news-record.com

When Adam and Betsy Greer participated in a mission trip to South America 18 years ago, the couple said that one day they would like to serve children overseas on a more permanent basis.

As the years went by, they became busy raising their own children and ministering to children locally. Adam Greer has been principal of Caldwell Academy middle school and high school for the past 10 years, and Betsy Greer is director of children’s ministries at Friendly Hills Presbyterian Church.

About 18 months ago, a series of events led them to take a gargantuan step. They gave up their careers here, sold most of what they own and began making plans to move their family, which includes four children ages 2 to 15, to Uganda.

The Greers talked about missions throughout their married life, but as they went through the process of adopting their daughter, Eliza Min, 2 , from Korea a year and a half ago, they started to think and pray more about it. From that point, events kept guiding them toward their lifelong dream.

Adam Greer and their two oldest sons, Ethan, 15, and Seth, 12, went on a mission trip to Mexico with their church last summer, and Greer got to see his sons ministering to other children.

“That was the icing on the cake,” Greer said. They began to pray aggressively for a ministry that would suit their family.

A few months later, the answer came by way of the News & Record. In October, Betsy Greer read an article in the newspaper’s Guilford Record section about Greensboro missionaries Bob and Carolyn Jacobsen, who had moved to Uganda and were directors of the Good Shepherd’s Fold Orphanage . The Jacobsens had returned to the United States to visit a sick relative and had shared with the newspaper their need for helpers in Uganda. The article also described the ministry’s newly built school for orphans and children in neighboring villages, as well as the Mercy Ministry program.

“I ran to Adam with (the newspaper article), saying we needed to talk to this couple,” Betsy Greer said. “It was a 'God thing’ — to let us see that article at that time.”

Adam and Betsy Greer arranged to meet the Jacobsens for breakfast before they went back to Uganda.

“They grabbed our hearts,” Adam Greer said of the meeting. “They really needed help with the growing school there and support in general, and we knew this would be a great fit for our family.”

Adam and Betsy Greer flew to Uganda in February to visit the orphanage and school.

“For us, that was it,” Adam Greer said.

Plus, they believed it would be good for their children, Ethan, Seth, Eliza Min and Eli, 7 .

“We wanted our kids to have an experience a little bit different and hopefully develop a heart for those people that God loves,” Betsy Greer said.

The arduous and exciting process of becoming long-term missionaries began. The family hopes to be in Uganda by January, where Adam Greer will serve as director of Good Shepherd’s School, which serves about 300 children from the orphanage and surrounding villages. The family will work with the orphans and church there.

The Greers plan to home-school their children, and the younger ones also will attend the school on site. They’ve committed to serve three years, but both believe they’d love to stay longer.

Bob and Carolyn Jacobsen are thrilled the Greers are coming.

“Their help with the school will be so valuable, but in addition to that, just loving on our kids and providing them with care and nurturing will be a great help,” Bob Jacobsen said. Overburdened by the needs of the ministry, the Jacobsens said they still need more short-term and long-term help.

For the Greers, the next hurdle is raising the money to fund their move and work. Adam Greer said they’ll need $5,000 to $6,000 a month to cover their monthly personal expenses and cost of operating the school, plus money to get them to Uganda and settled. They will live in temporary quarters on the orphanage property until they can build a house.

Their church is supporting them, and they are seeking individuals and families with a heart for ministry to the poor to fund them.

“I can’t imagine how it’s all going to happen, but if God’s in it, it will,” Betsy Greer said.

“The Lord already brought a buyer for our home here in three weeks after we put it up for sale by owner,” Adam Greer said.
They are collecting home-school materials and selling much of what they own.

For the Greers, though, they’ve set their sights on more important things.

“Yes, we’ve dealt with the fears, like malaria, and thoughts of what our kids will be missing, but then joy sets in when we think of what they’ll experience,” Adam Greer said. “I want them to see the power of relationships and experience the joy of being with the poor and folks different than us.”

Plus, they eagerly anticipate serving the people, especially the children of Uganda.

“We want to be involved in the lives of the kids there as much as possible and minister to the people in the villages,” Adam Greer said.

They hope to establish a partnership with Caldwell and others who would like to send short-term missionaries to serve at Good Shepherd’s Fold.

“I have eight to 10 older kids already interested in coming over in the summer to serve,” Adam Greer said.

For Betsy Greer, her goals beyond supporting Adam and home-schooling her children are pretty simple right now.

“I can’t wait to get my hands on the kids there and hug them” Betsy Greer said. “They are all just wanting to feel loved.”

Contact Jennifer Atkins Brown at 574-5582 or jennifer.brown @news-record.com