NAH'S ARK: CHILD-CARE CHAIN PART OF CHURCH MINISTRY

Richard Price, pastor of The Good Life Church in Gordonville, believes his church has a calling to provide child care.

The 100-member church already operates a chain of three centers called Noah's Ark in Fruitland, Jackson and Gordonville.

Three centers are just a start, the minister says.

It's a child-care ministry, helping children and, in turn, helping families, Price says.

"We can instill old-fashioned values straight from the scriptures into families through day care centers," he said.

In addition, Price believes the centers provide a safe haven for little ones.

"We believe one-third to one-half of our children come from families in some sort of crisis," he said. "With our mobile society, they have parents with attentions directed to career, home and crisis. The kids become the victims, not just for the moment of the crisis, but for life.

"That's where Noah's Ark comes in. We're there for them from the time they are 6 weeks old.

"Our goal is that wherever we find a constituency or, in business terms a market, an area of need we will fill that need.

"We know that anywhere we see a need, God will provide the resources. We will put one anyplace. We hope to get to a point where we are opening one every few months."

Cape Girardeau is a target city and Price said the would like to open centers in Kentucky and Illinois.

The Jackson and Fruitland centers are state licensed. Church-operated day care centers are not required to be state licensed.

Shirley Buck, administrator for the child-care centers for the church, said, "Churches have been known for running sloppy day cares."

Bonnie Noah, director of Noah's Ark I in Fruitland, said: "From my point of view, we would do the same things if we were not state licensed; but this helps the parents feel confident."

Also, the licensing allows the centers to offer care for children in state programs like foster care or some Division of Family Services programs.

Price said: "This gives us access to some of the neediest children on Earth. We would not be permitted to give them care if we were not state licensed."

Brenda Harris, director of Noah's Ark II at Jackson, said: "This is a safe, normal place. For some children this is their only safe, normal place. Moms and dads are so busy today; sometimes children need you to just sit and listen."

The chain of day care centers is just part of the dream. Price envisions a Christian school at the Gordonville site. In fact, the building was constructed to be easily converted to a school. The sanctuary is actually a gymnasium. It has no pews; rather folding chairs.

Buck said: "Most people who are in day care realize there is no profit in watching children, especially when you are state licensed. This is truly a ministry."

The Noah's Ark centers were first opened by Bonnie Noah. She opened her first center in Fruitland in 1977, and later expanded to Jackson, Gordonville and Dexter.

But as the operation grew, Noah started feeling swamped by the paperwork and administration of the child-care business.

"I began to pray for a buyer for my day cares," Noah said.

About the same time she began attending The Good Life Church. She told Price about her troubles and he said the problems were actually an answer to his prayers. The church purchased the centers. Noah remains director of the one in Fruitland.

That was 1985. Centers in Dexter and Gordonville were closed as the church concentrated its efforts in Fruitland and Jackson. This September Noah's Ark III reopened in Gordonville in the church building.

"We look at this as a ministry," said Harris. "We go the extra mile for kids. We don't push religion, but all our workers have religious beliefs. We pray quietly for the kids, and we go the extra, personal mile for them.

"You don't know what they are coming from or what they are going home to. We can offer them stability and smiles and hugs here."

Sherrie Smith, director of Noah's Ark III at Gordonville, worked at a non-church affiliated day care before going to work at Noah's Ark. "The difference I see is that Noah's Ark focuses on the child, not the program," said Smith. "We do have lesson plans, but we can adjust to meet the needs of the kids."

Religion is part of the child-care program and parents are told this up front.

Harris said: "We have a Bible rally twice a week and we teach basic Bible stories. We allow the children to pray about whatever the children want to pray about. We pray for sick puppies and for mommy's tummy aches. We also pray at our meals."

Buck said: "We teach no doctrine. We do encourage the children and parents to go to church wherever they feel comfortable."

Noah said, "What we try to teach is love and sharing and helping each other."

Said Buck: "We don't make money. We are not a business; we do this because of the children and for some parents. Parents will come in hurting, and we will pray for these people."

Noah said: "If you try to get into day care for a job, it won't work. This is not a job. You have got all these little problems you have to deal with."

Day care work is tiring at times, said Harris. "But then I think, who would take care of those kids if I wasn't there? It scares me to think."