Since 1997, The House of Charity has housed the children we sponsor for medical care at local hospitals and clinics in apartments, hotel rooms and volunteers’ homes. In April of 2002 the board of directors of The House of Charity decided to move forward with its plan of purchasing a home that would be a permanent location to house these children providing:
We searched Houston for the perfect location and found a duplex in West Houston in the Walnut Bend subdivision. This home is more than just a place to stay for these children. We are providing a safe and comfortable environment for these children to not only heal physically but also heal the mental wounds they have received from a life of special challenges, neglect and ridicule. We are helping them grow confidence and self reliance by teaching them the necessary skills to survive this world. Just over three weeks after we closed on the property we were able to move the children from the apartment to The House of Charity Healing Home.
This home is more than just a place to stay for these children. It is a safe and comfortable environment for these children to not only heal physically, but to also heal the mental and emotional wounds they have received over years of difficult struggle, facing challenges, neglect, ridicule, and turmoil.
The most beautiful part about the Healing Home is that it brings children from different areas and backgrounds together to come and live under one roof, just like a family. We would love for all of you to come and visit the home, so whenever you have time, please call and arrange to come and spend some time with the children and take a glimpse of the magic that takes place in the Healing Home every single day.
The home can accommodate 25 children at a time, who are constantly under the care and supervision of a registered nurse and dedicated volunteers. All local children travel with one parent and 90% of the international children travel with an escort and stay in our healing home. Their stays can range from 6 months to 9 months to full one year, and most children require multiple surgeries
Just to let you know about one of our success stories of love and healing that goes on within the walls of the home every day. Azeema is an adorable girl. She is a victim of medicine thalidomide. Her both legs above the knee and hands are not formed. She received high quality care and therapy while staying at the healing home. This care and therapy enabled her to walk, write, eat, go to school and take care of her self, she is the best artist. When Azeema tried her leg prosthesis’s 1st time her remarks were: World looks so nice when you have legs can I keep these legs for ever. Many thanks go to Ted Muilenburg for leg prosthesis and Steve Wilson for hand prosthesis.
Each and every life that The House of Charity touched since 1997 had a story filled with the misfortune and pain of a deformity, but our memory is filled with smiles, excitement and giggles of the beautiful children we were able to serve. Our momentum must continue towards greater accomplishments. Within me lies the belief and conviction that all the children we have helped, all the children we are helping, and all the children we will help are but my own children - they just happen to be born in different homes.
For an organization as small as The House of Charity it is amazing to have a very solid record of accomplishment. These accomplishments are the result of many generous donors, the direction, support and the tireless efforts of the many volunteers, patrons, board of advisory and the board of directors.
Ribbon Cutting honors by Dr. Robert McCauley, Chief of Plastic & reconstructive Surgery at Shriner’s Hospital Galveston, TX.
