Emmanuel Children’s Home by Mrs. Jessie Ames

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 24, 1908

Emmanuel Children’s Home

By Mrs. Jessie Ames

As we receive many inquiries about the Emmanuel Children’s Home, at Mountain Grove, Mo., and can not take time to write personal letters to each inquirer, we will take this method of briefly reporting to all.

The prospects for the Home have never been better than at the present time. We have fifteen children, thirteen of whom are in school. Their ages run from six to thirteen years, and grades from primary to sixth. We have our own church-school, and sewing is taught in school in a practical way, the older ones mending their own clothes, as well as doing other plain sewing, and some fancy work. The fancy work is taught out of school hours. The boys do plain sewing, but not fancy work. Their “fancy work” consists of scroll sawing evenings.

This winter we are giving the girls instruction in housekeeping, two working for a week at one kind of work, then changing; for instance, two clean tables, sweep dining-room, halls, stairways, and porches; another two wash and dry the dishes and put them away; and another two care for the sleeping-rooms. Then each Sunday they take turns at getting dinner, and so are learning to cook. In

this way they are taught all the different branches of housekeeping. Breakfast is at half-past six, and by school time, nine o’clock, the house is all in order, and the children are ready for school.

The boys are divided into companies also, and thus far are keeping both furnace and range supplied with wood. They work before and after school, and play at recesses—and how they do work and play! They seldom dally about their work, for all know that when they have finished a certain amount, and have done it well, their time is their own as long as they make proper use of it. All who are old enough are taught to bear responsibility, and they thus learn to take a just pride in their work, and a healthier, rosier company of children would be hard to find.

The Lord has given us most excellent helpers, who take an interest in the children’s welfare, and we are a very happy family.

We have a Sabbath-school of eighteen members in the Home, and the review from week to week tells of lessons well learned. We ask your earnest prayers that the lessons taught to the children while in the Home may be of such a nature that the Lord can bless them, and that these children, who come to us for a time, and then go again, may be as lights to shine for Jesus. The Lord truly is blessing our efforts, and to him be all the praise and glory.

MRS. JESSIE AMES.