You may recall from previous articles, that we were in the process of opening a Girl’s Home. What we didn’t dream - was that it would involve the enormous amount of paperwork and waiting it would take to accomplish this. The following statement is what I published in a previous newsletter.

“I have a dream house, but it’s not for me. My dream is to establish a girl’s home in a great big house for young ladies from the ages of 12 –17 years old. In this house I would like to provide a warm loving Christian environment for young ladies who have gotten a bad start in life and need God’s love and guidance.”

I am happy to give an update and report that we have indeed secured a big house on 1.6 acres in the county of Riverside expressly for this purpose. On September 1, 2004, Standing Tall Home for Girls received the first resident and to date, we have five young ladies and four babies dwelling in the house.

Over the past 12 years, Latter Rain Ministries International has ministered to troubled juveniles in various detention centers and girl’s homes. We saw a great need for more extended facilities that minister to these young people’s needs. After some of them leave juvenile halls, they don’t have a home to return to. Others have been passed from one foster home to another since they were very young. I once listened to a young lady 16 years old tell me that she had been in the system since she was 5 years old. I asked her what she meant by “being in the system”. She said due to her mother’s inability to care for her properly, she had been placed in various foster homes and placement centers for the last 11 years. This 16- year old was now a mother herself and was taking motherhood very seriously because she said she wanted to be a better mother to her child then her mother had been to her.

God has blessed us with a lovely house that can accommodate up to six girls and their babies. Our facility is spacious and perfect for what we set out to do. We have a round-the-clock staff that assists these young ladies in being good mothers, good students and good citizens. We provide shelter, food, clothing and an opportunity to complete their high school education. They also receive routine medical attention.

It is a blessing that the local high school has a mother-baby program for pregnant and parenting teens where the girls are picked up each morning for school with their babies and attend class while their babies are in the nursery provided there. At regular intervals they spend time with the babies during the school day and have parenting classes to further educate them on their new responsibilities.

We have contracted a team of Therapeutic Social workers that routinely visit the facility to provide one-on-one sessions, as well as group therapy, for the girls. They also track the resident’s progress and offer resources to assist them in reaching their educational and developmental goals.

Some of the other activities that are provided include weekly Bible Studies and transportation to local churches. In the home, the girls are also involved in cooking and sewing to enhance their independent living skills.

The challenge to making this dream come true was great. But God was so faithful to meet every need. We received a generous amount of donations from various individuals and church groups to help furnish the entire two-story house, complete with all the baby furnishings.

If you would like to help or share in expanding this dream, you are welcome to make tax-deductible donations to Latter Rain Ministries International. Please designate for Standing Tall Home for Girls. Our mailing address is 1204 N. Holly Street, Anaheim, CA 92801.