OUR STORY
Read the full story in our book Small Town, Big Miracle: How Love Came to the Least of These. We hope to inspire you, your church, your pastor, and your family to consider God's call to take up the cause of adoptable children in foster care and defend the fatherless through adoption. Available on Amazon & Focus on the Family
Our Story
Who We Are
I am Bishop W. C. Martin and my wife is Lady Donna Martin. We have a ministry called, “Saving A Generation Ministry.” We want you to know all about the ministry, our church, and all that God called us to do. Our church is the Bennett Chapel Baptist Church Family. Our story is called, “How Love Came to the Least of Them.” Focus on the Family published our book. Our story is one that has been told all over. It has been featured on Oprah Winfrey, The Today Show, The 700 Club, Family Life Today, and many, many more local and national news outlets. Yet, we are still simple country folk, living our lives as humbly as we know how in a small town of only 700 called, Possum Trot, in the big state of Texas. And, all we did is obey God’s word to take up the cause of the fatherless. Our ministry is adoption. However, we did not just seek to adopt the most wanted and sought after children. We adopted the cast-off children in the foster care system—abused, neglected, and unwanted. We literally sought to save a generation of people, of children. Who could have ever known that the effort to love broken children as a legacy to the life of Lady Donna’s deceased mom would explode into a movement that would, for a season, capture the hearts and minds of the U.S.A. and beyond? Well, it did just that. Now, we want to share that experience with you.
What We Did
Our small church adopted a total of 77 children out of the foster care system. The process began in 1998 and the last child was adopted in 2003. It began with Lady Donna. She had an epiphany while grieving the loss of her mother. To help overcome her grief, she determined to do what her mom did-- love on children. She determined that she wanted to adopt children, but not just any child. She wanted the unloved, broken, lost children in the foster care system. She shared this with one of her sisters, and the journey began. It was her sister who adopted first. As her sister, Lady Donna and I went through the required classes with Child Protective Services to get licensed to foster and then adopt, we got excited and shared it with the congregation. I began ministering the word of God about adoption ministry. Why? According to scripture, all believers are adopted. Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” The more I preached this message, the more inspired our church became. One after another, families began the process of adoption. We literally sought out to save a generation of people, of children. Thus, our ministry began.
Why We Did It
The answer is simple—to give them what we have always had—a family! All of the children adopted into our church were given the blessing of a family. They had both parents and siblings. One family already had four of their own and added another four children! How awesome it is to finally have a sense of belonging, a sense of identity and security. That is why we did our very best to give each and every child. Once the adoption proceedings were completed, all 77 finally had a place that they could call home.
How We Did It
In a word, PRAYERFULLY! Building a family is a process that requires the peace and love of God in your life. Thankfully, we had that and still do to this day. It was with God’s peace and His love that we received this calling to adoption ministry. It was with God’s peace and His love that we sought after the most unwanted children. It again was with God’s peace and His love that we opened our homes, entreated our biological children, our church and community to become a sanctuary where love could reign, with patience and understanding, to meet the needs of neglected and abused children. And, it is with God’s peace, His love and great joy that we share this with you today. We want to help your church begin to build families through the ministry of adoption. Start now! Will you contact us today?
What YOU Can Do
It's Your Turn!
Now that you know our story, I have only one question . . . How about YOU?
You should ask yourself, “Why not me?”
It is my desire to encourage pastors and congregations worldwide to do as we have done and become an adoptive community—forever changing the lives of children by giving them a God-built, Forever Family. There are many ways to get involved. Contact Me to find out more!
Can’t Adopt? No Problem! You can still do something. You can give. Click the GIVE button below to help fund families who seek to adopt. All funds donated are tax deductible. We are a 501©3 nonprofit. Your donations fund our cause to bring justice to the fatherless. Help us to continue to spread the word and need for adoption of foster children.
Hear how Bishop Martin helped change the lives of 77 abused and neglected children in the foster care system
Bishop Martin has appeared on Oprah, Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, TBN, and 48 hours where his miraculous story has been told. Bishop travels nationally providing numerous keynotes, concurrent sessions, and seminars on topics pertaining to Adoption & Fostering, Encouraging Neglected & Abused Children, Community Building and many other topics geared to impact lives. Bishop has been featured in many news articles and is presented here as a keynote speaker at the 2014 CAFO National Adoption Summit Meeting.