Association Report on State of High Schools).
Coming from a fatherless home increases a child’s risk of criminal activity and imprisonment, substance abuse, dropping out of high school, smoking and lower academic performance than their peers.
The Father’s Child Ministry chooses not to focus on such statistics, and instead guides students to make good choices and better themselves.
“One thing we do tell our kids, we share those statistics with them, but those statistics are choice,” Yeates said. “We share the facts with them but also the truth that these are choices that individuals make and they can make different choices than being the statistics.”
The ministry also focuses on better preparing fathers to be positive influences in their children’s lives.
“Overwhelmingly, having a father in your life makes a difference,” Yeates said.
Coming in January, The Father’s Child Ministry also plans to begin a fathers outreach to help fathers improve their parenting skills.
“We are taking fathers of our children as well as fathers in the community and teaching them ... and just equipping men to be better fathers,” Yeates said.
There are also plans to begin working more with teen fathers.
The ministry’s services are faith-based and serve to spiritually equip children as well as guide them through normal life activities.
Bible studies, weekly worship, camps and in-school counseling services are included in the organization’s services.
“We’re trying to get them while they’re young and work with them and get that information to them early on so they’ll have that with them to help prevent mistakes later on,” Yeates said.
To spread its mission throughout the community, The Father’s Child Ministry conducts community outreach events with area youth organizations, churches and schools.
Saturdays, about 30 children gather at Armstrong Middle School for the local weekly program.
One-on-one attention focuses on helping children develop goals and work on decisions in their lives.
“We sometimes have teacher conference meetings to try to find the best avenue to help that child,” Yeates said.
Earlier this year, the ministry celebrated the graduation of some of its first students, two of whom are going to college.
“We’re excited about that,” Yeates said.
When the program started, the oldest child participating was a sophomore in high school. The ministry also offers a monthly Mother Support Group.
“They love it,” Yeates said. “Anytime you can give support to somebody who can use it, they really enjoy it.”
“They feel that’s an outlet for them to let other people know what’s going on and to get some support that’s emotional,” Yeates said.
In the end, the ministry aims to guide students in their spiritual and earthly lives to help them reach their potential.
“Our ultimate thing is getting them where they can find God and really be able to seek his guidance and help and be able to be fulfilled spiritually,” Yeates said.
For more information on the Father’s Child Ministry or to volunteer, contact its offices at (662) 328-3110 or email
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The ministry also has a Web site, www.fatherschild.org.
The ministry will hold a Christmas dinner on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. If interested in attending, RSVP the ministry no later than Friday.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 November 2007 )
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