Kids’ arrival at children’s home delayed

Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries received notice recently from the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Washington, D.C., that UAC child placements proposed for the agency have been postponed at least until February 2015.ORR officials cited the decrease in numbers of children crossing the borders in recent months and the availability of care facilities in other parts of the country as their reason for this decision.’Naturally, we’re surprised by this latest development,’ said Dr. James S. Harper, president and CEO of Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes. ‘Fortunately, we were in the early stages of preparation and have placed the program on hold at this time. We thank God for His watchful hands on our ministry and we will continue to pray for these children who are the victims in this unprecedented crisis.’The children’s home had been notified prior to the latest update that the Meansville facility would receive up to 48 children. None of the children would have attended Pike schools.The home has previous experience with helping children who illegally immigrated over the border. ’From 1998 to 2005 our ministry operated a successful residential program that served hundreds of unaccompanied minors from about 53 countries around the world,’ said Harper.Children’s home officials do not yet know if they will be called upon in February 2015 to house children.