(Staying at Home), Sweet Home
“After finding out that one of the kids in care had an interest in gardening, we decided to plant a garden behind our barn.”
“We’ve played kickball, four-square, badminton, basketball, and volleyball. We’ve painted birdhouses and drawn masterpieces out of sidewalk chalk.”
“My favorite moment so far was the night we watched a movie outside. We had popcorn and candy like there was nothing else going on in the world.”
“We’ve had a profession of faith from one of our girls.”
These are just a few sweet highlights shared from some of our house parents during this spring season of staying at home across our campuses in Decatur, Dothan, Mobile, and Oxford. In the past few months, the world as we know it has changed drastically and everyday life was altered during this unique season for all of us. For our house parents and the children in their care*, they have weathered these changes well.
Though challenging, they adapted quickly to new, in-home school schedules and ways to safely shop for groceries. They found new activities to enjoy in light of both extra time they had and in place of other activities that were planned but got cancelled. They worked to help keep things positive and help their kids manage the added stress of missing their school friends and not getting to have family visits in person. This season has truly been unique, but our house parents are unique too, and they have done an amazing job in serving kids from hard places during this new season.
CREATING CONSISTENCY & HAVING FUN
One of the biggest things that helped many of the kids in our care during this unprecedented season is creating even more consistency. House parent in Oxford, Josh Hill, shares, “My wife, Heather, created a daily schedule for wake-up time, meals, morning devotional, school work, time outside, etc. This really helps the kids to know what to expect and helps them establish a daily routine during the week.” These routines have helped create expectations and stability in a season of unknown.
Josh shares just how much this routine helped one of their girls. He says, “One of the girls in our care recently got a report card in the mail. All A’s. This was a young lady who had come from a rough life and hadn’t even been in school for a good while . . . Her all A’s report card just showed how much she thrived on the daily routine and schedule, and when we got it in the mail, it made us really happy!”
At our Dothan campus, house parents Kevin and Jennifer McDuffie decided to host a talent show one night. Jennifer says they saw many of the kids’ hidden talents emerge, “At the start of the night, only three kids were willing to perform. However, karaoke quickly became a hit and by the end of the night, they were all jumping on stage to sing! It was a fun night of music, laughter, and fellowship.”
And in Mobile, house parent Philip Jewell shared how not being able to go to church or do anything outside the home was hard, but they found ways to help make the time sweet. Their girls were able to start a daily exercise routine and his wife, Cara, planned a tea party for them, which really gave them something fun to look forward to!
CHALLENGES & BLESSINGS
Keeping a home running well during a pandemic doesn’t come without challenges. Jennifer says, “Without a doubt, the biggest challenge has been school. Trying to facilitate home-based learning for 8 to 10 children in different grades, some coming from different schools, and many with multiple teachers, has been very challenging.”
Dustin Terry, house parent in Decatur, says, “Keeping things positive in such a difficult time has been a challenge.” Though the kids have been able to talk with their parents over the phone or Facetime, he shares how they missed having their weekly visits and the toll that can take on the kids. He and his wife, Haley, have been attentive to help them process their emotions and stress during the season.
Although the coronavirus has brought challenges, staying at home did bring some unexpected blessings. Dustin says, “We have had the opportunity to slow down and just be present in each other’s lives. I feel like we have had some rare opportunities to connect with our children that otherwise would not have existed.” Haley adds, "I have enjoyed being more intentional with them. Making sure I am using this time wisely and investing well."
Jennifer shared that in Dothan they’ve also enjoyed the extra time to get to know the kids in their care better and the time as a group getting to do new and exciting activities. They’ve enjoyed outdoor adventures and games, as well as worked on puzzles and crafts with their kids thanks to the support from churches and individuals. “We’ve had several individuals who donated a craft or activity for us to do as a group,” said Jennifer. “Our kids love art and we’ve received bird houses, Easter eggs, canvases, wooden figures for kids to paint . . . sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a badminton set, board games, [and more] . . . They love that!”
YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
We are so thankful for all of the support we’ve received from churches and individuals across the state. From prayers and encouraging text messages and hand-written letters received, to physical donations of items or financial gifts, your support has been amazing, and we are so thankful.
Many of our house parents have shared how prayers make a difference in the lives of the children in their care, and that is certainly true in this season too. “Pray for patience, both for the children and house parents,” Philip shared. “Pray that the kids will see the love of Christ in an uncertain and confusing time.”
Though staying at home brought on a new set of challenges, we’ve seen the Lord working in the lives of the children in our care. We pray these children remember the fun memories of slowing down, playing games together, and the intentional time they’ve spent with their house parents. Haley concludes, “I hope when they [the kids] look back on this time and others talk about fear, anxiousness, or uncertainty, my kids look back and say, ‘We had a lot of fun. We laughed a lot. We played. We spent time together.’ I hope they see it as a time of joy and love and peace.”
What is your next step in caring for children in need? If you would like to provide help to our campuses during this season, learn more here.
*Photo shown is representative of children in care.
This story is one of four quarterly features shared through our Hero Partners e-news. To learn more about supporting our children and families through a recurring monthly gift and receive these stories directly to your inbox, visit our Hero Partners page today!