Bringing Home the Harvest at the 28th Regional Convocation

Driving onto the campus of Camp Berachah near Auburn, Wash., gave a feeling of anticipation and excitement during the 28th Regional Convocation "Bringing Home the Harvest" in May.

Organized by the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) regional convocation planning committee with Alphonso McCarthy, NPUC assistant to the president for regional affairs, and Pattric Parris, administrative assistant, the event is made special each year by meeting old friends, making new ones, attending workshops, and enjoying incredible preaching and music.

Among the many Sabbath morning highlights was the giving of the NPUC Humanitarian Award to individuals for their exemplary service to people and their communities.

Carl Parker, director of the Community Learning Center in Portland, received one of the awards. The Community Learning Center is an outgrowth of a program to provide tutoring to elementary students in math and reading. The Community Learning Center opened in 1991 with 13 students. Today it serves students from pre-kindergarten through the second grade. Once each quarter, the center sponsors a wellness check-up program and provides health-related classes and services to address the health issues of the inner city.

Derrick Foxworth, Portland's chief of police, was honored for his 20 years of service to the city of Portland and his work with youth groups and churches.

Also honored was LeEllen Bradshaw founder of Adventist Adoption and Family Services. Bradshaw began informally matching available infants with couples seeking to adopt in the 1950s while her husband was in the Air Force. After their move to Pasco, Wash., she continued to help young expectant mothers find families for their infants. Many mothers stayed in the Bradshaw home until their children were born. From this beginning, Bradshaw founded Adventist Adoption and Family Services in 1958, which is now known as Christian Family Adoptions and is headquartered in Portland.

Plan now to attend next year's regional convocation, scheduled for May 12–15 again at Camp Berachah, for more inspiration, music and fellowship.

Featured in: August 2004

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