Today’s post introduces two more members of the great staff we employ here at Love & Hope Children’s Home (you can read the previous blogs about our staff by clicking here, here and here). “Staff” might not be an appropriate word to describe the following two people, Rachel and Gloria. They are so much more. This is a long blog, but stick with us. Rachel and Gloria have some great things to share about childcare and faith.
For most people who are familiar with Love & Hope Children’s Home, Rachel’s name is synonymous with our ministry. Her vision guides our decision making and childcare practices. Rachel founded Love & Hope almost 10 years ago (our 10 year anniversary is this October). Her official title here is “Director,” but Rachel is so much more; the kids refer to her as “Mami” something that she says is an “honor.” When you get right down to it, Rachel has been the only consistent presence at Love & Hope since the beginning. Rachel remembers the day that children became a part of our ministry:
I remember the day I went to pick up Angel, Alcy and Rene at their grandma’s house. It was one of the best days of my life. I had known them for about 3 years. I first met them at the garbage dump and then when that closed they moved to a tin shack on the side of a busy road in the city. When they left the garbage dump they just kept getting thinner and thinner. Angel was three years old when they came to Love & Hope and weighed 15 lbs.
As director of Love & Hope, Rachel’s daily activities include meeting with the leadership staff to approve decisions, share ideas, solve problems and brainstorm. She is the main point of contact for our state-side and Salvadoran boards. As “Mami,” to the kids, Rachel drives to appointments, attends soccer games, helps with homework, listens to stories and gives advice. The children often come looking to her for a little extra love or attention.
Rachel’s favorite part of being “Mami” is spending one-on-one time with the kids. She says that she loves to tell stories with them. Their favorite stories are about the day they came to Love & Hope. Rachel tells them about their clothing on that first day, the way their hair was styled, her first impressions and “what made them each instantly special.”
When asked what she has learned about God in her years here working with the kids, Rachel says:
He loves the kids more than I do. I remember my mom telling me when I was little that she could barely believe it, but knew it was true, that God loved me more than she did. Now I understand why that was so important to her. Every time a child’s hearing doesn’t have the results I hoped for, or I see kids making decisions that I don’t agree with, or I see them hurting and there’s nothing I can do to stop it, I have to take hope in the fact that they have a heavenly Father that cares for them even more than I do and He is in control.
Rachel’s presence at Love & Hope Children’s Home is indispensable and her dedication and vision to care for “the least of these” will have a lasting impact on these beautiful children. It is clear that she considers them her own. Her favorite Bible verse is John 16:33. Here’s her explanation:
In serving in El Salvador we see a lot of pain and suffering. Whether it’s a heart wrenching outcome at a child’s court hearing, seeing the sick or disabled being neglected, or the elderly begging on the street corners, we’re constantly surrounded by trouble. John 16:33 has an amazing promise that almost gives me the chills when I read it: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
To read more about Rachel’s story, visit our website.
Gloria has worked at Love & Hope for about two years. She is our Director of Childcare and a licensed social worker. At the home, she works together with Rachel to make sure our children are receiving the best care possible. As the Director of Childcare, Gloria enjoys her job of leading our childcare staff. This involves training our childcare givers every Thursday, scheduling and organizing health care appointments and managing behavior. Gloria works with and directs our psychologist and educator to be sure that our children are receiving the psychological and educational support they need.
As a social worker, Gloria also advocates for our children on a governmental level, always looking out for their best interests and keeping a close eye on every case. She organizes family visiting days and visits home for our children. Gloria says that one of the best parts of her job is knowing both our children and their families, aiding in the process of restoration between the two parties. She does this by maintaining constant contact with the biological family members of our children, organizing counseling sessions and “Parents’ School.”
Gloria is always sure to make time to spend time with the children by doing homework, helping them with chores, teaching them life skills, accompanying them to doctor’s appointments, and organizing fun events in the house (she loves having costume contests). Gloria even shared her wedding with the Love & Hope kids, inviting every single member of our household and including some of the youngest children in the wedding. She has been able to connect with some of our most challenging children and consistently seeks them out, offering them love, patience and support. Gloria says the greatest blessing she has received at Love & Hope is having so many “nieces and nephews” to love with the love God pours through her. In the two years she has worked her, Gloria says she has learned many things about caring for children:
What I have learned about children in all of this time is that as you give them love, you should correct them so that they become successful people in the future. There are moments when they get mad at me because I call attention to them but with time they realize they have done something wrong and return to spend time with me as if nothing happened. Another thing I have learned is to always give love without expecting anything in return. In the end, they will realize the the lessons and memories I left with them, and above all, to love and respect God.
Rachel and Gloria are a great guiding team for Love & Hope Children’s Home. They are both truly and completely dedicated to providing our children with the best care possible. We see it in them everyday as they advocate on behalf of our children and deal with the politics of Salvadoran institutions, then sit down and spend the afternoon helping with homework and playing. Gloria says the verse that inspires her work here is Proverbs 22:6, “Start children off in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Rachel and Gloria are a huge part of making this a reality!
