By Lisa Steele, FLM Executive Director

En Español

In Psalm 68, we read that God is “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” At Family Life Missions, we have taken this Word as our mission: “To partner with God to set the lonely in families.” We began Family Life Missions 29 years ago providing residential homes for abandoned, orphaned, or vulnerable children through our Por Los Ninos Program. Unlike many organizations worldwide, we adopted a family setting as opposed to an institutional orphanage. We believed this was a better way. And it was.

But we have learned that placing children in actual family settings, whether through reintegrating biological parents, reunification with older siblings or other relatives, or through foster care, allows children to thrive and have fewer long-term struggles when living in a home with family. We believe, along with child welfare experts, that this is the best way.

 

The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child has found in its research over the last 30 years that positive interaction between a child and parent or other primary caregiver significantly impacts the brain’s development--especially for children between birth and three years of age.  Research shows that the quality of care is not as important as consistent and loving caregivers in a home.

But what happens when a family cannot feed a child? When a child is left with one or no parents? When a parent is ill, physically or mentally, and cannot care for a child? That is where FLM has stepped in to provide residential home care for these vulnerable children. However, we realize we must have several care options for children with the goal to truly set them in families. That is why strengthening families matters.

The majority of children who have or are currently living in our Por Los Ninos residential homes have parents or close relatives. Some do not, so we will continue to provide loving care for them. And we are here to help those who do have family members who want to reunite but do not have the needed resources. Our Family Preservation Program provides parenting workshops, nutrition resources, and spiritual guidance. It also  includes our “Building Dreams” program where we partner with a family, a local church, and the community, to restore or build a new home so that a family can have safe and healthy housing that  many times allows a family to be reunited.

Our Por Los Niños Christian Bilingual School provides private education for children in grades 1-6. Next year, we will add a preschool and kindergarten and will add grades 7-12 in subsequent years. All education in Honduras is costly, and much of it is not of high quality. At FLM, we reach out to the community to provide a quality Christian and bilingual education at an affordable cost. Even with a low cost, many families still need help, so we have a sliding scale scholarship program that allows children to attend and complete their education. We empower these families to break their economic cycle of poverty by providing them with an education that will lead their children to either a university or vocational training. We are strengthening families.

Every program, every staff member, every action we take at Family Life Missions is intertwined and designed to keep family at the center, with God overall. By partnering with local churches, we strive to connect our families to loving church families within their community. Our Holistic Care Center serves our PLN residential children, school students, foster care families, and those who are in our Family Preservation program. Our social worker and staff psychologist, along with our Holistic Director, provide a safe and healthy place for children and families to process trauma and understand their feelings.  All of our staff members are TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) trained. This training helps meet vulnerable children’s complex needs by empowering, connecting, and correcting fear-based behaviors. We are strengthening families. 

For two weeks, beginning April 26, you can join our team as we raise funds to strengthen families in our “Building Dreams” program and scholarships for our PLN Christian Bilingual School. These programs are growing as the needs increase, and we need your help. You will be able to donate online for a one-time gift or become a monthly team supporter to sustain our programs and strengthen families.

Prayerfully consider joining us as we continue making a difference in Catacamas, Honduras, through strengthening  families and “learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” --Isaiah 1:17