School Lunch Program

Terry and Dana Pickens moved to Dinosaur in early January 2011 from Blue Springs, Mississippi. The Pickens brought with them a 36 foot travel trailer, where they are living in a snow covered RV park in this small town of about 350 people. The night before they arrived the temperature in Dinosaur dropped to -20, the power went out and all of the plumbing in the RV park managers’ trailer froze solid. The night I first visited the Pickens the temperature was -10 at 5 p.m. These Mississippi natives have never before experienced weather like this, yet they remain deeply surrendered to God’s will for their lives as MSC missionaries on mission for Him in remote northwest Colorado.

Several years ago the public school in Dinosaur closed. A new online learning program from Douglas County provides education for 19 students at the old school location. While first visiting the area last Fall, the Pickens discovered that lunch is not provided for these students and their 2 facilitators, while first visiting the area last fall. To these missionaries this need seemed like a great opportunity for ministry.

The Grand Valley Baptist Association took an offering at our annual meeting last fall. $495 was collected to begin this needed food service ministry in Dinosaur. The Pickens told the Dinosaur school story at their association annual meeting in Mississippi, as they returned home before moving to northwest Colorado. Some Mississippi churches contributed funds for the school lunch project. Soon after arriving in Dinosaur the Pickens began preparing lunch 5 days a week and breakfast 3 days a week for these students and facilitators. Many of the parents of these students are unemployed or underemployed. Terry Pickens said, “Some of these little kids eat like they are starving.” Some of our Grand Valley Baptist churches are collecting some food items as Dana shares her school menu with these churches.

Additionally, Colorado Baptists through a CMO grant gave money to provide electric baseboard heaters for the students to keep warm while studying in their cubicles. Terry Pickens, who is an electrician and plumbing contractor by trade, did the installation. The school building is owned by the locals and there is no school district budget money to heat the building using the original boiler and expensive old heating system.

Terry and Dana work with the smallest Colorado Baptist church in the Association, Dinosaur Baptist Church. There are currently 6 members of this small church, but the Pickens, the Joe Tosh family and Pastor Mike Wheeler hope to begin a Bible study class for children, which will lead to church growth. A V.B.S. is planned for this summer with the use of Southern Baptist volunteers. Community improvement projects are planned for the summer, also.

“Missionaries like Terry and Dana are few and far between,” says Kent Shirley, area missionary. “Not since our years in Bolivia have I seen this degree of sacrifice and surrender to further our Lord’s Kingdom work.”

Kent Shirley, Area Missionary

Grand Valley Baptist Association