Mission Love Seeds

Dinner to meet Philippine pastor

missionpam — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:31:39 +0000

Guests were invited recently to meet dear friend and mission pastor Danilo Pedracio from the Philippines at the Destin home of John Hawbaker and his wife, Barbi Carroll, founders of Mission Love Seeds.

“What an amazing evening we had, with true servants of the Lord who give all honor, praise and glory to the Lord and truly work for Him and Him alone,” said Barbi. “Most of the guests have been loyal and long time volunteers and supporters of Mission Love Seeds. What a privilege to be able to be in the same house with all these people.”

Enjoying the evening were (top, from left) Crawford Jones, Lisa Snuggs, Pastor Danilo Pedracio, Ruth Server, Louise Fressel, Maliga Pillay, Earl Baumgardner, Lori Joyner, Ann Hadsall-Allen, John Hawbaker, Peggy McDeavitt, Craig Faust, Laura Kessinger, Jim Pike, Judy Jones, Pastor Barry K. Carpenter and (seated) Evangeline Zamonte, Ralph Johnson, Suzy Sims, Garry Sims and Jane Carron.

Graduation Day in Galilee

missionpam — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:04:44 +0000

Graduation was held March 27 for the first class to graduate from the new school built by Mission Love Seeds in the village of Galilee in the Philippines.

The school was made possible by Generous heart Ministry of Destin, which fully funded the building of the school and all expenses throughout the year.

The graduation ceremony was held inside the Mission Love Seeds church next to the school, where children in angel’s wings performed an interpretation of “I Have A Dream.”

After the ceremony, the children returned to their classroom for a surprise party funded by Generous Heart, complete with cakes and favorite foods.

‘I just did what any mom would do’

missionpam — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:47:18 +0000

“She doesn't think she is a hero, but for me she always will be,” her husband Joe says. “Because of her and her determination, I still have her and my kids. That is all I need.” Last summer, the Decker family relaxed at McGuire’s in Destin.

Destin’s Mission Love Seeds, a 501(c) non-profit organization, will collect monetary donations to send to the family. For more information or to make donations, call Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker at 850-865-1055, email missionloveseeds@cox.net or visit missionloveseeds.org.

By PAM GRIFFIN
654-8444 | @DestinLogPam
She is being called the “hero mom.”
But that is not how Stephanie Wise Decker sees herself.
“I see myself as a mom who loves her children, and I realized that I could not imagine losing my children,” said the woman who has vacationed in Destin with her family for decades. “I used every instinct to try to figure a way to survive what we were going through. I feel I just did what any mom who loves her children would do.”
March 2 began as just another day in the lives of the Decker family. But that changed drastically when an EF-4 tornado destroyed the town of Henryville, Ind., and their home.
“Our family always knew that when there was bad weather around that we go to the basement and wait for the weather to pass,” Stephanie said. “Never, ever, had I thought that a tornado would destroy our home.”
After Stephanie took her usual precautions for severe weather, getting flashlights, the radio, snacks and water for the kids, she headed for the basement. She wrapped the children in blankets and threw herself on them as debris began to fly through what was once the basement.
“This day was not a usual tornado,” she said. “This day my life changed forever.”
During this time, Stephanie’s husband Joe, a teacher and baseball coach, lost contact with her as he tried over and over to call or text. But nothing was going through.
“At first I just thought the cell towers were down so I wasn’t all that concerned,” Joe told The Log. “But as I drove into Henryville I saw the aftermath and started to get really scared. I tried about three different ways to get to the house and couldn’t get through — probably the most frustrating thing I have been through in my life.”
After finally running a mile to get to his house, Joe was able to find one of the men who pulled Stephanie out. The rescuer told Joe the kids were fine.
Stephanie, however, was not so fortunate and had been taken to the hospital in nearby Charlestown.
“Two guys I didn’t even know gave me a ride looking for the kids, but couldn’t find them, so we went to the hospital,” Joe said. “Steph was there. I saw her for about 30 seconds before they airlifted her to University Hospital in Louisville.”
Stephanie’s injuries were severe and included seven broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a deep puncture wound in her left leg.
“My left leg was severed and I will need a prosthetic from the knee down to the foot,” Stephanie told The Log from a rehab center. “My right leg was severed at the ankle, so I will need a prosthetic from the ankle down to the foot.”
Recovery for the mother of three has progressed rapidly, and after only two weeks in the hospital she was sent to Southern Indiana Rehabilitation.
Stephanie has wowed doctors with her progress and was released March 26 from rehab. One more surgery is scheduled, and when she is healed she can get her prosthetics and begin her new life.
The family is not returning to Henryville, but now has a home in neighboring Sellersburg, where they lived prior to building their new home that was destroyed. The children, who go to school in Sellersburg and have friends there, wanted to move back, and Joe teaches there at Silver Creek High School.
The hardest parts of Stephanie’s ordeal have been the pain of recovery and especially not being able to be at home with her husband and children, Nolan, 14, Dominic, 8, and daughter Reese, 5.
“Anyone who knows us knows that we do everything together as a family,” Stephanie said. “With Joe being a teacher, we have all summer together and we try to vacation for as long as we can, usually in Destin with the kids. We have a marriage and family that is destined for each other.”
Destin has been special to Stephanie since the age of one when she and her family began vacationing here.
Memories over the last 37 years include eating at The Back Porch and “knowing all the back roads and how to avoid the long traffic down new 98.”
For many years her parents owned a home on Stingray Street in Destin, and Stephanie recalls building a deck with her dad on their vacation house.
Since Joe and Stephanie married 12 years ago, the Deckers have kept making memories in Destin, and the children love The Track and other activities in Destin.
One of the family’s goals is to have a second home here, because “we love what Destin offers us and we love the people and friends that we have met.”
Stephanie is looking forward to getting to Destin as soon as she can to relax and rest and enjoy life.
“I appreciate that all of our Destin family has sent prayers to me for my recovery,” she said. “Because I was lucky enough to get a second chance at life, I want to make sure that I don’t miss the chances to enjoy it with my family.”
The family continues to face challenges, especially paying for medical bills on a very expensive accident and replacing some things not covered by insurance. But Stephanie’s main concern is her children and how what they witnessed might affect them.
“I hope to see in five years a family that is, and will be, even closer than ever. We will support each other more than we ever have and know that life is precious, don’t take it for granted, and love and live like you were dying.”

This article first appeared in The Destin Log March 31, 2012.

Sending some ‘Destin love’ to hero mom after tornado

missionpam — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:15:48 +0000

This photo, which was aired on ABC News, shows tornado survivors and parents Joe and Stephanie Decker with their children Dominic and Reese.

Pam Griffin

When an EF-4 tornado destroyed the town of Henryville, Ind., on March 2, Stephanie Wise Decker was ready to lay her life down for her kids.
The woman, who has vacationed in Destin with her family, lost her right foot and ankle and her left leg beginning at the knee while saving her two children during last week’s tornado.
National media reports recounted how Decker took the children to the basement of their two-story home, wrapped them in a blanket and threw herself on top of them.
The tornado destroyed their home but spared their lives by inches.
Decker has undergone several surgeries, with more to follow. But newspaper accounts say she will be able to walk again.
Debbie Ragghianti, of Alpharetta, Ga., a part-time Destin resident, first recognized the family’s local ties.
“I recognized the photo that showed the family vacationing in our piece of Paradise called Destin. Let’s send her some ‘Destin Love’. God has saved her life and she could surely use some love sent her way,” Ragghianti wrote on Facebook.
A friend of Debbie’s, Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker, president of Destin-based Mission Love Seeds, and her husband, John, quickly reached out to Decker with an invitation on Facebook.
“Let me know when you and your family are ready to come back to Destin for a visit. I will personally make sure you and your family have a free place to stay, all the good Destin food you can eat, and activities to keep you and your family busy enjoying every hour you are here.”
Decker replied back from the hospital, “I love Destin and I can’t wait to get back.”
Mission Love Seeds, a 501(c) non-profit organization, will collect monetary donations to send to the family. For more information or to make donations, contact Carroll-Hawbaker at 850-865-1055, email missionloveseeds@cox.net or visit missionloveseeds.org.
This article first ran in The Destin Log March 10, 2012.

Mission receives another grant from The Grace Foundation of Destin

missionpam — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:44:53 +0000

By Pam Griffin

GRANTS AT WORK: The Casaljay family now lives in a new blue home in Galilee, thanks to a grant from The Grace Foundation in Destin to Mission Love Seeds.

Since 2006, The Grace Foundation at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin has given worthy organizations $245,000, half locally and half globally.
The grant applications reviewed this week were submitted in the fall of 2011.
“We were unable to award any grants for the fall cycle,” Mike Wind, executive director of ministries at Grace Lutheran Church and vice president of The Grace Foundation, told The Log. “However, the Board of Trustees agreed to keep the grants in an active mode and to review them again in February 2012. Due to favorable market conditions there were funds available at the end of February.”
Destin–based Mission Love Seeds and the Children’s Advocacy Center based in Niceville are two recipients of the grants.
“The blessings keep on flowing for Mission Love Seeds,” Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker, founder and president of MLS, told The Log. “Thank you Grace Foundation of Destin. You have never once turned Mission Love Seeds down for a grant. MLS has been approved each and every time.”
Mission Love Seeds will use this grant money for necessary fencing and a retaining wall in the village of Galilee in the Philippines.
Other projects they have completed over the years, thanks to grants from Grace, include six water purification systems and medical/dental clinics in the villages in the Philippines, a church, kitchen, restrooms, shower and a grill in the village of Sitio Pantay, homes in Galilee, and concrete walls and steel gates at an orphanage destroyed by the earthquake in Haiti.
The Children’s Advocacy Center is about preventing child abuse, protecting children and restoring lives. Its funding will help to support the Mental Health Program.
“If you look at the totality of what we do, the best
resource we can give to our children is the tools to recover from child abuse,” Julie Hurst, chief executive officer of ECCAC, told The Log. “As much as we would like to erase the memories, we cannot. Our goal is to restore their childhoods so they can become healthy adults while creating happy memories. We can only do what we do with the support of groups such as the Grace Foundation.”
Other organizations receiving grants are:
• Children in Crisis (The Children’s Neighborhood): Funds will support the program.
• Concordia Seminary, St. Louis: Funds will provide support for a Seminary student from India to study at the Seminary.
• Concordia College, Selma, Ala.: Funding will support the women’s program.
• Thrivent Builds: Funding will support a home-building project in Fort Walton Beach.
• Heart of the Bride Ministries in Niceville: Funding for the construction of a classroom in Haiti.
• The Youth Village in Fort Walton Beach: Scholarship funding for the after-school program.

This article ran in The Destin Log on March 3, 2012.

Generous donation to Mission Love Seeds

missionpam — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:36:06 +0000

Elizabeth Carnell (left), treasurer, and Jane Carron, president of Generous Heart Ministry, recently presented Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker of Mission Loves Seeds (center) two checks, one for $7,000 and one for $500.
Monies will be used to build two houses in the village of Galilee in the Philippines and help with expenses for the first graduating class at the school Generous Heart and MLS built in Galilee in 2011.
The school was fully funded by Generous Heart.

Needed: A Christmas miracle

missionpam — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:46:31 +0000

Hundreds of people died, mostly children, in the latest tropical storm in the Philippines.

Mission Love Seeds, based in Destin and founded by John and Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker, is responding yet once again to those who are in need — and praying for a Christmas miracle.
The United Nations is rushing food, shelter and clean water to the Philippines, following last weekend’s devastating tropical storm. It is estimated that 1,000 died when Tropical Storm Washi came ashore on the big southern island of Mindanao on Dec. 16. Washi, known as Sendong in the Philippines, raked the southern Philippines islands, finally emerging in the South China Sea, where it lost strength.
The latest count listed 957 dead and 49 missing and is expected to climb further as additional bodies are recovered from the sea and mud in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities. Most of the dead were women and children who drowned when flash floods triggered by a tropical storm gushed into homes while people were asleep.
“In just a few days, Mission Love Seeds staff who are based in the Philippines will travel to affected areas to give aid to families and share the love of Jesus,” Barbi said.
Fely Zapanta, MLS coordinator in the Philippines, her brother Al and brother-in-law Michael plan to fly to north coast of the island of Mindanao, where the major ports of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were worst hit. Michael’s family lives in that area and no one has heard from any of them, and they are not sure if the family is alive or dead.
None of Mission’s villages were affected by this recent disaster, but Mission works in the Philippines and goes where the Lord leads them. This recent disaster comes at a time when the mission staff is busy preparing for the Christmas activities in all of the villages where Mission does most of their work. The staff cooks all night in shifts and then carries the food to the villages for the Christmas feedings. Other staff members are now giving 100 percent to organizing the relief efforts for storm victims.
“The news in the Philippines breaks our hearts,” Barbi said. “John and I have plans to lead a team to the Philippines in February 2012. We will not go until that time, but we have a large staff there. They are organizing and will be going to the area as soon as we are able to wire funds for much needed supplies. The plan is to purchase supplies in the Philippines because shipping is so expensive and delivery can take more than 60 days.
“No donation is too small. These people don’t even have money to bury their love ones. Please, help if you can. Every dollar will go to help families.”
Donations may be made at missionloveseeds.org or mail to Mission Love Seeds, P.O. Box 1717, Destin FL 32540.

Young children have giving hearts

missionpam — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:46:15 +0000

Two of the youngest members of the Mission Love Seeds mission staff in the Philippines are Benedict and Pia. They hold a package every child living in poverty in the five villages supported by MLS will receive for Christmas this year. Included are a coloring book, crayons and a pencil with a message, “Jesus loves you”.

Building houses with Grace a world away

missionpam — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:50:53 +0000

By Barbi Carroll

A makeshift house built from bamboo, torn tarps and leaky roof made of rusty pieces of metal or thatch is the usual dwelling for most people in the Philippines. This type structure offers little more than shack.
Bugs, ants, mosquitoes, gnats and snakes occupy the residence with the family. Yes, snakes. It is not uncommon for a cobra to crawl into the little hut.
But thanks to The Grace Foundation of Destin and other supporters of Mission Love Seeds, all that is about to change.
Days are bad enough, but the nights are hell. The heat and mosquitoes, along with lying on the dirt floor, make sleep nearly impossible. Babies play and sit on the dirt floors with no clothing. As a result, worms and other parasites are common ailments in young children. No matter how hard a mother tries to keep the hut clean, eventually the children get sick. Rain, which is frequent and heavy, makes life nearly unbearable, but there are no options available in this village, until recently.
Destin-based Mission Love Seeds received a grant from The Grace Foundation of Destin to build two homes, and the houses are already built. Each house serves one family, an average of six family members, but in time will affect the lives of the whole village of Galilee and surrounding areas.
The houses will make living conditions more sanitary and much safer. Houses are built to withstand strong winds from typhoons and storms that blow through the village. Floors are concrete and the roof is made of steel trusses and metal. Each house has good, solid doors and windows. The block construction keeps out much of the heat, water, insects and pests.
Kitchens are built outside the house, yet attached, so families health will not be affected by the smoke and fumes from cooking on an open fire inside the home. Families can cook under the roof when it rains. The kitchen has vented concrete walls, steel trusses and a metal roof.
The homes are painted bright colors, which make a big difference in the landscape.
In addition to housing, Mission Love Seeds, through the generous support of The Grace Foundation, churches and other supporters, has built a church, school, outdoor cooking grills for community cooking facilities, and two water purification systems in the village of Galilee
Cost of each house is $3,500. Each family must build their own home with help from others in the village. Mission staff will assist and provide supervision and technical assistance in the building process. Once a house is built, that family in turn will help build the house of his neighbors.
What a change from living in a shack! These little houses seem like mansions to the people who live in them. It is hard for people in the United States to understand how these parents feel when they hear that someone they have never met is assisting them to build a new home. Plans are to construct 90 of these homes in the village of Galilee.
If you would like to donate to make a home possible for a family in the Philippines, please send your contribution to Mission Love Seeds, PO Box 1717 Destin, Fl 32540 or for more information, contact Mission Love Seeds at missionloveseeds@cox.net.
Barbi Carroll is co-founder and president of Mission Love Seeds.

This article first ran in The Destin Log.

Food drive benefits Harvest House

missionpam — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:13:13 +0000

COMMUNITY IN ACTION: Teens (from left) Ashley Wagner, Maya Dupas and Summer Allen gave of their time to help Mission Love Seeds collect food for Harvest House.

Mission Love Seeds, along with the help of volunteers, held a food drive Nov. 19 to benefit the Harvest House food pantry. In less than two hours, a truckload of food and toiletries was collected plus $120. Barbi Carroll, founder of Mission Love Seeds, said another food drive is planned in December to meet this overwhelming need in the Destin community.
Signs were posted throughout the Indian Bayou Country Club community, and people who wanted to help were able to drop their bags of food at the Mission truck parked at the entrance to Indian Bayou.
“Many walked from their homes, with their children, carrying their gifts,” Carroll told The Log.
Volunteers helping with the event were Ann Hadsall-Allen, Ashley Wagner, Maya Dupas and Summer Allen.

This article first ran in The Destin Log.