BEAUTY FROM ASHES

Within La Casa, we see the results of brokenness every day. There isn’t a day that goes by that someone isn’t acting out of the deep wounding from broken family relationships. And it is heartbreaking to sit in that brokenness with the children and families we serve.

But. But we know our God restores. He can rebuild what has been broken, creating stronger and better relationships. And that is the hope we have to cling to.

If you sat down with any of the children we serve, their heart’s desire is to get to see family. When a child is removed from their home for protection purposes, the child often not only loses that immediate family relationship, but many other family relationships — aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, siblings and their community.

That is where our family restoration program steps in. Using any information we have, our social workers begin to search for family members and assess ways that relationships can begin to be restored. There’s no magical formula, nor instant solution. However, when family members are willing and wanting, broken relationships can be restored. Futures can look very different.

Each week, our social workers make visits to families of the children we serve on a rotating basis. They may travel an hour, or they may travel three hours, but they intentionally visit families in their homes. They sit and listen. They help to find resources for families to move them to being able to sustain themselves. They form trust that helps to be a steppingstone to addressing past issues that have caused the separations.

Then, once a month, they host a Family Visitation Day on our property so that the children and family members who have permission through the courts can visit, share time together and participate in counseling groups while building relationships which can lead to restoration.

This past year, several of the children have been able to begin visits back home during holiday times. Others have been able to visit family more frequently. Our social workers work intentionally to help families set goals and have the skill set to move relationships forward. Family restoration and reunification is hard work, but it is the desire of the children we serve. We must continue the fight to see families reunited.

We ask that you join us in praying for the children and families we serve to be able to see restoration — beauty that can come from the ashes.