Children's Haven / Serving

In short, it looks like a visit to the children's home is not going to happen but you can slide to the very bottom and see other volunteering opportunities.

 

 

I woke up a little late but I was determined. I hate being late to meetings - yet, lately, it seems like something prevents me from being on time. More often than not, I decide to skip meetings if I am going to be late but on Monday, I made my way to Children’s Haven regardless of the time. I was a few minutes late but couldn’t find the place! Suddenly, my stomach began spinning. I raced to my sister’s house and used the restroom. I searched the web for the facility’s number and got a hold of the coordinator. I explained everything and made my way back… It still took me a while to find the place but finally found it!

I went in and met Randall and Betsy. The site was full boards with pictures of the kids. They reiterated that the children’s home was in Reynosa (that is what seemed super interesting to me). Several of the kids were in college. There was three brothers... two in college and one was a senior in High School and all had been with the home since 2000. Betsy got busy with a Winter Texan couple, so Randall showed me around the place.

We went to the back of the facility and there was a board with some of the kids who were no longer at the home. There was a board beside that one with “prayers” and another board with pictures of the kids when they were smaller. We made our way back to the front and Randall talked about the three foster couples/parents (Christian families) and talked a little of the director of the school that is open to 140+ students of the neighboring colonias.

We went into a room that was full of little antique home adornments? that were put up on eBay by one of the ladies. When we exited the room, I took a peek at the thrift shop. We went to the back where we can build cabinets and other small things for the children. We walked by another shack that had tons of oranges that were donated. Then to a little kitchen where some of the ladies bake cookies and cakes for the kids. We went into a final room that had three Winter Texans sorting out bags of donated clothes. One of the ladies explained to me that there was three piles: Clothes for the thrift stores, Clothes for the Children and Clothes for the trash. She went to the back and moved a floral curtain that had hundreds of black bags piled to the roof. She told me that the reason why there is so much is because they accept all donations all year long but there isn’t enough time to sort things out during the few months they are in the RGV. There were a few refrigerators in that room they had a few cakes in them and tons of bottled hand squeezed orange and grapefruit juice. When we left that room I saw their property… full of grass that Randall cuts by himself.

It made me sad that Winter Texans are willing to do this work… where are we? What are we doing? There are so many opportunities to serve. These Winter Texans epitomize (in a literal sense) the verse, "the spirit is willing but the body is weak." LET'S GET INVOLVED!

Betsy and Randall thought that a trip to Reynosa would be great… to see where everything that happens at the US site goes to… I left thinking that I was going to have a meeting with Destino and talk about a possible trip to Reynosa on Thursday.

 

I tried setting up a meeting but never really got to it. A few days later (minutes apart) two friends texted me about the violence in Reynosa. It was extremely random, I had not mentioned anything to either of them. It didn’t really scare me however it made me think about the process and I feel like I need to settle down about some things and pray for God’s will to be done rather than act like a bull and irrationally charge at things. I hope I do get to visit soon but even if it isn’t soon, there is tons of need. Join me…

Want to serve?

Serving opportunites at Children’s Haven:

1.)    Sorting clothes after the Winter Texans go home (April - fall)

2.)    Bake cookies and cakes for the kids

3.)    Help build things (construction)

4.)    Make use of the donated fruit

5.)    Help out at the thrift shop (cashier)

6.)    Help unload/load

 

7.)   Yard work

8.)    Make a visit to Reynosa and coordinate a “camping” feel retreat where you can reach the kids of the school not just the kids at the home.