Rhonda Littleton, minister of children at First Baptist Church, Simpsonville, is a recipient of the 2012 Angels in Adoption award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.
She was honored Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C., for her work with A Home for Me, a ministry of her church that connects and supports orphaned and at-risk children with Christian foster families and mentors.
“This is a well-deserved recognition for Rhonda as she has led the church in developing ‘A Home for Me,’?” said Sue Harmon, associate director of the childhood ministry group at the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “Her passion for this ministry has brought faith-based and government resources together to work for the good of children in need.”
LittletonLittleton said the recognition was an honor for her church and the ministry team. “Since the beginning of the ministry in 2008, we have had the privilege of seeing 15 children adopted into our church family, and 72 children have been fostered or mentored,” said Littleton. “Our pastor, Randy Harling, champions the need for this ministry across the state. His leadership is the reason why this ministry has thrived.”
The church’s ministry pairs foster children with families who are able to provide a home that offers spiritual, economic, social, psychological and physical support. Before children are placed in a home, the families are screened through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and also receive training and support from the church. The ministry reaches children at risk for entering the foster care system, their families and those already a part of the system.
In a press release, Sen. Jim DeMint called the Simpsonville First Baptist program one of “South Carolina’s model orphan ministry programs,” and congratulated Littleton and her team for having successfully developed a ministry “that speaks to the needs of orphans in South Carolina.”
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute is a nonpartisan organization that works to raise awareness of foster care and orphaned children in the United States and abroad. – SCBC