God’s Love From A Diaper Bag
This ministry, God’s Love From A Diaper Bag, was one we had previously shared a video about regarding their ministry and how we at First Baptist Graham could help. See here to learn more. A few weeks ago, Patsy Dollar and myself were able to travel to meet the McPeek’s and learn more firsthand how the ministry operates, what their needs are, and how we can continue to help them.
Meet Bessie and Lester McPeek
Bessie McPeek, also known as the diaper lady, serves with her husband, Lester, as Mission Service Corp Missionaries in the Appalachian Mountains.
Bessie, a divorced mother with three small children, understands struggle, poverty, despair and feelings of hopelessness.
When surgery was needed to remove a tumor, she applied for welfare so she could care for herself and her children. To earn her welfare, she began working at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
During this difficult period, God gave her the idea of making homemade lollipops. She sold thousands of these lollipops to schools and churches so that she could take care of her family as well as put her children through college.
It was through this personal struggle that Bessie got a unique insight into the plight of young mothers.
To help meet their needs, God’s Love From A Diaper Bag was founded.
Along with the bags filled with diapers and supplies, Bessie offers encouragement and hope to mothers.
It was through her surgery that Bessie praises God as she now has compassion for those in need. She uses each opportunity to show mothers and families they are not alone, God is always with them.
Many times over the years of their ministry, Bessie and Lester’s faith has been tested.
When supplies would be low, they prayed for resources and supplies, waited, and God would provide.
God has given Bessie many opportunities to share about the ministry, speaking at churches, on various television broadcasts, newspaper or radio interviews, and WMU groups.
She has seen many times how the power of prayer can work wherein God would supply the need at just His right time!
Bessie's faith in God was tested in February 2003.
With no resource to support the diaper ministry, she knelt at the altar at Faith Baptist Church in Myra, Kentucky and whispered a prayer,
“Lord, please let me know if You want my ministry to continue. If not, I will go anywhere, do anything for You. You just let me know”.
Two days later, she received a call requesting an interview for an article for the Appalachian Regional Ministry newsletter which reaches eleven states.
The next week, SB Missionary, Bill Barker, told her story to a lady in Kershar, SC, who asked if she could help a ministry center in Appalachia.
Just one of the many times God answered Bessie and Lester’s prayers!
As they have experienced God’s transforming power through their ministry, Bessie and Lester have learned to view each new day as an adventure with Him.
Each day they ask:
“God, what person are You going to put before us today? What situation can we help with?”
They want to show people the amazing love of God and how He has blessed their lives while spreading God’s love from a diaper bag.
A Ministry That Reaches Beyond Diaper Bags
Bessie and Lester’s agenda was full of good works:
- hosting baby showers for women from a lower income community (as many as 30 ladies at a time)
- mission house repairs
- VBS activities for children in subsidized housing
- visiting a nursing home
- and a jail ministry
At the showers, they share how God loves the unborn.
They shared His love with expecting mothers and made sure they have what they need to welcome a baby into the world.
In each bag, a mother receives:
- clothes
- blankets
- diapers
- necessities
- a Bible
- the plan of salvation
- and bears tagged with John 3:16 and John 14:6 from FBC Graham (when available).
Our Visit to the Ministry
From the minute we opened the car door, we felt loved and very much family!
Immediately, we were given a tour of the mission which houses groups who come to serve alongside Bessie and Lester.
The main room is filled with diaper bag supplies along with sewing machines, ironing boards, fabrics, patterns and sewing notions.
Each week a group of ladies meet to learning to sew making things for their families as well as items for the diaper bags.
After seeing the facility, we sat down to enjoy a nice visit with Bessie and Lester hearing countless stories from how God brought them together to God providing ways for the ministry to keep going.
On Saturday, we had the opportunity to:
- help fill diaper bags
- take them to the local hospital
- and see where they are kept until a mom with a new baby goes home….
always with a diaper bag filled with necessities from God’s Love From A Diaper Bag Ministry.
Along with the diaper ministry, they also provide backpacks to hundreds of school age kids in several counties.
We decided you cannot out give these people!
Many times people ask if they can donate something (bicycles, clothes, etc) and the answer is always yes.
They use whatever they have to bless others.
More than once, Jessica and I heard stories of how they voiced a need only to God and within days/weeks, He had answered.
So many answered prayers!!!
God is at work all over the world. This trip was a great reminder of that!
God is using Bessie and Lester McPeek’s deep community roots for Kingdom impact and it was a pleasure for Patsy and I to get to visit and share in their ministry.
