“Houses of Hope is like Southlake reaching out across the world, a child in Southlake is no different than a child in Guatemala.” So says Houses of Hope North Texas board member and life-long philanthropist Joe King.
Houses of Hope International (HOHI) was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization which has established 31 homes for children in 8 countries across the globe. Despite very successful operations in such countries as; Africa, India, Thailand, Burma and Cambodia, the most near and dear to the hearts of the North Texas chapter of HOHI are the 3 homes located in Zacapa, Guatemala. Zacapa is one of 22 departments, or states, that are housed within the borders of Guatemala. With close to 12.7 million people in an area roughly the size of Tennessee, Guatemala is Central America’s most populous country according to the CIA’s world fact book.
Coye Conner, President of the North Texas Chapter of HOHI, a Southlake 501C-3 Corporation says, “it is a way that I can give back to the children of the world.” What really struck Conner’s heart was that Houses of Hope Texas truly works with “children that literally have no parents, and it is [my] belief that true religion is to take care of widows and orphans.” To break the cycle Conner says, “Guatemala needs to change from within, so we have taken on the challenge to help raise and educate these children and give them the tools they need to effect change in their own country.”
Life for many Guatemalans:
With Guatemala’s large and fast growing population comes the unfortunate occurrence of a rather large grouping of abused, neglected or otherwise, forgotten children. For these children a life of poverty is almost a foregone conclusion. As much as 60% of all households have been estimated as living beneath the poverty line. Most of the rural poor citizens depend primarily on agriculture (coffee is the #1 export) as a way of life. As subsistence farmers or day laborers Guatemalan’s may live on less than $2-3 dollars per day. In order to take care of their families Guatemalan women often leave school early and thus have a lower literacy rate and less awareness of their personal rights.
As the cycle continues for each generation of children, the rift between the rural poor and urban population becomes deeper. Generally speaking, the distribution of income and wealth is highly skewed as the wealthiest 10% holds more than half of the country’s income leaving a majority of Guatemalans (~80%) in very dire straits. Rural citizens quite simply cannot provide the same levels of social development as their urban counterparts. Chronic malnutrition among the area’s rural poor seems to be a never ending concern resulting in key indicators such as infant mortality and illiteracy rates amongst the very worst in the western hemisphere.
Houses that create Hope for young Guatemalans:
With the simple belief that love from a mother and father is the most effective healing and empowering agent for a young soul, Houses of Hope Texas strives to give each of its children a stable environment in which to grow. The Zacapa, Guatemala campus consists of not just four homes, but a school (grades 1-6), trade schools for boys, computer library, community center and health clinic creating a tightly knit community to benefit the children. Future donations will go directly to completing the 7-12 grade education centers, furnish the homes and compensate the all important “House Parents”.
A house is just a roof, but a home is made through many volunteer parents, teachers, medical staff and construction workers all working together as an extended family, providing hope for a brighter future. Devoted House Parents like Peter and Carolyn assign themselves a minimum four-year commitment to ensure their children receive all of the love and benefits the campus has to offer. Peter and Carolyn are going on the eighth year of their stay and plan on seeing each of their children through their complete high school education. They say, “this is not a one-sided exchange and we are tied into the satisfaction of raising these children.”
Carolyn notes, a typical day starts at 5:30 am when the children take the day’s first moments in devotional prayer. From then on the routine is quite similar to those of children in the states; a healthy breakfast fuels their minds and bodies for a day chock-full of schoolwork, chores and playing amongst their friends. By building a strong foundation with education, the arts and language, personal hygiene and awareness of the environment, Houses of Hope provides each child with the tools necessary to become the leaders of tomorrow.
In the evenings, conventional family time again is quite recognizable. A sit-down dinner allows for time to discuss the day’s events with loving and caring family members, an opportunity which these children never had in their lives before. Being raised by committed, long-term parents is the most important reason why children at Houses of Hope will grow and become healthy, productive adults.
Like all great causes, the generosity of many helps those who need it most. Whether it’s becoming a house parent, a volunteer at the local chapter or even just sending a few dollars – no contribution goes unappreciated. Even though the efforts of Houses of Hope go year-round, the time to raise funds for this worthy cause hits its peak with the coming of the Houses of Hope Annual Holiday Gala.
The Houses of Hope 2nd Annual Holiday Gala:
…will be held this December 11th at the Southlake Hilton. Building upon the successes of last year’s gala, Houses of Hope Texas has put together an extraordinary evening of down home entertainment and holiday cheer amidst the backdrop of Southlake’s wonderfully appointed new Hilton. All are invited to attend and enjoy the country western stylings of Dixie Rex & Wallace “Willie” Poule.
Come join all of the special guests who’ll be bidding on the many live and silent auctions available throughout the evening. The guest list includes the likes of country music legend Charlie Pride, “Blazing Saddles” icon Bubba Gilliam and more NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and PGA athletes than you can shake a ball, bat, stick or club at!
For many, the highlight of last year’s event was when Charlie Pride took the stage and jammed with the band. For others it was the anticipation of who was going to win the luxury car raffle. This year’s raffle has gotten even better; for $100 per ticket you’ll be entered into the drawing for a 2008 Lexus IS Sedan. Better still, your raffle ticket doubles as your admission for this stellar evening of dining, dancing and entertainment ($50 admission without a raffle ticket)!
With all that is going on, it’s hard to believe that the Houses of Hope Texas Chapter is run by just a handful of local citizens. Spearheaded by President Coye Conner and Gala Chairperson Kelly Devoe, this small team has partnered amongst themselves and the community to bring Hope to the children of Guatemala.
How to get involved:
Besides attending this year’s Holiday Gala and/or purchasing a Lexus IS raffle ticket, there are two significant ways you can reach out to the Houses of Hope children:
Sponsor a child. A small contribution can go a long way. From the website, www.housesofhope.org you can read the specific stories and view photos to find the child that touches your heart. A modest donation of $1/day will make all the difference in the future of children like, Santos.
Become a volunteer.
If you are ready for a new adventure that will create positive changes in people’s lives and your very own contact the North Texas chapter of Houses of Hope, they will be able to find the best ways for you to assist both locally and internationally!