By Michael Andre Adams

Can you recall the days when report of a child showing up at school with a gun was scary? Such incidents were often considered both iso­lated and rare.

Unfortunately, times have changed, and matters have worsened. Society is now plagued with random school shootings occurring far too frequently. Think about it: every 30 days or so there is either a report of a shooting at some elementary, junior high, or high school, or a follow up story being done on a victim or survivor thereof.

Meanwhile, parents say teachers do not care anymore. Well, with the pay scale for teachers at such a low rate, in comparison to that of many other professions, who’s really to blame here? Better yet, is there any hope for our kids? Sure there is.

As Christians, we know that God can do anything. We also know for a fact that He uses ordinary people. People in places like Birmingham, Alabama. People like Lillian Farmer.

Single at age 40, with no children of her own, Lillian recalls the day she became a victim in a senseless shooting. Years ago, while I was a police officer, off duty at the time, I got shot at by my ex-boyfriend. He walked away free and that kind of devastated me. It eventually got to the point that I had to quit. And God told me to minister to kids about what I went through, recalls Lillian.

With an undergraduate degree in Health Education from the University of Alabama, at Birmingham, Lillian began teaching social skills at an area home for abused kids. Content with the idea that help was available for this group deemed misfits by society and predominated by African Americans, she was quite perplexed by the disparity in the number of non-African American administrators on staff. Pressing towards the mark of a higher calling, Lillian entered the Birmingham Theological Seminary, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Ministry, with a concentration in Counseling.

For successful completion of the program in 1995, Lillian devoted her thesis to the conceptualization of blueprints for 3 Dimensional Mentoring Ministries, a non-profit program concentrating on Discipleship, Development (of character) and Direction (for the Future).

Symbolized by The Eagle, the organization targets people like 17 year-old Elizabeth Phillips, of Fairfield Alabama, whose parents were murdered. One of the eight children left behind, Elizabeth is a senior at Jesus Christ Christian School and looks forward to going to college to become a Registered Nurse. There’s also 15 year-old Christina Glenn, whose desire is to become a Concert Pianist. And yes, the program caters to male children as well. Among them for example, you’ll find 16 year-old Stephen Cockrell, a tenth-grader who works in the audio­visual ministry at Household Faith Church, where his father is pastor.

At the onset in 1995, the organization saw 27 kids coming through the doors of the after-school program. Somewhere in between that time, the program ended up taking a hiatus. Refusing to abandon the dream, Lillian used the time to work with other alternative programs for at-risk youth. The ones no one wanted to bother with, according to Lillian, who credits Bishop Eddie Long’s book, Taking Over, with getting her back on track and recommitted in 1999.

With a current enrollment of ten students, Lillian and her team of committed volunteers now hold weekly classes for students ages 10-18, at a local library in Birmingham, where the curriculum is basically academics and Christianity.
With a budget of $30,000 in fiscal 1999, Lillian counts her blessing for the outpouring of support stemming from businesses like Bank One, The Birmingham Theological Seminary, and Mothers Against Violence. Equally as important to her are the outstanding citizens from the community. I have so many faithful supporters like Thomas Craig, David Talley, my hairdresser Andrea Ivy over at Ten Commandments, and a lot of people from my old church-Bethel Baptist, says Lillian.In the coming year, Lillian looks forward to the support of Bruno’s, Inc., a local food chain, as well as Coca­Cola.

Perhaps our biggest challenge is with children refusing to be disciplined and parents taking the side of the child (over the adult authority), says Farmer. A possible solution she adds, could very well be to start early with disciplining your child. A lot of parents do not want to tell their kids what’s right or wrong and let them get away with murder, which often times leads to just that!
Lillian’s goal is to see 3-D Mentoring Ministries become a worldwide youth ministry. If interested in becoming a part of the solution, contact Lillian J. Farmer by phone at 205-254-0052. All written correspondence should be sent to 3-Dimensional Mentoring Ministries, at P.O. Box 130465, Birmingham, Alabama 35213.