Culture Shock Re-Defined!

(Houston's summer rains bring out the fierce crawdads and brave crawdad hunters!)

"Voluntarily choosing to leave a peaceful, relaxing home where everything happens stress-free, as expected, on a regular time basis - - - moving to a chaotic, loud, stressed-out home where everything happens when someone else decides and without any warning." What does that definition describe? Insanity . . . Stupidity . . . Masochism? We choose to think of it as willful culture shock!

Moving from our quiet residence and nearing retirement roles in Tulsa to an extremely active children's home in the Houston area as Houseparents for young boys has been much more of a culture shock than we could have imagined. Much more so than our months spent in Honduras! Thus the delayed updates to our blog site. We are just now getting adjusted physically, emotionally and spiritually to our newest chapter on our journey.

Now, with school out, we have our boys to share life with 24/7. (Be careful what you pray for!!!!)

Our new family is extremely healthy and on-the-go. Most of our boys have some form of ADD & ADHD diagnosis, which tends to increase the intensity level of everything we do together.

These boys are basically very loving and accepting - especially considering how many times adults have let them down during their young lives.

Monday we are beginning our "Summer Program" which can best be defined as 10 weeks of day long Bible School that will keep us on the run and, at the minimum, well tanned.

A couple of our boys are returning to their birth families this month. (bitter/sweet emotions) We are told to expect two or three new boys to be added to our family this summer. (mixed fear & excitment)

Boys And Girls Country has a great reputation in the greater Houston Metro area. The children, as a whole, have all of their physical needs taken care of three times over. But, things do not replace love - and that is why we feel called here at this time in our lives.

Please be praying that our boys' tender, moldable hearts will receive the seed of Christ's love during our time with them this summer. They are so easy to love!!!!

Please also pray for our physical endurance as we attempt to keep up with our gang on bikes, skateboards, up trees and wherever else the wind blows!

Mostly we covet your prayer support for our ability to hear God's voice as we lovingly deal with and develop close-knit relationships with these little men. There is so much potential in those smiling faces . . . . but also way too much pain, fear and bad family experiences hidden behind those smiles of Brandon, Austin, Jared, Jacob, Michael, Harley and Kiewan.

Please keep us informed on what is happening on your journey this summer.

Foward on our journey,

Henry & Terry

Onward on The Journey

Wow! It's been 90 days since our last posting.......how time flies when you are unsure of which direction to proceed.

Six months ago we were certain of our direction - knowing it was God directed and therefore must be long term in essence of time. (The more I learn the more I realize how much I don't know!) The door to Honduras has closed.........and finally after 90 days of checking on many, many doors of opportunity, we found one Divinely opened. (Another one of those "God things"!)

We are now Houseparents for up to eight young boys at a Christian Children's home near Houston, Texas.

We were so tied up in the organized church when we raised our own children.......to the point of ignoring some of their needs in lieu of supporting church programming and traditions. That has left some guilt scars and regrets that cannot be erased. However, we are hearing God say - "I still believe in you........you are not expected to be perfect........just love them as I love you - now take this second chance and have fun with it!"

And that is exactly what we are planning to do! It helps being part of a group of like-minded Believers who are also Houseparents along side of us. There are a total of eleven cottages on campus; so there are ten other sets of houseparents who have the same heart and desire for God and His children. We are looking forward to learning and loving so much!!!!

Boys and Girls Country (BGC) is a working ranch that houses up to 88 children plus support staff, houseparents, horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep and rabbits - but no chickens! :-)

Education is the key focus at BGC. The children attend area public schools and can earn priviliges to participate in various extra curricular activities such as 4-H, athletics, band, etc....... Privileges are based on scholastic and attitude grade averages. If the child remains with BGC and graduates from High School, they are gifted a college education at a Texas university of their choice.

High School Grads also qualify to move to a second campus that focuses assistance to college and vocational living. This gives a "home" to return to during semester breaks or when home on leave from the armed forces; or some needed structure when begining their first job of a new career.

This is a picture of the fishing pond located on the second campus. This gentleman is one of the other House-Dads from our campus. That is his baby in his arms, as many of the other House parents have their own children living with them.

By the way, there are currently two House parent couples who are from Central America! How does God do that? I know He loves to smile and laugh with us!!!!

Personal Disciplines and Spiritual Life are also major points of focus at BGC; which are the primary roles of the Houseparent team. Each cottage has a houseparent team that consists of a married couple and a single adult. We all live in the cottage with separate living quarters - just think of the Walton family on the old TV series "The Waltons" - several generations sharing one large home. Terry & I work eight days on and then have four days off - during which time the Single parent (Aunt Victoria in our case) is at "home" and keeping things running smoothly.

We hope to learn much from Victoria, as she already knows the boys and has great relationships in place with them and their birth families. What a blessing she will be for us! We hope we can be the same for her.

This is a poor picture of the swimming pool on campus - two years old......and in the background the new community life building that should be completed early summer. (The old one was a casualty of Hurricane Ike last November.) We are told summer is like twelve straight weeks of Vacation Bible School - 12 hour days of programming in every area you can imagine. Houseparents are strategically involved and extremely glad when school starts back up in the fall. Pray for endurance for these old bodies of ours!!!

I will get back on a regular schedule for posting updates ........ no less than monthly. We hope to eventually introduce you to our new family (first names only) so you can be in a better position to pray and make suggestions as we continue along this path of the journey.

Thanks for your interest and support! Let us know how we can best remain involved in your life!

Loving God and loving You,

Henry & Terry