The definition of a “venturer” is someone willing to take a risk; take a dare; to expose themselves to danger. The definition of a Kingdom Advance Venturer is someone who is willing to take a risk or dare to make a difference for Christ. As a Virginia Baptist Kingdom Advance Venturer, Sara Hubble has accepted the dare.
Sara grew up in a Christian home and was always active in her home church, Mechanicsville Baptist, participating in Sunday School, Mission Friends, Girls in Action (GAs) and Acteens. While attending summer camp at CrossRoads Camp & Conference Center (CrossRoads), she had the opportunity to talk and visit with missionaries, and it was there that she first felt her call to mission service and the desire to tell others about Jesus. She continued this passion as a Leader in Training and then summer counselor at CrossRoads.
During her years at Bluefield College, Sara went on two mission trips, one to Brazil, through World Changers, and one to China through Virginia Baptist Partnership Missions. These experiences filled her with a love of other cultures and reignited in her a desire to be available to go wherever God chose to send her.
The Venturer Program is a part of Glocal Missions and Evangelism’s Mobile Mission Connection, in partnership with WMU of Virginia. This program provides hands-on mission opportunities to individuals at least 18 years of age for a period of six months to two years, in response to specific needs of our ministry partners. Through the Venturer program, Sara is matching her gifts and abilities with a request from Kate Allen, Director of the Door of Hope ministry in Johannesburg, South Africa. The WMUV is excited to be able to help sponsor Sara through donations made to the Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions.
In greater Johannesburg alone, over 40 babies are abandoned every month and left to die of starvation or exposure. Berea Baptist Church (senior pastor, Cheryl Allen) felt led to start the Door of Hope mission to save these babies. Many babies are left anonymously in the "hole in the wall" or "baby bin" installed in the wall of the Mission Church, where babies can be placed 24 hours a day. Hospitals phone the Door of Hope to pick up little ones, whose mothers have disappeared after the delivery, leaving their babies behind. At the Door of Hope these babies are cared for, loved, provided with medical care, and adopted to a “forever family” if at all possible. As of June 2007 they have received 560 babies, and 200 of these have been adopted.
The Door of Hope requested someone serve to a two year term as Assistant Baby Care Manager. Their duties include help to process new arrivals, arranging blood test and medical care, and working with short-term volunteers. In preparing the babies for adoption, a special scrapbook is created for each child including a “CD” of every picture that has been taken of them during their time at the Door of Hope.
In considering her call to mission service, Sara says she is passionate about people, that she has a heart for the elderly, children and those with disabilities and illness. She wants to be a nurturer and be in a position to take care of the day to day physical and emotional needs of people. In essence, to be a mother of sorts. As Assistant Baby Care Manager for Door of Hope Ministry, she can do just that!
