Juhala Family Christmas Newsletter 2020

 

Family Photos From 2020

 We couldn't fit as many pictures in the year-end newsletter this year.  I guess the kid's lives have more content these days.  Here are some of our favorite shots.

Celebrated Janet's 50th!

Janae acting it up for the Children's program at church.

Jons 21 birthday.  COVID shut down most everything in April so we bought sandwiches and stopped by the beach!

Glenn Garvin's church rented a forklift to unload food for a feeding program.  I talked my way into doing a forklift training class for Glenn, Jon, and Janae.  I love forklifts.  Such fun.

BBQ and homemade ice cream.  Summer favorites, again and again!

Family Zoom meetings.  A new family tradition!

We said goodbye to DJ.  Many tears.

Months later we welcomed our new family member, Maverick. 

. Jessica's new job.  Trainer for Scooters Coffee.

Jessica's future Hubby...Josh!

Check out the Staying Alive special.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpYIWBpGft4

What a year!

Royal Family KIDS Becomes ‘For The Children,

Royal Family KIDS Becomes ‘For The Children,’ Expands Mission to Protect Children in Foster Care

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Royal Family KIDS, an international alliance of 252 chapters dedicated to interrupting the cycles of neglect, abuse and abandonment of children in the foster care system, will now be known officially as For The Children, effective November 2020- www.ForTheChildren.org

Royal Family KIDS, an international alliance of 252 chapters dedicated to interrupting the cycles of neglect, abuse and abandonment of children in the foster care system, will now be known officially as For The Children, effective November 2020.

In making the name change, the organization is emphasizing its continued growth beyond its traditional programs of intervention camps and mentoring opportunities for children in foster care.

While For The Children will continue to oversee these trademark camps and mentoring programs that have formed the foundation of its work, the urgent and changing needs of children and families in the child welfare system require a broader, more systemic approach.

“For 30 years, our staff, volunteers and local municipal partners have dedicated their time, talent and treasure to help transform the lives of vulnerable children across the U.S. and the world,” said Paul Martin, President and CEO of For The Children. “Yet, extreme gaps in meeting the needs of these children and their families — especially considering COVID-19 — remain. I see an “epidemic within a pandemic” offering our 20,000 volunteers immediate opportunity to intervene and provide direct services, advocacy, and leadership.”

As the new entity evolves, For The Children will expand its work in fostering, adoption, advocacy, awareness, volunteer engagement and wrap-around services. The need for a more effective, comprehensive and resilient approach to child welfare is critical.

“The child welfare system in the United States is in crisis,” Martin said. “On any given day in America, more than 400,000 children linger in foster care. Due to COVID-19, those numbers will greatly increase in the months ahead. Family-induced childhood trauma is our nation’s greatest health care problem. We must better in our communities to give these innocent children the support that they need, not only for their sake but for the future of society.”

As part of its global advocacy mission, For The Children will launch the For The Children Pledge to ensure that every child can “live a life free of neglect, abuse, and violence.”

For more details on the Pledge, please visit https://www.forthechildren.org/pledge-for-the-children

Contact Information Tiffany Everett
For The Children http://www.forthechildren.org 443-473-1072

Emily Ferrell

For The Children

http://forthechildren.org

Here is a nice article that was written by one of our Directors from Utah.  It was posted on the Focus on the Family Website.  

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN ONE WEEK?

BY ROCHELLE HOREL

• DECEMBER 7, 2020

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No child is damaged goods, and none are second-class citizens. They are gems, priceless gems. 

And God has a purpose for each of them. Some children have been told they are useless, unwanted, and unworthy. Abused and neglected children are especially vulnerable.

The numbers of abused and neglected children are staggering. In the United States in 2018, 678,000 children were victims of child maltreatment. There are approximately 430,000 children in foster care, one-third of those live with relatives. All these children have one thing in common: all have had a very rough start in life.

Royal Family Kids (RFK) camps are one week, faith-based summer camps for children ages 7-11 who have experienced abuse and neglect. Last year, 214 camps in the United States relied on over 14,000 volunteers to host 8,846 children.  

Camp #113

I will tell you about one of those camps, Camp #113, for which I have volunteered over 17 years.

Our camp is one of three in Utah. 75 adult volunteers staff the camp. They are committed to spending a week with 50 children from the foster care system. We do not charge the staff or children to attend. Instead, we rely entirely on donations from generous people.  

Each adult is thoroughly vetted through an application process, background check, interviews, and 12+ hours of training before setting foot at camp. We are serious about safety, especially children’s safety. Knowing that these children are especially vulnerable and that we are responsible for their care weighs heavily on the directors, nurses, social workers, and child specialists on staff. Our rules are strict for a good reason: absolute safety for everyone, especially the children. Counselors are paired, and each is responsible for only two campers. No child is ever alone with an adult, and supervision is high.

All staff are chosen to attend this camp for one purpose only: to give these children a positive message of love and hope through the curriculum provided by RFK. Since our volunteers worship in over twenty different churches, we focus on the beautiful message of God’s love. The staff is taught to view these children as God sees them: very precious, created, and loved deeply by God.

Daily chapel and Bible time are centerpieces to every day, with songs and skits that reflect the Bible stories and lessons. We encourage the staff to pray with the children, talk about, and thank God frequently during the week.

Every Child Accepted

Camp week starts for the staff on Sunday morning, with a commissioning service and a trip to the camp to get ready for the children who arrive by bus on Monday morning. Everyone meets the bus; waving, smiling, cheering, and jumping up and down to welcome the children. The children who have attended in previous years are all smiles. First-timers are usually perplexed and apprehensive. They wonder, “Who are these crazy people?” We then introduce every child to their counselor, who will be their most important and special friend for the next five days. The week is filled with hiking, swimming, arts, crafts, and activities for all interests and abilities. The children are not only encouraged but showered with smiles, cheers, and praise. 

At this camp, everybody wins! Counselors accept every child for who they are.  

Wednesday evening is “Talent Night.” Songs, skits, tumbling, magic tricks, and jokes are popular, but no matter what a child does, he/she gets a wild standing ovation. The looks on every child’s face and their encouragement of the others are priceless.

One of the favorite activities for both children and volunteers is the Tea Party. After a chat with “Grandma Manners,” the children and their counselors don dress-up clothes. We encourage make-believe conversations. It is hilarious, and it does not take long for everyone to get the giggles.

Incredibly, many of the children have never had a birthday celebration. For this reason, “Everybody’s Birthday” is part of every RFK camp. Our party includes bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo, games, visits from local sports celebrities, and simple gifts for every child. As one camper put it: “This is everything I ever wanted.”

What I Have Learned at Camp

1. The joy of connecting with a child who needs it desperately.
2. Learning acceptance and to see others through Jesus’ eyes.
3. These children are precious. They are priceless, and they matter.  
4. It is a joy to help plant seeds of hope for children who have had little experience with hope or joy. 
5. It’s possible to watch children grow in many ways and watch little miracles happen hourly.
6. It is a plus to come out of your comfort zone into a world you probably have never seen and build awareness of child abuse and neglect.
7. Our camp’s benefits extend to the volunteers, such as building life-long friendships with people you may not have met otherwise, feeling self-satisfaction in giving to others, a sense of accomplishment, knowing you’ve been a part of something big, beautiful, and meaningful.
8. God’s people from many different denominations can come together with one purpose: to share God’s abundant and unconditional love with children who have seen little of that kind of love.
9. It is so much fun to play like a child for one week in the mountains!
10. It is great to feel the best tired you have ever felt!

Every Child is Lovable and Loved

These children are NOT damaged goods. The center of this camp teaches the children that they are LOVABLE and they are LOVED. Deeply, and unconditionally. Watching these children thrive, prosper, and flourish throughout the week is an indescribable experience. By the end of the week, the children stand a little straighter, a little taller. 

Their smiles are deeper, their faces softer and more open. It is joy. Pure joy. We send these children home with a priceless gift, words from Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Another RFK Family!

Dan and Carol Rubelmann were a wonderful couple I trained at RFK in 2017.  So sweet to see that they not only operate a one week camp for 30 kids, but they have opened their home for two of them for 52 weeks a year!!!

Parent & Social Worker Gratitude

We recently captured some information from both Foster Parents and Social workers.  Here's what they are saying about RFK.

My son who is adopted from foster care attended his first RFK camp in June. He LOVED it. It was a very healing experience for him. - Adoptive Mom

 

We sent three foster daughters to the camp. They truly had an amazing time and camp was a really fabulous experience, that may be a once in a life-time thing for them. I am very grateful to the caring volunteer staff and donations that helped make it possible. – Foster Parent

 

"I am so thankful that he got to go to camp! I thought for sure you would be calling me in the middle of the week to ask me to come pick him up for behavior challenges. I am amazed he stayed all week!" – Foster Mom

 

The whole atmosphere, designed to make them feel special and like the most important kids in the world, really was amazing for their confidence and self-esteem and has shown in how they carry themselves. – Foster Parent

 

God bless you and your entire organization!  Last week was the best week in Braden's life.  We have noticed a calmer, more flexible Braden since his return.  – Foster Parent

 

What a rewarding experience for our little guy.  I asked if he wanted to return next year and he said...next WEEK!  – Foster Parent

 

You folks are winning the battle in rehabilitating children that normally aren't fortunate enough to attend such a positive summer camp.  – Foster Parent

 

Our current foster child comes from a very rough background and does not have many good experiences in her life.  But to this day she still talks about all of the fun she had at camp this past summer and can't wait to return the following year.  – Foster Parent

 

My wife and I are extremely grateful for organizations like Royal Family Kids that invest time and resources into innocent kids who are enduring difficult circumstances.  – Foster Parent

 

The relationships they developed with their "cousins" were also very important to them. – Foster Parent

 

I believe that RFKC has created a structure that invites and supports safety and healing.  -  Social Worker

 

the design of the camp is well-conceived and structured, and when staffed with loving people who share a vision of God’s love, then you have a recipe for success.  -  Social Worker

I just wanted to thank all of the Royal Kids Camp staff and volunteers for all that you do for kids. I’ve had a few kids go to the camp and all of them LOVE the experience! -  Social Worker

How Well Do You See Potential in Others?

I came across a training idea years ago and finally created a video and PowerPoint for our Chapters to use during training this year.  It's geared specifically for our group but it can be adapted to any training environment to help people see beyond today, to see the potential for tomorrow.  

If you just want to jump ahead to the "reveal" moment, just watch from 5:48 - 9:40 and you'll get the training concept.  

Also, there's an intriguing rags to riches "potential" story at 14:30-18:40.  One of my favorites!

Our methods have changed but the Mission stays the same.

It's been a crazy year for everyone.  I'd love to write a long narrative of just how amazing our Chapters have been at planning and replanning and replanning again to make something happen for the children we serve this summer.  

We gave them options from the national office and they let their creativity fly and found ways to stay connected with the Foster Children of their community.  

Some were able to hold camp under challenging conditions, others held one-day events, others mailed care packages, others sent "Camp in a Box," others did a "Drive Through Camp." 

Below are some of the pictures I captured from our internal Facebook page of how these amazing volunteers made a difference in a COVID summer.  

Like most of you, we're all exhausted.   

Thanks for continuing your prayers and support during these critical days.

Camp Goes On!

With Covid-19 straggling our efforts this summer, about 65% of our camps are unable to go to the 5-day traditional camp this summer.  Many are still connecting to kids in other ways.  One Camp in Ohio was able to go, here's a little about their week.

St. Clairsville, OH chapter directors were informed seventeen days before the scheduled camp week that Ohio’s foster children were released from the shelter-in-place orders. Camp was on! 

The work normally completed by May had to be done in 2.5 weeks, but they knew this would not be a ‘business-as-usual’ 5-day residential camp week.

Adapting required adherence to guidelines seasoned with creativity. The chapel was set up according to Ohio/CDC guidelines. Taped boundaries on the floor surrounded ten chairs per square to accommodate social distancing. In the cafeteria, 5 chairs surrounded the separated table with additional seating outdoors. Ten hand-sanitized people were let in at a time to pick up their trays from masked servers and head to tables. In a normal year, they would serve one hundred and twenty diners. Accommodating ninety this year was comfortable within the space.

Normally, 55 children would be cared for by the team of volunteers. This year, of the thirty-three campers in attendance, all but 2 were returning campers- the 2 being siblings coming for the first-time.

Sleeping arrangements were also socially distant. In dorm rooms designed for sixteen, there were 8 accommodated. The sleepers were head-to-toe with an empty bed between. During the day the game of 9-square on land or in the water naturally separates the participants. The most creative naturally social distant event was the drive-in movie.

During activity time, each child decorated a large box with automobile-like features. Once done they were parked for the evening activity. After dinner their boxes were “driven in” to the auditorium, and with pillows and blankets, children leaned back and watched The Robinsons, an animated film about foster care and adoption. How much was spent? $1.48 for each box at Walmart. Chapter directors said it was just like Christmas when kids get toys and want to play with the box instead. He gives Heidi credit for the brilliant idea, but I suppose she would agree that this has the sweet scent of the Holy Spirit.

The campground is peppered with Purple Maple trees. Each year at the closing ceremony the children write upon a note a private message to God about something of tragic significance. The notes are dropped into a large hole after into which is placed a Purple Maple sapling. If you knew where the campground was, you could look at a satellite photo and see how they stand out; but as all directors know, that information is kept private.

What does stand out is the eternal impact the St. Clairsville, OH chapter directors have with their passionate and committed team are making upon the hearts of children from traumatic backgrounds. The St Clairsville chapter has been transforming the lives of attending children for twenty-five years. With the integration of mentoring and TRAC, they Keep Moving Forward!

This is the heart of God. This is the heart of our volunteers!