Dillon licensed for adoptions from Nepal. Dillon International has received approval from Nepal’s Ministry of Women, Children & Social Welfare to place children from Nepal with adoptive families in the United States. Dillon also offers adoption services in China, Korea, Haiti, India and Hong Kong, with programs in Ethiopia, Russia and Honduras through its affiliation with Buckner International.
BCFS team serves Haiti orphanage, hospital. A Baptist Child & Family Services medical team has provided treatment to children and youth at the Haiti Children’s Rescue Mission and assumed night-shift emergency room duties at Hospital Adventiste. BCFS is directing operations that support the care of more than 250 inpatients, an average of 200 to 300 outpatients daily and 175 post-surgical patients. BCFS has been asked to maintain logistical and planning coordination of the hospital until administrators are comfortable resuming normal operations. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asked BCFS to send staff to support the government’s efforts to shelter and care for Haitian children who are brought to the United States to be united with their adoptive parents. Teams from the Texas-based agency will be stationed in Miami, Fla., for the next month to support that effort.
TBM volunteers report. Volunteers with Texas Baptist Men reported on “the activity of God” through the missions organization during the recent TBM Convention and board meeting in Dallas. In 2009, TBM workers taught water purification techniques in Cuba and participated in mud-out operations in the Philippines. Retiree Builders completed about 70 projects. In just the first six weeks of 2010, TBM led the Texas Baptist on-site response to the earthquake in Haiti, distributing water filters and initiating a program to train Haitians to build latrines. TBM presented its outstanding service award to Homer Thornton, a layman from First Baptist Church in Dallas. Participants at the convention approved a $1.97 million TBM budget for 2010, down 15 percent from 2009, and they learned that as TBM ministries have expanded and funds available from the BGCT Cooperative Program have shrunk, TBM has become responsible for raising more than 73 percent of its budget.
Restitution being made. Pat Graham, former president of Valley Baptist Missions Education Center, regularly has been making monthly restitution payments for more than half a year after pleading “no contest” to theft charges, reported Othal Brand, chair of the center’s board. The center discovered financial irregularities in its regular financial audit not long before Graham resigned in mid-2006. Last May, a Cameron County District Court placed Graham on 10 years probation. Terms of probation included paying $68,336.76 in restitution, plus assorted fines and court costs, as well as performing 30 hours community service.
TAG board elects new leader. The Texans Against Gambling board elected Mike Weber of Willow Park as its chair. The board recognized Tom Wilbanks of Mesquite for his eight years as chair and more than 20 years on the board.
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