Fun and charity at Que for Kids
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 22, 2017 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
God's Men of Harmony perform at the Que for the Kids fundraiser Saturday night at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Attendees enjoyed barbecue and shopped through products made in Bolivia where the money will go to help the Methodist Children's Home.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Jaden Worling, 13, Avery Burnette, 16, and Andrea Burnette prepare barbecue plates for the Que for the Kids fundraiser for the Methodist Children's Home in Bolivia at the Wayne County Fairgrounds Saturday evening.
Que for the Kids, a barbecue supper and gospel music show at the fairgrounds Saturday night, was also a fundraiser for an orphanage in Bolivia.
Dr. Frank Farrell knew the first time he went on a mission trip that his heart -- and his purpose -- had been changed forever.
The former director of O'Berry Center retired in 2009, freeing him up to make several trips to Bolivia each year to support the children's home.
His passion has been contagious, leading to development of Farrell Farms, making and selling nut-based snack products. Volunteers from his church, Pine Forest United Methodist Church, have supported the venture.
"We have folks really focused on things locally, but the church is doing more missions now than we have ever done," Farrell said.
"We were not mission-oriented," admitted Larry Grady, Farrell's friend for over 25 years who serves on the boards of Farrell Farms and KW Methodist Children's Home. "This just has opened up doors.
"We've got senior citizens that have a purpose again."
This is the second year for the Que for the Kids, featuring eastern North Carolina-style barbecue and sides, along with a lineup of gospel music from God's Men of Harmony, Chad Delph and the Country Revivers and southern gospel recording artist Squire Parsons.
There were also booths selling all the nut and snack items produced by Farrell Farms and such items as mittens, knit caps and alpaca scarves from Bolivia.
"Every time I come back from Bolivia, I fill up my suitcases with things," Farrell said.
There are two parts to the mission, he explained -- traveling to the orphanage to spend time with the young people and seeing the way it changes their lives.
"I thought I really understood the orphanage and I was here helping," said his wife, Glenda Farrell, who has accompanied him on three trips. "When I got there and met the children, it was just so much more real.
"They're very, very appreciative of anything that they receive from us -- the smiles on their faces, they love the people that come from the U.S."
Norma Lewis, another church member, said she had not been on the mission trips but appreciates being able to help in other ways, like volunteering at the booth with Bolivian items.
"You don't have to see them (the children) to help," she said.
Farrell agreed, saying that regardless of the circumstances preventing others from being physically part of the trips overseas -- because of work situations or health -- the fundraisers provide a chance for everyone to come together.
Throughout the year, volunteers are busy attending area festivals like the recent Wayne County Regional Agricultural Fair and N.C. State Fair as well as events like the Mum Fest and Seafood Festival.
"We use it as an opportunity to keep the orphanage in people's minds, another way of getting the information out," he said.
Leah Boswell, 15, and Maggie Donica, 17, had their first experience being part of a mission trip to Bolivia in July. They spent a week there, they said.
"It's just so hard to explain," Donica said. "All the kids were really sweet. They're so happy, even though they don't have everything that we have. They're just so loving."
The time there was unstructured, an occasion to just "do life" with some appreciative children, the teens said.
"We went and loved on them -- we hung out with them, played with them, danced with them, watched movies with them," Donica said. "I'd love to go again. I would love to go back!"
For more information on KW Methodist Home or Farrell Farms, visit Farrell Farms.com or email [email protected].