Rehoboth - A Place for Us
Each child at Rehoboth has a unique story. Even the smallest of the children who arrive at Rehoboth, come with heavy baggage - the pages in their short story weighed down with either abandonment, abuse, neglect, the death of both parents, or being surrendered for adoption. What is common, is that they are the innocents. Their life situation is out of their control - created by others.
Each birth parent's story is also unique. What is common in their stories is pain - via poverty, abuse, abandonment of family or a supportive partner, or a variety of other reasons that make it supremely difficult to care for the little ones they brought into this world. The decision to surrender a child for adoption is in no way easy or flippant. The decision for social workers to intervene in cases of abuse and neglect is not taken lightly. No child's case at Rehoboth is "easy".
Rehoboth is a home for these innocents. Kids at Rehoboth stay for as long as it takes the adults in their lives (birth parents, family members, court judges, social workers, adoption organizations) to find the very best loving and caring family for that child. This may be adoption into a forever family, transfer to a foster home or reunification with their birth families, if this option exists. Rehoboth's goal has always been reunification with birth family if at all possible - some circumstances prevent this reunification from being possible. The time children are at Rehoboth varies; sometimes 10 months and sometimes more than 5 years.
The children are provided with a homelike secure and nurturing environment that is developmentally appropriate and supportive of each child's growth and attention to their social, emotional and spiritual needs. The children are cared for by loving "mamas" who nurture the well bring of the whole child.
The home has the capacity to care for 24 babies and 24 older children. We have Bonnie's Heart Baby Home which is custom designed for 24 babies and children under 3 years old. There is a baby wing and a toddler wing, with kid sized bathrooms, built in baby baths and age appropriate toys and play equipment. There is also a playground for outdoor play. Across the road are the Morris House and the Reufer House, the original buildings at Rehoboth, which are better suited to the needs of older children aged 4 and above. Each day, the children in each house take meals together, play and go to school under the loving and nurturing guidance of the carers. Teachers prepare lessons for preschool aged children and the older children either have custom lesson prepared (if they have had little or no schooling), or attend the local elementary school.
At the same time, a social worker tirelessly processes paperwork so that these children can either be reunited with their birth families, or placed for adoption. The process is long, complex and thorough. It involves field work to investigate all avenues for appropriate care for the child and observation, and documentation of the history and well being of the child. All work is scrutinized by the court of law, Department of Social Welfare and also adoption organizations to ensure that every possible avenue has been explored for the best possible outcome for the child. Many of our children have found new homes domestically in the Philippines and around the world including in Australia, Italy, Spain, Finland, Canada and the United States.
Rehoboth then provides the background for a chapter in a child's story which is caring, nurturing, loving and fun - with no fear of abuse, neglect or abandonment and all hope for a loving and caring family. Rehoboth kids are happy, well cared for and loved.
