Our Home
As we seek to “Reach, Raise, and Restore” the children at Rancho Los Amigos (RLA), we walk out the home’s goals in everyday situations. Here is a glimpse into how the home’s staff impacts the lives of the children in every way.
A safe and loving environment
Many of the children at Rancho Los Amigos come to us having experienced different levels of abuse. As a ministry, we strive to create a safe and loving environment for the children that gives them love and support. At all moments of the day the children are not only supervised by the staff but they are discipled by them as well. A staff member is present to help them get ready each morning and share devotions with them before they go to school. In the afternoon they meet in a homework group to track their progress and determine where they might need help. When doing chores the staff instructs them how to do chores correctly and can frequently be seen playing soccer with them. Evenings culminate with a devotional or prayer time at the end of the day. At RLA, we plan each day with the purpose to create a safe and loving environment that will lead each child to feel secure, as every child should.
“I am happy and content to be here. I am with two of my siblings and I feel safe here. Life is fun because there are people who love me, and I met many friends [the other kids at RLA]. I went to school for one week before but I was taken out. Now I get to go to school all day for the whole year. I did not hear about God or know Him before. The staff taught me who He is. I feel different, more comfortable and happy.”
– Jaqueline, age 14
“The people that God placed in my life at RLA were a very important part of His sovereign plan for restoration. They were consistent in their love and helped to show me the Father heart of God. Love was such an important tool to break through to my heart. As my guardians persevered in building a relationship with me, I became aware of their genuine care and honest concern and it went straight to the ‘hungry for love’ part of my heart. I needed that love, but I had never let myself admit it. Because the staff was dedicated and expressed the great value God placed on me, I was able to eventually accept the love extended. Their love helped me understand that my life was not supposed to be sad and full of hurt and resentment. Through their lives, I saw the truth of God’s plan and how He desired to give me life abundantly. The restoration I have experienced in fully surrendering my life is incredible! I feel renewed, refreshed, and fully alive. My heart is finally free of anger and hurt. I am loved.”
– Brenda, age 19
Hope and opportunity
Every child that comes to Rancho Los Amigos comes with a thirst for hope and opportunity. Coming from a variety of difficult backgrounds, each child has the longing to know that they will be okay and that their future will be good. There are two ways we meet this need. First, during our daily interaction with the children we communicate that through Christ they have a future and a hope. In every setting we look to show them their unique gifting and that, as they pursue relationship with God and give their all, they will have success! Secondly, we make all practical preparations possible to ensure that when it is time for them to move on from Rancho Los Amigos, they are going on to something better. Some are reunited with their families, some are adopted and others, once they have reached adulthood, we help them to pursue the dreams God placed on their hearts, such as university, missionary training, or a career opportunity.
Nutritious meals
““An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” For the children of Rancho Los Amigos this is more than a catchy phrase, it is a way of life. As many of our children come to us malnourished we understand the importance of a balanced diet to their future!
A well-rounded, bilingual, character-based academic education
At Rancho Los Amigos, we have made a commitment to give our children a well-rounded, character-based and whenever possible, Christian education. We strive to ensure that the children are knowledgeable in all subjects, that they are able to read, write, and speak Spanish and English, and that they have good character to go along with their knowledge. Although many of the children come to RLA with different disadvantages, we look to provide an education that will give them the greatest opportunity for success!
“School helps us choose what is best for our future. I couldn’t go to a university and have a career one day if I wasn’t in school now. Our teachers help us to know and understand how our education affects our future.”
– Lizeth, age 14
Physical, spiritual, and emotional healing
When it comes to physical, spiritual, and emotional wounds, many of us have never experienced in a lifetime what some of the children of Rancho Los Amigos (RLA) have experienced in their short lives. We look for whatever help is available to them, but above all methods, we go to God in prayer. We know that Jesus is the only One that can heal all hurts, no matter their origin. As a staff, we look to minister to the children through times of prayer and sharing God’s Word on a one on one basis. Throughout a week, the Director has many opportunities to counsel the children in areas where they are struggling. When the hurt requires greater care, we have many other resources available. Whether what is needed are doctors, dentists, counselors, or therapists, we do our best to find the right resource for the need. Restoration of lives is the underlying motivation in all that we do, and it is always rewarding when we witness a life transformed.
A strong moral foundation based on biblical principals
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house ; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” (Matt 7:24-25) In a world that promotes mixed morals and unstable truths it is a necessity for the children of Rancho Los Amigos to have a strong moral foundation based on biblical principals. Believing that the Bible is the only source to teach the children how to build a good and right moral foundation, we look to expose them to God’s Word in as many ways as possible! To give the children a first-hand understanding of what the Bible says, every child participates in weekly Bible verse memorization and daily, personal devotionals. As they learn stories from the Bible, we look for different outlets to help them understand the principals taught. These include Sunday school classes and youth groups at church, Bible classes at school, participation in Bible camps, and small groups and Bible studies with the RLA staff. To build on this knowledge and make it practical, the staff makes sure to exemplify to the children how to live out the principals they have learned. We regularly find many practical applications to what the children have learned from the Bible: showing what happens to those who continue in wrong choices, or the reward when you are faithful in the little things, to what it means to love God and others. Through these and many other lessons, the children of RLA develop a firm foundation to stand on for every decision in their lives!
“One time I received punishment for disobeying. I could not play the games I like for a week. The staff taught me the importance of obeying and listening to adults. I also learned that through obeying adults, I am obeying God.”
– Diego, age 10
A sense of responsibility to give back
Realizing that they have been blessed to be a blessing to others is foundational for the children in Rancho Los Amigos. All of the children have a deep appreciation of how the love and faithfulness of God has changed their lives!
The children regularly are challenged to give to pressing needs and their giving has supported other children’s homes, missionaries from around the world, and families from the local community who are in desperate need. Many times the children have joined with church groups as translators during times of evangelism or food distribution and often they are the ones who end up sharing the most with people. And have experienced what it means to reach out to others with the Good News of Jesus.
You can see their desire to give back when you hear them discuss their plans for the future. One child wants to be a veterinarian to the farm animals of indigenous cultures, another one wants to be a doctor in Canada, and still another wants to open a children’s home in Africa!