Speaking of partnership…
Stories.
George Fewkes has plenty of them. Having lived for 91 years, George has been to many places, experienced many things, and met many people. He and his wife of almost 70 years, Nieta have created many stories in their years together. Stories of church, family, farming, fairs, work, gardening, and missions. The list goes on and on.
George and Nieta caught the “mission bug” on a trip to Puerto Rico with other members of West Village Christian Church as they served alongside Puerto Ricans there. Stories of rice and beans, strong coffee, and being warmly welcomed into the homes and churches of Christians there.
What followed were more stories. George began serving on the board at Oblong Children’s Home, seeing the needs of so many struggling children. Each child with a unique story, but many he could not share. Then, being introduced to another similar place where children were being helped, Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch in Clarence, Missouri.
Nieta and George along with other members of a mission team headed out to northeast Missouri to see what this place was all about. The place was all about families, struggling kids with home parents who cared about what happened to them. Trying to live and teach the children about Jesus’ love for them and how to be good people in a troubled world. Showing the children how to be good stewards of what God had blessed the ranch with.
The team worked hard for 3 days, painting, tearing down, building and rebuilding, landscaping, gardening, canning, freezing, cooking, roofing, then leaving, feeling anxious to already return the following year. George and Nieta returned many more years after that. There were always jobs to do when they arrived. And many more stories. Stories of baling hay and building fence, picking and making applesauce and turnovers, stories around the full tables of families built by diversity of children but woven together by love. Working side by side with kids with a troubled history as they learned skills from their parents and mission teams all the while building relationships and gaining abilities.
Shiloh has changed since those early days for George and Nieta. Many more houses now, many different homeparents, an on-site school…all great changes, and many more new faces of sweet children who need help. However, the things that haven’t changed would be the love, discipline, and guidance the children receive, the teamwork plus organizational skills of the house parents, and a clear vision for a better Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch!
Nieta and George have continued to support Shiloh even though in 2026 neither were able to make the trip. Their influence has been contagious among their family. Eight of their family members, being 3 daughters, 1 son-in-law, 2 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, and 1 great-granddaughter. That’s four generations who have traveled to the Ranch to work alongside the families there. That is a pretty cool story in itself!
-Daughters Bonita & Audrey
FROM KEVIN: THIS GREAT STORY CAME TO LIGHT ON A RECENT SUMMER DAY AT THE RANCH…
Stepping into Home C3 this summer I’m instantly immersed into intense, purposeful energy. On the upper northeast end, carpenters construct the new addition. Down the hallway, painters are sprucing up bedrooms. Heading down the east stairwell to the main floor, music hits my ears. Lively. Joyful. Worshipful.
Phone out. Camera on. Recording. Then sharing.
In doing so, I learn that the young lady painting in the far corner of the storeroom is Emily, the great-granddaughter of George and Nieta Fewkes. Their daughters, Bonita and Audrey, made the trip this summer.
IN 1976, DON MCCAIN AND STAN WAY envisioned Shiloh as a place where generational brokenness could be replaced by a new heritage of generational blessing rooted in Christ. A place where every child could begin a legacy like George and Nieta’s. Generation One.