Away in a manger at Dakin Dairy Farms

MYAKKA CITY -- Out where the falcons soar high above and where land stretches from farm to farm sits Manatee County’s last three dairy farms.

Karen Dakin, from left, Shelly Dakin, and Sondra Dakin shared the message of Christmas and raised money for Esther's place at "Miracle in the Maze."

They’re owned by the Dakin family. But for a day the three Dakin sisters-in-law -- Karen, Sondra and Shelly -- left the milking of the dairy cows to their staff on Saturday and set up an event to remind people of the message of Christmas and to raise money and awareness for Harvest Tabernacle’s home for women and children: Esther’s Place.

Esther’s Place is for women and children who need a place to live. These mothers may have drug addictions and may have fallen victim to domestic abuse, or they may just need a safe, clean home to get a fresh start and learn to support themselves and their children.

Harvest House is a home for men who need a place to live under the same circumstances as the women of Esther's Place.

It’s a place for women like Lauren Young, who was at the event as a testimony to the difference Esther’s Place made for her life. She arrived at Esther’s Place a year and a half ago as a battered woman with drug and alcohol addictions.

”This opened up my life, changed things and brought a new way of living for me,“ Young said. ”Every need has been met. I first arrived a scared, broken, lost and suicidal woman.“

But because of Esther’s Place and the team of support staff and counseling, Young has a reason to live and to do right because she wants to live again. She imagines owning her own catering business one day, and she is currently in a cake decorating class.

”Hope begins with something like this – this is what it’s all about,“ she said. ”This will give women with their children a brand-new start in life. There will be counseling for them and for their children to break the cycle.“

Lauren Young, a resident of Esther's Place, left, and program director Erin Minor both shared the joy of community support at "Miracle in the Maze."

Direct from heaven
Karen Dakin, an owner of Dakin Dairy Farms, said creating the ”Miracle in the Maze“ event at their farm was a direct download from heaven, which started pouring down on her at the beginning of November. The event was held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will be held again next Saturday.

”I thought that I really wanted to have an event this year and I want that event to benefit the Harvest House,“ she said. ”I was so in awe over what they do, as they restore these people who are just destitute and give them an opportunity to be functional in the world again.“

And by the time she had made the call to Harvest House to pitch her fundraising event, she learned that a small apartment complex had just been donated to the organization to expand their ministry to encompass women with their children.

Then the idea to create a spiritual holiday event around the birth of Jesus and to raise money for the women and children moving into the complex was brought to life.

The family-fun day at the farm lured people from Manatee and Sarasota county and had them pay their Bethlehem taxes as a donation to Esther’s Place at the front gate prior to running through the hay tunnel or walking through the corn maze.

A cow train took children for rides, while large hay rides showed people the entire farm and dairy factory. Some visitors had their picture taken in the Bethlehem manger and dressed up like characters from the Bible. Others shopped at the open market or just relaxed after eating homemade goodies and listened to music.

All of this was created by the Dakin family and volunteers to give women and their children a second chance.

At the end of "Miracle in the Maze," a special treat waited for those who could answer correctly the Christmas story trivia questions.

A maze with a message
Children at the event were busy chasing each other through the hay tunnel and figuring their way through the corn maze to discover a live manger at the end, including Mary, Joseph, a donkey, a lamb, a baby goat and a new baby Jesus.

Shelly Dakin was dressed as an angel and stood at the entrance to the maze, sharing the message about the day Jesus was born for all who dared an attempt at biblical trivia to maneuver through the maze of corn stalks.

Sondra Dakin had Karen Dakin guiding her through the maze shortcut to see the manger at the end, since the day had been so busy and neither had taken a moment that day to walk the ”Miracle of the Maze“ and experience the meaning of the holiday.

Sondra Dakin started milking cows in 1980 and said it’s a very hard but rewarding job, as the cows have to be milked every eight hours no matter the weather or personal schedules.

Dakin dairy cows are fed fresh grasses. Sondra Dakin said the Dakin milk has such a great flavor because it is bottled immediately after being milked from the cows.

Saturday was a spiritual experience for her, knowing that a few women and children will be able to start a new life at Esther’s Place and knowing that the community now knows about the facility.

But she said the day also was about celebrating the Christmas season and not the commercial season.

The Seiler family children volunteered at the event on Saturday and enjoyed a little fun on the farm cow train.  Matthew, 12, from left; Joshua, 10; Jason, 11; Page, 8; and Zachary, 7.

”For people to just come back to realize what Christmas is all about is wonderful,“ Sondra Dakin said. ”The celebration of Christmas is about Jesus Christ, our Savior. He’s the reason we are here and he is the one that we need to give all of our glory.“

Three families move in
Erin Minor, the program director, stood amidst all the activities and said she felt a sense of closure to Esther’s Place’s list of prayer requests for the new women and children’s complex.

”This event has given us the opportunity to open the facility for women and children, and we have families moving in over this weekend,“ she said. Three families moved in.

With the money raised on Saturday, Esther’s Place can buy food, kitchenware and fresh linens; pay the electric bill; and buy other household items needed to complete the new complex.

Although the women and children may not have a family or a current support unit, Minor said they will receive counseling and be a part of the Harvest Tabernacle’s Christian environment at Esther's Place.

”I think it’s just great just to see the community come together for one cause,“ she said. ”It helps us out knowing there are people around us and knowing we are not alone.“

Karen Dakin, Sondra Dakin and Shelly Dakin have ensured that Esther’s Place residents are not alone and have planned ”Miracle in the Maze“ for next Saturday, too.

”We are hoping to see even more of a crowd next weekend, so we can raise more funds and make people aware of Esther’s Place,“ Karen Dakin said.