In each issue of Pathways, several pages are devoted to listing the many memorials and honorariums given to the Home. We are so grateful for these gifts. But did you realize that these gifts give benefit in two ways? Yes, with a gift in memory of someone not only are you remembering that person, but you are presenting a gift to help a child in need.

People are always wanting to show love and respect to the family members of those who have died. Several common ways to do that is to prepare food and send flowers or send a sympathy card. While these are fine and bring comfort to the family, a gift to a charity is also a great way to show love and respect. A memorial gift is a living memorial, if you will, to that person’s memory and a testimony to their life. A financial gift of any amount is so appreciated and when combined with other gifts, makes a wonderful blessing for the charity.

Many people know of the needs of the Home and what we are doing in the lives of abused and neglected youth. They wish that gifts be made to the Home in their memory and so stipulate to their families to include that information in their obituaries. When I see an obituary and read that the family requests memorials to be made to the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, it shows me that person believed in our mission and even in death wanted to make a difference for the Home. What a wonderful legacy!

Just this week as I was preparing the words for this article, I read two obituaries in different towns that asked for memorials to be sent to the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home. In visiting with the family of one of the deceased, they remarked to me that, “Mother was always interested in helping the Home and wanted us to ask that any memorials be sent to the Home. We are proud to support the Home in this way and I hope that the Home will receive many memorials for Mother.”

If you believe in the mission of the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, please consider asking your family to include information about a memorial to the Home in your obituary. If you are looking for a way to honor the memory of someone, send us a memorial gift. A hurting child will be blessed, a traumatized child will receive safety, a troubled child will receive counseling, and an abused child will receive healing.