Birthdays had always been painful for 11-year old Blanca, a difficult reminder of the family she missed. This year, Blanca’s 12th birthday arrived with a bang when Back2Back staff and friends gathered to celebrate her in a big way, reminding her she is valued and loved.
Providing family-style care means Israel can confide in his house mom, Marlin, after a friend at school hurt his feelings. It means house parents, Joel and Viviana, can lead evening devotionals and pray with each boy before heading off to bed. Family-style care means dinners are no longer around a plastic table in a noisy cafeteria. Instead, the children gather around a wooden dinner table as a family and share about their day. Family-style care allows house parents to provide deeper care for each child as they navigate life’s challenges.
One morning, my friend was leading an orphan care training session. “You can lay down your weapons,” she urged us to tell the children. Children from difficult pasts use control and aggression as weapons to protect themselves, she explained. But when we care for children in a way that encourages healing, we are giving them new tools to navigate the world around them.
There was complete silence as the children swirled paint brushes over paper, pouring out their feelings in vibrant yellows, purples and blues. It was a typical day at the Back2Back Community Center of Tres Reyes – where given the choice between play and paint – the children choose art every time. For children who struggle to express their feelings, art can be a beautiful tool to help them grow and heal.
Shashikala’s 11th birthday was quickly approaching, a day she had been anticipating for months. Little did she know, her peers at Back2Back’s Suzuki Samuel Campus were secretly planning and saving their allowance to surprise her on her special day.
This month, I had the privilege of training new Back2Back Monterrey volunteers. About 45 volunteers from local area churches gathered to receive training about providing trauma competent care to the orphans we serve.
Three years ago, Kelly and Madame Kelly, Harvest Care Children’s Home Directors, met Josnel for the first time.
Sometimes children amaze me. Just when you think they are not paying attention or they don’t understand what you are trying to teach them, they say something incredibly profound.
During my recent visit to Back2Back’s ministry site in Mazatlan, Mexico, I was greeted at the airport by Grant Keys, one of our staff who serves at the site.
In 2001, Back2Back sensed God leading us to serve the orphan and vulnerable child in Guatemala. Even early in the Back2Back story, we were anxious to share resources and grow with others who were serving children internationally.