Name: Vicki

How did you find out about ZOE?
My friend, Sharon and I went to a Human Trafficking Awareness conference at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA and we wanted to do something to help, to get involved.  Sharon searched for someplace to get connected but could not find something local.  Then she heard a spot about ZOE on KKLA.  She told me about it and the rest is history, as they say!

What made you want to volunteer?
I wanted to volunteer because I had a heart that wanted to be obedient to God.  This is an atrocity that breaks the heart of God and I believe He wanted me to respond

How long have you volunteered at ZOE?
13 months as of April 2012

What type of tasks do you do at ZOE?
Short Term Missions booklets-printing and preparing for binding, various mailings, brochure stuffing, Kids Helping Kids packets, inventory of paper/brochure items, filing and assisting at the ZOE booth at an event.

Tell us about your overall experience in the office?
It is a joy to be with the staff.  Everyone is so kind and very appreciative.  I am so impressed with the integrity of the organization as a whole.  Everything is done with love and the utmost attention to detail.  As volunteers, we are treated with respect and really as a family!  It feel honored to be a part of the ZOE family.

Have you learned anything new while volunteering?
The atrocity of trafficking children and adults breaks the heart of Almighty God.  His hand is with ZOE in provision and mighty power to address this abomination.  I have learned that this is rampant and serious than I ever dared to think.  I have learned that there is a handful of precious saints with a deep passion to help those who can’t help themselves.  They are precious to God, as are the children they are helping. 

There is not a lot of training that can really prepare you for helping to rehabilitate a vulnerable child who has suffered atrocities too terrible to even speak about, the orphan who just lost both her parents or the small child neglected and left to fend for himself.
And yet these parents do it every day. Their skills are mostly learned through the daily sharing of knowledge and the on-the-job experiences of raising children like this since 2002.

Having been a parent myself for over 6 years (and a foster parent for a few years prior to that), I have realized that parenting is by far both the most difficult and the most rewarding job I will ever have (and I haven’t even reached the teenage stage yet!).
Being a parent means that you are one of, if not the, most important influence in your child’s world and your actions can have a major impact on their health, well-being and development.
For young children, who are completely dependent on someone else to look after them, having warm and nurturing care provides a firm foundation for their future years.

Parents come in many different shapes, sizes, nationalities and personality types. And just as parents come in various shapes and sizes, so too do families, which both change and grow over time.

When my husband and I were first married, we became foster parents, which saw our “family” temporarily increase and decrease frequently. We continued foster care when we had two small children of our own and many times we’d increase to 5 children for the weekend or for a two-week stint. It wasn’t “normal” as far as what our friends were doing, but it worked.

At the ZOE Children’s Homes, we have a fairly unique situation where 23 parents care for over 60 children divided into smaller family groupings. Assisting the parents we also have a support team consisting of many administration staff, guards, teachers, cooks, ministry school students and foreign volunteers.

Our ZOE parents are a mix of ages and backgrounds. Some are married, some single, some have their own biological children, some do not, some have a tertiary education, some never finished high school but all of them possess some key similarities. They are all committed. They are all accepting, sensitive, loving, concerned and involved in the children’s lives.
And they are all making a difference.

There is no one recipe or set of ingredients that make for “good parenting.” Many combinations, flavors and approaches can be used. At ZOE, effective parenting means continually updating skills, learning new practices and adapting to the changing dynamics of the family. ZOE provides weekly meetings and training to all parents with opportunities to develop parenting knowledge, skills and confidence, and provides access to professional advice and support.

While the children at ZOE are placed in a family, which is chosen to best suit their individual needs, the home really thrives on the “community” approach to raising a child. It’s a community that shares, celebrates and supports one another wholeheartedly. And, it only takes a small crisis to see how everyone rallies around to alleviate the impact and work through the temporary challenge together.
What a privilege it is to be around this amazing group of people. To see young lives restored and transformed to become happy, healthy and thriving children through the ongoing love and care by this committed team.
To the ZOE parents, you are so capable, strong, engaged and resilient… In a word, you are simply outstanding!

Like many homes, reading together at ZOE is a special time. It’s a time when parents can cuddle their children, laugh at funny stories, discuss issues and get to know one another better.
Reading is so much more than just figuring out the words on a page. It’s a chance to explore new places, discover new things, and meet new characters, knowing that all the while you’re helping a child to develop a lifelong habit of reading.
Reading brings a touch of color to life and happiness as you share in a moment side by side.

As I walked through the children’s home this morning I was curious to know why it was so quiet because I knew that the children had the day off school. How inspiring it was to see the children all snuggled on the stairs in the sunshine listening to one of our volunteers reading them stories. I just had to sit and listen for a while; the warmth of the morning sun and the enjoyment of being read to had me captivated.
And who doesn’t love a story about George? Curious George that is!

That little monkey is always up to mischief. And as he’s trying to figure out how to get out of trouble, readers young and old get to use their imaginations and engage in one adventure after another.
Research shows that families play an important role in children’s reading success. Family participation assists them to not only become better readers but also better listeners, and better students.
At ZOE this morning, our children were hearing the stories in English and Thai, which helps them build vocabulary and language skills in both languages.

As a former teacher, I love to see the activities that take place around the children’s home.
Reading is an important tool for our children to gain knowledge about the world around them.
Seeking to develop life-long learners, it is essential that children learn from a young age that reading is important, but most of all that reading is fun!

Name: Sharon

How did you find out about ZOE?
I heard a KKLA radio station host talking about ZOE and the work ZOE does

What made you want to volunteer?
A couple of weeks before hearing about ZOE on KKLA, I attended a church sponsored conference on human trafficking.  Over the following days, I learned more and knew I needed to help to make a difference in whatever small way I could.  All the organizations were geographically too far to volunteer on a regular basis.  When I learned that ZOE’s office was only 15 miles away, a friend and I visited and as they say, “the rest is history!”

How long have you volunteered at ZOE?
Since mid-March 2011

What type of tasks do you do at ZOE?
I regularly process the mailings of Thank You letters to the ZOE supporters.  Additionally, whatever task and projects are to be done are prioritized/completed from packing, printing, sorting, research, other.

Tell us about your overall experience in the office?
From the first day which was introductory, I sensed that loving, kindness hsared by and for each person in the office.  As I spent more time in the office with everyone, I simply wanted to carry the feelings of me outside the office!  Contagious would be a good word description.

Have you learned anything new while volunteering?
I’ve learned how joy can come from darkness.  The staff, volunteers, missionaries and especially the children have taught me how the little things and bigger things of God’s goodness counts above all things.

THANK YOU SHARON FOR ALL YOUR COUNTLESS HOURS HERE AT THE OFFICE! WE APPRECIATE YOU!

145 million orphans on the earth today!  True and undefined religion is this, to visit the widow and orphan in their distress.  Hundreds will gather on May 2nd and 3rd at Saddleback Church for the annual Orphan summit put on by Chirsitian Alliance for Orphans. Attendees come from all over the world to share, learn and mobilize the church to answer the call to care for the orphan. 

ZOE’s own Michael and Carol Hart will be sharing at one of the workshops at this years conference.  Those who attend their workshop will learn how human trafficking and modern slavery are both cause and effect of the global orphan crisis, and what can be done about it. The Harts will join a panel of orphan care leaders engaged in working to protect and liberate orphans from trafficking.

An attendee from last year’s summit shared the following:

“Being with people whose hearts are lit up for Christ and the fatherless is amazing. They glow with warmth and light. So being with 1,500+ such people from 46 states and 7 countries in 1 place for 2+ intense days…well, it’s breathtaking.”

If you are interested in being a part of this gathering in Southern California, CLICK HERE to visit the Orphan Summit website.

Graduations are an exciting time!

As I think back on my own Grade 6 experience, I have to say that I really loved school.  I had supportive parents, great friends and wonderful teachers, which made my learning experience a positive one and also a huge catalyst for me later becoming a teacher.

My transition from Sixth Grade to Seventh Grade was smooth.  I just had to move from one campus of the school to another.

Going to school, for me, was a relaxed and happy time.

But, let’s take a moment to consider what some of our ZOE children have accomplished in their short lives to even reach this point of graduation.  For many it has been a struggle.  Not just on an academic level but in ways that we can only imagine.  The resilience of these children, their persistence, their courage and their strength challenges me in my own life.

These children are truly inspiring!

One of our volunteers, Denise Tang, gave a wonderfully encouraging speech at graduation that left me feeling motivated and ready to go on and do great things!

I want to share part of it with you:

You were challenged to learn academically…and you did!

You were challenged to grow in leadership skills…and you did!

You were challenged to learn to work with people different than yourselves…and you did!

We are all so proud of you!  Most importantly, God is so proud of you!  He is so proud of you because you have persevered.  You didn’t give up when it got tough in school.  And because you persevered, you are sitting here ready to graduate.

As you move on from here, I encourage you to take all you have gained and discovered here and to build upon it.  The road ahead will not always be easy, but the beauty is, God is there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you…”

What a wonderful promise!

These ZOE graduates each had a dream to complete elementary school…  But we know a dream alone is not enough.  Despite what happened in their past, they had to do the hard work required.  They had to set goals, focus and study to make the impossible, possible.

To the wonderful ZOE parents who stood right by these children, who believed in them throughout the ups and the downs, who helped them with their homework and supported their dreams when it all seemed too hard:  you truly are amazing!

These special parents are testament to a life given and sacrificed to see someone else overcome great odds and reach their goal.

Having the privilege to witness the achievements of these children is a great gift that I will long cherish.

On behalf of the whole ZOE family, we say “Congratulations Grade 6 Class of 2012!”  We are all so proud of you.

Name: Roshan

How did you find out about ZOE?
A friend of mine told me about ZOE

What made you want to volunteer?
About three years ago, I learned what an epidemic human trafficking is to the world and I wanted to help.  After I graduated, I wanted to help the world instead of diving into corporate America and I thought that starting with ZOE would be a great way to make it happen.

How long have you volunteered at ZOE?
I’ve been volunteering since January 2012

What type of tasks do you do at ZOE?
Mainly IT related tasks

Tell us about your overall experience in the office?
I love coming into the office and volunteering.  The people here are so friendly and easy to get along with.  The responsibilites that I am given have clearly organized direction and they are easy to do!  I know that the work I do has an impact on someone else’s life.

Have you learned anything new while volunteering?
I learned that there are countless people that are in slavery of one form or another all around the world and I can do something to help them!

THANK YOU ROSHAN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK HERE AT ZOE!  WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Noah’s kindness, creativity and generosity touched not just the hearts of the ZOE children, but many others who heard about his Lego initiative and felt inspired that they could also make a difference, no matter their age.

Well now just months later, Joe’s mom is making headlines for her enthusiasm and commitment to being a Team Captain in the upcoming ZOE Rescue Walk.

While other 64 year olds might be feeling like life should be slowing down, this super-energized grandmother is reminding us all that we are only as old as we feel.

To recap:

• The ZOE Rescue Walk will provide several ways to help raise awareness and funds to support ZOE Children’s Homes.
• All of the funds raised during the ZOE Rescue Walk will help ZOE continue on its mission of rescuing children in need.
• The ZOE Rescue Walk, gives Southern Californians the opportunity to provide support to children who are suffering, not from a physical disease, but from a societal affliction: human trafficking.
• The walk will take place on November 10^th, 2012, between 9 a.m. and noon at Newhall Park in Santa Clarita, California.
• Interested participants can register as walkers, team captains, team members, or simply support someone who is walking. Registration is $20 for adults and $15 for kids. Signing up as a team captain allows participants to set a fundraising goal and invite their friends and family to become part of their team.
• In addition, ZOE is inviting businesses to become corporate sponsors of the event, which will include a silent auction, a kids’ walk and an awards ceremony.
• Visit http://www.zoerescuewalk.com to learn how you can participate.

• And remember:

“Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.”  (author unknown)

Current ZOE Children's Home on the right. New boys home will be on the same property to the left.

Ron Regenstreif and Michael Goldstone, co-owners of Regency Lighting, a nationwide business based in Chatsworth, CA, built their business on ideas of integrity and honoring relationships. Their steadfast commitment to these ideas has garnered them success, as they now operate 78 locations nationwide. In conjunction with “honoring relationships,” Regenstreif and Goldstone believe that business owners hold a social responsibility to those less fortunate, and they contribute a sizeable portion of their annual profits to those in need. Regenstreif was searching for their next philanthropic endeavor when Vickie McCoy, Regenstreif’s and Goldstone’s long-time employee, returned from a trip to ZOE Children’s Homes in Thailand and reported ZOE’s need for additional housing for rescued boys. Without hesitation, Regency Lighting committed to funding the project.

ZOE Children’s Homes is a Santa Clarita, CA based non-profit organization that cares for orphans and rescues children from human trafficking. Currently, ZOE’s work is focused in Thailand, a region where human trafficking crimes are prevalent. Once children are under ZOE’s care, ZOE remains responsible for them through adulthood by providing a safe and loving home community. Currently, boys and girls are housed on separate levels of the same building at ZOE. However, because there has recently been an increase in the number of boys being rescued, the ZOE staff believes building a separate, 9,000 square-foot home for the boys would not only ensure the healthiest possible living environment for everyone, but it would also provide more space for ZOE to rescue more children. Upon hearing of this need, Regency’s executive team authorized McCoy to commit Regency Lighting to funding the $250,000 project and to extend the effort to Regency Lighting employees as well.

McCoy and committee have since organized fundraisers, whereby Regency Lighting provides supplies and their staff makes donations for events such as Root Beer Float Fridays. McCoy’s next project allows staff and other ZOE supporters to fund the facility by donating $27 per square-foot.  If you’d like to join Regency Lighting by purchasing a square foot of the boys’ home or by becoming a ZOE supporter, visit www.zoechildren.org.

THANK YOU REGENCY LIGHTING!

The ZOE Rescue Walk, which will take place on Nov. 10, 2012, between 9 a.m. and noon in Newhall Park, offers several ways to join in the fight against human trafficking. Interested participants can register as walkers, team captains, team members, or simply support someone who is walking.  Registration is $20 for adults and $15 for kids. Signing up as a team captain allows participants to set a fundraising goal and invite their friends and family members to become part of their team. In addition, ZOE is inviting businesses to become corporate sponsors for the event, which will include a silent auction, a kids’ walk and an awards ceremony. ZOE is also accepting donated silent auction items. Visit http://www.zoerescuewalk.com.com to learn how you can participate in any of these ways.