Where We Work:
Morelia, Mexico
Children's Home
The current facility that we
are using as a "children's home" is a two-story, 6300
square-foot facility. Located on the outskirts of Morelia,
the facility includes living quarters for the girls and the
staff; a kitchen; a dining area; study areas; a library; and
classrooms that can be used for sewing or computer training.
Outside, the property also includes recreational facilities
such as an outdoor basketball court. There are also two
separate classrooms on the property that are being used to
provide classes for other children-at-risk and adults in the
neighboring community.
The programs in the
children's home are focused on meeting the long-term
emotional and spiritual needs of the children. Each girl is
required to participate in household activities and chores,
as well as attending school and church. The goal of the
children's home is to provide the girls with a long-term
family environment in which to be nurtured and loved, until
they can be reintegrated into the community as independent,
self-sufficient adults.
When fully developed, the
staff of the current residential facility will include a
couple who will serve as directors, women caretakers who
will care for cell groups of 5-6 girls, a Christian
psychologist or social worker, one or more teachers who will
assist the girls in their education and in vocational
training, a maintenance man, and other assistants. Some of
the girls currently attend a nearby school, while others are
educated within the home. All of the girls and staff attend
a non-denominational Christian church on the other side of
Morelia. In addition to one-on-one tutoring to help
accelerate their education, the girls are also taught crafts
and vocational skills such as sewing.
In the near future, we intend
to move the first group of girls from the current facility
to a single family house that will serve as the first
permanent "children's home." However, this depends on
finding the right houseparent couple or housemother to staff
the home, which has proved challenging. Once this is
completed, the existing facility will begin serving as a
"transition home." After new girls make a successful
transition to their new environment, they will also
"graduate" from the transition home to a children's home.
The current residential
facility is pictured below. Some finishing work and
landscaping remain to be accomplished. Many of the photos
shown below were taken during short-term team visits,
recreational outings, Vacation Bible School, and other
events.
