3/19/2012 10:30:00 AM
Zeshan Aladdin Mumtaz
My fellow readers, I would like to share a short story of how a children charity organization turned a tragedy into a triumph.
This story begins as do many stories , with 2 young people who care about one another and one day decide to start a family. Sam and Kim are a happily married couple who give birth to a healthy, beautiful baby boy names Jacob. Jacob was a bright young boy and showed much potential as he grew up and started attending preschool and onwards. His parents were good people who worked very hard to provide for Jacob. Sam, the father drove a truck to support is family and Kim waited tables. Jacob was growing up to be a fine young boy who excelled at everything he set forth to do.
Unfortunately Jacobs bright future was going to take a major detour. Sam was involved in a very fatal accident while driving in snowy conditions through Colorado and did not survive the crash. Jacobs mother was over come by devastation and fell victim to severe depression and prescription addiction. Jacobs mother Kim, still tried to hold down a job to support Jacob and be there for him as a mommy and daddy. Jacob was 8 at the time and was a bit confused at to what had just happened to his life. As a year passes, Jacobs mother grew worse and worse. She became victim to a classic scenario of Alcohol and prescription drugs. Jacob was not getting the attention he needed and turned to others for that need. Jacob began petty theft in order to satisfy his need for food and attention. Hanging with young children who roamed the streets and had no parental controls. Soon after his mother passed to to severe overdose of drugs and Alcohol. Jacob became dark and disturbed by this. Not understanding what happened to him, he blamed society for his problems.
Jacob was only 10 years old but seemed to be caught up in a world not fit for a young adolescent like him. Jacob had no surviving relatives and was taken into foster care by the State of IL. The state with even its good intentions can find it difficult to give individualized attention to every orphan that it take in. After roaming from home to home for about a year, Jacob was taken into the Generous Hands of Hephzibah Children Association. Hephzibah is a children welfare agency to help provide children loving and safe home environment when there families have crumbled due to circumstances that leave the child helpless. Jacob was not one to trust anybody, his life crumbled right before his eyes even before he became a teenager. Jacob develped violent tendencies and had problems in dealing with the outside world.
Hephzibah understands the trauma that these children go through. Hephzibah’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive, stable, and structured environment and the intensive therapy that these children need to begin the healing process. Hephzibah understands it takes time to win the trust of these children, and it is only then that the children can begin to start their new life, promising life that they deserve.
As time passes, Jacob began to befriend some of the children. Soon he could be seen running and laughing with them as they played hie and seek. Jacob also had a trusted adult he could console with, an adult who genuinely cared for his well being. Jacob had outlets to express his frustration and was given proper child counseling to help with understand what happened to his family. Jacob was feed nutritious meals and also enjoyed junk food from time to time just like any other normal child his age. He soon found a passion in reading and riding bicycles. He soon was enrolled in the local public school. With the 2 years he was there Jacob began to show signs of improvement. Jacob saw that he was not alone and felt consoled being around children who were victims of a stolen childhood like him. Hephzibah gave him a home in which Jacob could grow at his own pace. He had his ups and downs just like any other kid, but Jacob once again had innocence in his eyes. Hephzibah goal is to provide long term stability for their children instead of a revolving door effect.
As the children grow older, Hephzibah provides them with a permanent home through a foster family. Hephzibah works with families through its journey program to help equip parents with the tools and support needed to help taken in a foster child. Jacob was introduced to a foster family, and he began to interact with them at his own pace. Jacob will soon be entering High school. He has grown to liking his soon to be foster family. Hephzibah works with the family long term trough counseling, mentors group events so that the new bond of child and family grows organically and when problem arise that they get handled in everyone's best interest. Jacob is looking forward to starting high school. he plans on nestling and playing soccer.
Jacob goes to the Hephzibah home every Sunday and spends times with kids just like him when he came into Hephzibah. Jacob has learned that he is truly lucky to have a second chance and uses that motivation to jeep himself focused. Jacob wants to be a elementary teacher because he know first hand how tough things can be for kids that age. Hephzibah is truly a place where tragedy becomes triumph. Every child has the right to a safe and loving upbringing, because with out that you would not be here to day either.
Please Visit on how you can donate and volunteer.
http://www.hephzibahhome.org/site/c.atJSL7NPJrL8H/b.6374637/k.957D/Group_Homes_Foster_Care_Family_Services_Day_Care__Hephzibah_Childrens_Association.htm
This story begins as do many stories , with 2 young people who care about one another and one day decide to start a family. Sam and Kim are a happily married couple who give birth to a healthy, beautiful baby boy names Jacob. Jacob was a bright young boy and showed much potential as he grew up and started attending preschool and onwards. His parents were good people who worked very hard to provide for Jacob. Sam, the father drove a truck to support is family and Kim waited tables. Jacob was growing up to be a fine young boy who excelled at everything he set forth to do.
Jacob was only 10 years old but seemed to be caught up in a world not fit for a young adolescent like him. Jacob had no surviving relatives and was taken into foster care by the State of IL. The state with even its good intentions can find it difficult to give individualized attention to every orphan that it take in. After roaming from home to home for about a year, Jacob was taken into the Generous Hands of Hephzibah Children Association. Hephzibah is a children welfare agency to help provide children loving and safe home environment when there families have crumbled due to circumstances that leave the child helpless. Jacob was not one to trust anybody, his life crumbled right before his eyes even before he became a teenager. Jacob develped violent tendencies and had problems in dealing with the outside world.
Hephzibah understands the trauma that these children go through. Hephzibah’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive, stable, and structured environment and the intensive therapy that these children need to begin the healing process. Hephzibah understands it takes time to win the trust of these children, and it is only then that the children can begin to start their new life, promising life that they deserve.
As time passes, Jacob began to befriend some of the children. Soon he could be seen running and laughing with them as they played hie and seek. Jacob also had a trusted adult he could console with, an adult who genuinely cared for his well being. Jacob had outlets to express his frustration and was given proper child counseling to help with understand what happened to his family. Jacob was feed nutritious meals and also enjoyed junk food from time to time just like any other normal child his age. He soon found a passion in reading and riding bicycles. He soon was enrolled in the local public school. With the 2 years he was there Jacob began to show signs of improvement. Jacob saw that he was not alone and felt consoled being around children who were victims of a stolen childhood like him. Hephzibah gave him a home in which Jacob could grow at his own pace. He had his ups and downs just like any other kid, but Jacob once again had innocence in his eyes. Hephzibah goal is to provide long term stability for their children instead of a revolving door effect. 
Jacob goes to the Hephzibah home every Sunday and spends times with kids just like him when he came into Hephzibah. Jacob has learned that he is truly lucky to have a second chance and uses that motivation to jeep himself focused. Jacob wants to be a elementary teacher because he know first hand how tough things can be for kids that age. Hephzibah is truly a place where tragedy becomes triumph. Every child has the right to a safe and loving upbringing, because with out that you would not be here to day either.
Please Visit on how you can donate and volunteer.
http://www.hephzibahhome.org/site/c.atJSL7NPJrL8H/b.6374637/k.957D/Group_Homes_Foster_Care_Family_Services_Day_Care__Hephzibah_Childrens_Association.htm
