Honduras: What Could Be?

by Russ Dilday, Communications Director for Buckner
(as seen on BucknerPrez blog)

OK, I'm starting out with a disclaimer: When it comes to Buckner missions and our global initiatives, I'm the PR guy. I'm not the person who decides what our programs will be or how our volunteer missions
groups will respond in other countries. They have names like Randy and Leslie and George and Victor and Albert.

But I'm Russ, the PR guy. So everything I'm going to say hasn't been subject to the filters of good policy, procedure, programming or protocol. It's just me writing about what I've seen and conjecturing
about what could be in Honduras. Consider this the "unofficial" version of what Buckner and its volunteers could do.

Our exploratory team visited four orphanages last week, each with a specific fingerprint, each very different. But each also holds a look at how we might interact with different orphanage models in the same country. Take a look:

San Ramon Boys Orphanage: Run by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul, it's an orderly, neat orphanage serving boys from about 5 all the way through their teens. Is it a candidate for help? Sure. It's tiny. Most of 20' X 10' rooms hold six boys in single beds. They've asked for help in adding on to the facility. In addition, it has a good program.

In most cases, boys who are orphaned and living on the streets come to the orphanage, a dramatic contrast to many other orphanages, where children are brought by authorities against their will. What could be? I hope we can help with their physical building, giving them extra capacity to help more children.

Casa de Ninas - Lifeline: Again, a private orphanage, but this one supported through another evangelical American aid organization. While the assumption might be that they already have enough support, every orphanage needs more. In this case, they need infrastructure help in the form of light construction and facility upgrades.

I can see Buckner volunteers stepping in to provide that construction and support the message of Christ those girls already receive.

Nueva Esperanza: I wrote about this government orphanage on Monday. It needs so much help, from humanitarian aid to rec equipment, facilities maintenance and evangelism teams.

We could do so much.

The San Pedro Sula Adolescent Girls Home: We already have purchased mattresses for the girls, who were sleeping on bed frames. The staff is engaged and passionate with the girls, but they need additional infrastructure help (like electric fans!). This is the kind of place that needs a transitional program to help these older teen girls transition to independence once they age out of care.

So what else could be? That's a matter of prayer as well as careful planning. We need God to not only open doors for us but to give us the resources to make these ministries happen.

We know He can. We've seen it happen. Will you pray with us?

Lost in Translation?

by Tasasha Kelly, guest blogger and Buckner employee

We loaded the van eager to reach Manchen, a girls home in Antigua, Guatemala. I tried to keep my mind clear of preconceived ideas of how the orphanage looked and the way we would be received, so I sat quiet in my seat during the ride as I did my best to keep my imaginative thoughts at bay. As a marketing professional, this is quite a daunting task! :)

"Estamos aqui?" I asked as the van came to a stop. Yes, I speak Spanish, but my vocabulary is at the level of a 6th grader. (LOL) The team used my language skills to translate as needed when we didn't have any interpreters near us. Well, we could've walked there! The ride seemed to end as soon as I buckled my seat belt. We were there already and the doors of the orphanage opened with smiling young girls standing in a hall way wearing school uniforms. Hugs greeted us as we were ushered in.

I reached the courtyard and saw several girls crying. I immediately went over to investigate. Some people call it "being nosey", I but I call it "inquisitive"! :) I walked over and joined the girls in their group huddle and confidently used my Spanish vocabulary to ask why they were so sad. One of the girls said through her sobs, "My sister left." I told her I was sorry to hear that, but everything would be OK and so would she. She walked over as I reached to give her a hug. She held on a for a bit, but we were interrupted by a group of girls who wanted hugs as well. I've never felt so popular. I was happy to oblige.

A few minutes later, I found another girl crying in the courtyard. She said her sister had left as well. Why had so many girls left today? My goodness! Again, my "inquisitive" nature lead me to ask one of the program staff. I was shocked to hear her explanation of what happened that day... One of the nuns left to work at another orphanage that morning. So it was only ONE sister who had gone away. Even though I understood what the girls said to me, I missed something in the translation. My jaw dropped and frustration began to set in. Why didn't I ask more questions? Had I understood the other things the girls told me that morning? (sigh)

I later prayed once we left Manchen and realized that one misinterpretation didn't matter. Were my hugs lost in translation? Were my smiles misunderstood? I was there. I showed up to care. All of those things should've been obvious. I smiled as I learned another lesson. Missions isn't about knowing the language, land, or people. It's about showing up. When you share your time, talent and treasure (thanks for that line Ronne), no translation is needed. Those kids knew we were there to help and that's all that mattered.

Access

by Russ Dilday, Communications Director for Buckner
(as seen on BucknerPrez blog)

I’ve been asked “the question” enough times since returning from Honduras that I’m now keeping score. Part of my journalism and public relations training has included the maxim, “No matter how far-off-track the question is, if it’s is asked enough, it has to be addressed.”

Sort of a writers’ take on the perception-is-reality model. That adage comes with a warning, too. If you don’t answer it, they’ll make up the answer for you. Just ask your favorite pop star about the paparazzi.

Back to the question. I’ve heard it 10 times in less than a week. It first came from my wife. Then from Bible study class members, then co-workers. It’s a simple question with a not-so simple answer:

“If the orphanages are so bad, why doesn’t the Honduran government do something about it?”

Some of the questions had an accusatory tone. Before we point fingers, remember that CPS funding in the U.S. is woefully inadequate. If we spent on children what we spend on prisons…

Some of the answer can be found in Honduras’ economic ability to support an orphanage population. According to the CIA World Factbook, Honduras is “the second poorest country in Central America and one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment” (about 28 percent in 2004).

The other part of the answer, from my observations last week, is “The government is doing something about it.” What do I mean? Look at it this way: if you aren’t able to provide for the children economically, what’s your next option? Ask for help. It’s why Buckner has received unprecedented access into the country in a very short amount of time.

Last week, our exploratory group was hosted by Anna Castro (hugging a girl at left), sister-in-law of the President Manuel Zelaya. She and her sister, First Lady Xiomara Zelaya, have made orphanage reform and children’s issues their platform. Anna smoothed our entry into both private and government orphanages.

We also were hosted by Lastenia Pineda, (left, in a white tank top) Consul General for Honduras in Houston. Children’s issues are a personal mission for her. I figure they’re a passion, as well. She wept over the condition of the children in one of the orphanages we visited. That night, at a dinner in her home, she again lobbied for aid on behalf of the kids we’d visited.

The access continued. Our two translators were from the Office of the President and the First Lady’s staff. Our vans were government-leased vans that carried the Presidential Seal. The drivers were from the Presidential office.

And the access will continue. We’ve never experienced so much access so quickly. There is both a sense of welcome and of hunger for us to come now with missions groups and aid. If some of the orphanages we saw are an indication, we need to go now while the access is available.

Again: I didn’t just share this with you to give you a feel for the work needed in Honduras. I hope that by reading this, you will respond in support, and you have a way right now! Email Leslie Chace if you want to go or know more.

Out of Despair, a New Hope

by Russ Dilday, Communications Director for Buckner
(as seen on BucknerPrez blog)

Not again, I thought as I passed through the single steel door of Nueva Esperanza’s 20-foot concrete wall. Not like Romania.

Dozens of children, mainly small boys, greeted us as we entered the compound. Waifishly thin, most had shaved heads, a prevention against parasites. They wore shorts and shirts, but none wore shoes. Many had extensive scarring on their heads and bodies, a product, we were told, of gang violence while they were on the streets.

Our small team had already visited two private orphanages on the northern coast of Honduras. Both had the same feel: small and needy, but well-ordered. The children sang songs and dressed in uniforms. The only uniform in Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) Orphanage is, ironically, despair.

It took me back to my first trip to Romania in 2000, before the government orphanage reforms that provided foster group homes. Back to the time of the big orphanages, the dirty children, the poor nutrition, the small, overworked staffs, the hopeless looks.

Not again.

I thought I’d seen the last of that type of orphanage. I’d gotten used to seeing orphanages where we’d been working, where Buckner has made a difference through physical improvements and sharing Christ with children in several countries. Where the kids know and look forward to us coming. Here, in the outskirts of San Pedro Sula, it looks like I haven’t.

You could read the hopelessness in their eyes. In the first two orphanages, children greeted us with smiles and hugs. Here, the kids stood and looked at us as if not knowing how to interact with an adult. Maybe they don’t. Or maybe they do, but the adults in their lives have taken advantage of them all their lives and to let an adult into their lives has meant more suffering.

Fortunately, we had David Balyeat (in the red shirt) on our team, a missionary kid from Argentina and missions minister for Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church in Dallas, he soon had the children surrounding him, eager to hear what he had to say. The kids began to warm to him and, consequently to the rest of us.

Geoff Moore (the one with the beard consoling a crying child), a Christian recording artist with us on the trip, was visibly moved. He voiced what was on the minds of us all: How soon can we start doing something? Anything?

We toured the home and spoke to staff. While there are 10 staff, they work in shifts so that only five are on campus at any one time. Five for 92 children, some of them infants in need of constant care. Some of them special needs children. All of them in need of love.

Director Soreida Isavia (in the red-and-black dress) noted the needs for Nueva Esperanza: facility maintenance, clothing, shoes, recreation equipment, more workers. She’s passionate, but out of resources. The list seemed too big from the start, but Leslie Chace, our Global Initiatives director for Central and South America, already has 5,000 shoes on the ground, ready for delivery. It will be the first step toward a little hope at New Hope.

And the despair that hung around the group as we first entered lifted… a little…. as we got to know the children and saw their smiles. There is hope here, if we will bring it.

Afterthought: I didn’t just share this with you to give you a feel for the work needed in Honduras. I hope that by reading this, you will respond in support, and you have a way right now! Click here to email Leslie Chace if you want to help these children.

Fix You.

-Susan Gray, guest blogger and Buckner friend

The rock group Coldplay has a song called “Fix You”. This song plays on every one of my emotions, from excitement to sadness. But then it offers a bit of hope, as well.

After having just gotten back from my trip to Guatemala with Buckner, I can’t help but parallel my feelings from the time with the orphans with this song.

At first, I was excited to go. I was a little apprehensive at first, having never been to an actual orphanage. Overall, though, I was excited. I wanted to get in there and just LOVE ON EM!!! More than that, I wanted to let them know that JESUS LOVES ‘EM!

First we went to the Boys’ orphanage, San Gabriel. Wow! There were so many to get to know in such a small time frame! I don’t quite know how it happened but I did seem to bond with a couple of the boys more than the rest. The problem is, these two boys were two of the roughest dudes of the whole lot! They seemed to get into trouble at every turn. Yet, there was just something about them that seemed to reach out to me and take hold of my heart.

Then it hit me… These boys had no parent to love them. They had no parent to instruct them in the way in which they should go. They didn’t even have ANY consistent role models in their life. They were ORPHANS in every sad sense of the word.

After getting to know them, I saw their hardened eyes begin to soften. They even began to smile! Oh my goodness, I didn’t want to leave them. I mean, we were JUST starting to get somewhere! This is where the sadness set in.

Then, we went to a babies orphanage. Now, these are babies so, naturally I wanted to put a few of them into my suitcase and take them home! The difference was that Buckner owned this orphanage. Every one of these babies were clean, hugged, taken care of and most importantly, LOVED! One baby had literally been found in a trash can! Yet, in a few months time had begun to show amazing progress toward physical improvement (she has spina bifida). I was blown away at the difference between the two orphanages. “Hands-on love” makes a difference!
Lastly, we went to an orphanage for girls in Antigua. When I gave an invitation to receive Christ, many, many girls raised their hands. COOL! But, one girl was crying as she whispered to a lady that was with us. She said, “My greatest sin is coming into the world!” Apparently, her mother had said those very words her entire life until she was finally rejected and sent to the orphanage. Her mother flat didn’t want her! I already told you my story about Gaby.

The neatest part about Gaby is that in spite of being rejected by both of her parents, she would suddenly just bust out and start singing “ Santos, Santos, Santos” and other lyrics to the song “Open the Eyes of My Heart”. I believe she meant every word. She didn’t have parents but she is loved by Jesus… the Father to the Fatherless!

Here’s the deal. I was orphaned too. I grew up in countless foster homes. After my mother’s death, two of the most wonderful people in the world took me in, showed me the love of Jesus and loved me as their own. Today, they ARE my parents. For years, I never quite understood why God took my birth mother. But I get it now. It’s “For Such a Time as THIS”.

We can sit here in our living rooms and feel sad that there are mistreated children in the world. We can say an occasional prayer for orphans and the unloved. OR!...

We can Do Something!(Thanks, Buckner, for the great motto). We can go into these orphanages and “unlovely” places of the world and show these kids hope where they

had no hope. Where there are children that have never had anyone significant in their lives actually STAY, we can give them the friend that will NEVER leave them. We can get our hands dirty.

We can show them Jesus! And with Him, I can tell them, “ I will try… TO FIX YOU”! You try too, ok?

The Present

-Geoff Moore, guest blogger and Buckner friend (http://www.geoffmoore.com/)

“I never knew my mother. She gave me away like a present.” That is how sweet twelve-year-old Sienna answered my question about how she ended up at the orphanage outside San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The words keep running through my head as I sit here in my first class seat flying back to the U.S. (one of the few perks of traveling so many miles.) Already, I feel the pull of the life I return to, the schedules and obligations that press in on me as our plane speeds towards America. How can I ever forget the things I have seen and hundreds of “Sienna’s” I have met? Though their stories are all unique, they all ring with the common thread of injustice. Abused, molested, abandon, raped, beaten, dropped off, left, forgotten….words no child should be so acquainted with. And yet, this is the reality for millions of children today. The hard truth is, I will forget, we all will, unless we linger among these, “the least of these.” I hear the prayers; I pray and sing them myself. “Open the eyes of my heart”; “Here I am to worship.”
But, is that what I really want? Is that why I really came? We have played and led worship all along this trip, and I have been profoundly reminded that "worship" is a lot more than singing. I have stood heartbroken, undone and in awe of how desperately messed up our world is. I wish there were easier answers. I wish I could fix it.

But I can't.

So, I will get up tomorrow, give my day to the cause of Christ, and love his children one at a time, the way God made them, knows them and sees them. In light of the size of the problem, it’s hard to not ask, would you consider doing the same? As giant as the need is, there are more of us than there is of them. I can't fix it, but God could use us all too. Widows and orphans... its pure and undefiled. A present indeed.

Here's to not forgetting,
Geoff

Wrecked.

-Ronne Rock, guest blogger and Buckner employee (http://www.buckner.org/)

I am wrecked. Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces – the children of Nueva Esperanza.

The orphanage is outside the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras (where we are on an exploratory trip to work with their government and define areas of need). Our van driver lost his way two times before finding the dirt road that led past shanties and trash to what appeared to be a former prison. Razor wire and a guard shack added to the imposing look of the tall concrete walls and metal gate. The inner yard was not safe for play – the weeds and tall grass did a good job of hiding trash and rocks. Laundry hung on lines in front of the main building, and women watched us cautiously from the steps. A small group of children ran to greet us with waves, smiles and hugs. But these children were different than those we had seen in other orphanages in Guatemala and Honduras. They were frail and dirty. Few had shoes, and many of the boys had scars on their heads and arms.

We entered the facility – an open tiled courtyard with a broken fountain surrounded by classrooms and dormitories. The windows were sealed and barred, and the glass in many of the doors was broken. More children were in the courtyard, hungry for our affection. There were 90 children in the orphanage, ranging in age from newborn to pre-teens. Ninety children behind walls, all wanting and needing love.

The workers in the orphanage showed us upstairs to a small nursery filled with babies and toddlers. Several were sick and most were hungry. Two workers did their best to take care of the needs, but medicines were limited. We savored our time with those sweet babies, and my heart broke as Geoff tried to calm a toddler crying out for her mother – she and her sisters had just joined the others at Nueva Esperanza.

There are only five workers at the orphanage per shift – five people doing their best to care for children of all ages, including those with special needs, those who are sick or injured, and those who have emotional challenges. The situation is dire. Help is needed. Representatives of the Honduran government who have brought us to Nueva Esperanza thank Buckner for our willingness to care for their country and their children. Now the work begins – funding projects to make the facility safer, finding churches and organizations that will fall in love with this place (http://www.itsyourmission.com/), hiring in-country staff who can work inside the orphanage on a regular basis. and exploring possibilities for foster care so these children can have a family environment.

Nueva Esperanza – “new hope.” Oh God, thank you that there will be!

A sacred gift.

-Ronne Rock, guest blogger and Buckner employee (www.buckner.org)


Same shoes - same dreams. Converse rules for Dana (the guitarist), Beverly, and me.

My friend Geoff with Beverly. And images of more girls from Manchen.

Her name is Beverly. She has sparkling brown eyes, beautiful black hair, and a smile that could melt any heart. Beverly has big dreams – she wants to be an architect. In fact, she wants to design restaurants. It’s a pretty lofty ambition for a 12-year old living in a small village in Guatemala. But she holds on and keeps smiling.

Beverly hasn’t shared what brought her to Manchen, but she’s lived there for four months. The girls are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, abandonment, and neglect. But the orphanage is full of girls like Beverly – girls who have a vision bigger than the high stone walls, barren concrete floors and razor wire. Girls like the ones we met last in Honduras at the Hogar de Casitas Adolescentes. When asked what dreams they had, the hands flew up: “teacher,” “secretary,” “lawyer,” “pastor,” “president.” They have such big vision, and Lord, I pray that vision isn’t stripped away, that they don’t allow their circumstances to define them.

As one young lady said in Honduras, “My mom gave me away – like a present.” What a precious gift to squander. I pray that more people will spend time with these girls and teach them, will lift them up in prayer daily. I pray that people will join Buckner (www.itsyourmission.com) and invest their time and resources in providing a better life inside the orphanages. I pray that Buckner will be able to build more transitional homes in Guatemala – homes that are secure, loving, and allow girls like Beverly a chance to go to university, experience a true “family,” and one day build those restaurants. And I pray that Buckner’s new venture into Honduras will bring the same hope to those girls.

Beverly, you ARE loved. You are significant. Your life is sacred. And there are people who do care and want to help you with your dream.

Te Amo Mucho! (I Love You Very Much!)

by Susan Gray, guest blogger and Buckner friend.

(http://www.susangray.com/)

Today we visited the Manchen girls home. There are about 80-100 girls that live there. I was able to share my own testimony with them (kudos to Manuel, the translator) as well as sing a couple of songs. At the end of my testimony, I told them that they CAN overcome. I told them about Jesus and lead all that were willing in a prayer of salvation. I was so happy to see how many girls responded!

Everyone of these orphans have a story. Yet somehow, I'd gone the whole week without asking a single child what their story was. This ended today! I sat down on a piece of grass (again, kudos to the translator) and begaan a dialogue with several young ladies. One girl in particular melted me. Her name is Gaby and she was crying when we arrived. As I was sitting there chatting with another girl, Gaby walked up and plopped down right next me. (Apparently, Gaby is not shy!)

Gaby has two brothers and a half sister. Her mother and step- father divorced and the judge asked Gaby who she wanted to live with. She chose her step-father. Shortly after she was settled, her step-father told her he didn't want her and kicked her out. Naturally, she then tried to live with her mother. Her mom told Gaby that she was no longer welcome there and refused to let her into the home. Gaby had been rejected by her own parents. She was found on the streets of Antigua and then brought to Manchen. I asked Gaby if she had any communication with either parent. She said, "No one has ever called or visited me one single time." I grabbed her and hugged her as tight as I could while she sobbed and sobbed.

Gaby recently turned 13. Of course she received no visit, phone call or presents. I spent the rest of the afternoon with her. When I left, Gaby was no longer crying. She looked at me with her amazing hazel eyes shining, gave me the biggest smile and hug. She said " Te amo mucho!" (I love you very much) Somehow in the course of an afternoon, I had some to love her too. I just pray that she knows that Jesus loves her more than any messed up parent ever could.

Boys and babies.

-Ronne Rock, guest blogger and Buckner employee (www.buckner.org)

The last day at San Gabriel boys home was a mix of carnival fun and tender-hearted talks and prayers. The team at Park Cities Baptist Church did a wonderful job of preparing everything, and Geoff Moore and Susan Gray, along with their guitarists Dana Weaver and Beau Bedford, had the opportunity to become kids again. Saying "goodbye" after three wonderful and challenging days was difficult. Susan wept openly as she ached for a special boy named Umberto - a troubled, openly rebellious young man who clung to her as she said her farewells. Like most of the boys at the home, his "story" isn't shared. He may have been living on the streets, or perhaps a victim of abuse or neglect. Or sadly enough, he may have simply been one mouh too many to feed.

Susan, Geoff, and the team also visited the Buckner baby home. There they met Ana (with Susan), who was left at a local hospital, and Alejandra (with Geoff), who had been dumped in a trash can. Her spine exposed at birth, perhaps her mother felt there was no hope. But with love and care, Alejandra is now thriving. She has received proper medical care in a nurturing environment, and her prognosis is good. One day both beautiful little girls will have families. That day will be the happiest of all.

"Wonderful, terrible, heartbreaking, hopeful..."

by Geoff Moore, guest blogger and Buckner friend (www.geoffmoore.com)

I remember the first time I ever visited a prison. I was scared and insecure -quite sure I would not be able to connect, much less relate, to the men incarcerated there. After being searched and scanned and questioned I was escorted into the area where I was to later perform. I can still remember the fear I felt when the first inmate approached me, it was a maximum security facility after all…The ice was quickly broken when the young man told me he had been to several of my concerts and used to be a Youth Pastor at a nearby church. It was the first step, of many I would take that day that taught me how very much I had in common with those men. I often think, if I hadn’t gone, I would have not learned some important lessons about mistakes and grace and forgiveness.

Every time I stand outside an orphanage I have similar uncertain and insecure feelings. If I’m in China or even Guatemala, like I was this morning, I stand at the gate, many oddly resembling a prison, and wonder if I will be able to connect or relate with the dear souls on the other side of the walls and locks, who are there by no fault of their own. And then I just take a deep breath and walk in…and every time I am immersed in the wonderful, terrible, heartbreaking, hopeful faces I see and stories I hear. If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. I have traveled alongside some great folks this week. People who are very normal and regular and as busy as any of us. But, instead of just writing a check, they wrote a check… and came. God calls us to love orphans - not just for the benefit of the orphans, but also for the lovers. Look at the faces, hear the stories, watch your heart change and grow. When you see the orphan, don’t you see yourself? Our Savior came for us, His orphans. What does it look like for you? I highly recommend you take a deep breathe….and walk in.

If you’d like to learn about how you can care face-to-face for orphan children for a few days or a lifetime, contact my friends at Buckner International (www.itsyourmission.com) - they do it every day.

Images from San Gabriel Boys Home

Geoff Moore and Susan Gray join Buckner in Guatemala City.

Susan helps with craft time, and enjoys a laugh with Juan Carlos.

Susan spends time with Juan Pablo, while Geoff shows his prowess as part of the "Azul" team.

Geoff meets lots of great kids, and makes a new friend in Alfredo.

And Susan shares her thoughts from her first visit to San Gabriel.

Getting a Glimpse

-Geoff Moore, guest blogger and Buckner friend (www.geoffmoore.com)

It might sound strange, coming from a guy who has two adopted Chinese daughters, but the last couple days here in Guatemala, visiting orphanages that Buckner assists, have opened my eyes in a completely new way to the plight of the fatherless in our world. I have spent a few hours the last two days at a place called San Gabriel boys home. It’s a government run facility that currently houses about fifty boys. It used to be a juvenile prison. There have been some great changes, thanks in large part to a lot of mission teams who come along side Buckner’s work here. But, it’s still a terrible place for a little boy to live. We sang and played ball and butchered the Spanish language, all in an effort to help these dear boys get a glimpse of our, and God’s, love for them.

As these things often go for me, much of my experience has been shaped by smaller experiences. Alfredo is fourteen, looks about ten. He and his little brother both live at San Gabriel. He can’t remember how long he has been there. More than two years was all he could come up with. I played basketball, cheered him on in soccer, threw him the football until I heard something tear…and slowly watched him warm up. It started with a few smiles and then a hug or high five. Eventually, we fell into the comfortable rhythm of new friends.

But, as time drew closer for us to leave, what looked like familiar clouds rolled over this little boy. As much as you try and identify with these kids, there is always one undeniable difference. I get in a van and leave. Alfredo stays.

He is well acquainted with this reality, along with many others, some much harder and darker, and I fear, more sinister. He doesn’t belong there.

I’m not sure how yet, but with my friends at Buckner’s help (www.itsyourmission.com), I will spend more of my life helping children like Alfredo find a home and a family.