[Story by Joanna Villareal Rocha, Director of Volunteers at Bokenkamp in Corpus Christi].

Each and every one of us has a special day when we are entitled to compliments, gifts, and praise—that day is our birth date; mostly unique just to us (or so we tend to think). Many celebrate their birthday week, others birthday weekend, and some even take it to the extreme and celebrate the whole month! Your birthday is a pretty big deal to you! It seemed only natural that we should recognize and acknowledge the residents of Bokenkamp Children’s Shelter who are in our care during their special day. So beginning January 2012, we officially started celebrating birthdays around here!

On the second Friday of each month, four wonderful volunteers from Sacred Heart Home Health leave their work early on Friday and come set up, decorate, and get ready for a birthday celebration! Ms. Rita, who owns the company, was thrilled to start this project and wanted to get her staff involved. Since January, she and her crew have come to make sure that this day is special for all the residents who share a birthday in the same month. They decorate and bring balloons, chips, and drinks for everyone, and even do the honors of cutting the cake.

Every month, 3-5 residents turn a new age, and for them, Ms. Rita brings a special gift, customized to match their favorite color! She also includes candy and a card. Every birthday party is also followed by a dance—which is also lots of fun.

Our volunteers have been amazing, and they truly enjoy being a part of each birthday celebration. In my role as Director or Volunteer Services, I purchase the cake and take lots of pictures during the celebration. I pass the photos on to case managers and clinicians, so that they can share them with the family if they choose to.

Birthdays are a blessing. They are a gift from God and it was time to start making them special for each resident who has a birthday to celebrate while in our care. Feliz cumpleaños!

Here, I’ve summarized just a few stories of our recent Bokenkamp residents.

· Felipe, age 17, was the oldest of seven siblings living with his mother in Guatemala. He came to the United States to find his father (whom he hadn’t seen in six years) and to work and send money back to his impoverished family. Once Felipe was safe at Bokenkamp, staff noticed that he cried every day at mealtime. The counselor discovered he felt guilty for eating the meals that were provided by Bokenkamp—because as he enjoyed this good food, his brothers and sisters back home were starving.

· Eva, a 16-year-old girl from Honduras, traveled to the U.S. with a family friend, was apprehended by law enforcement, and placed at Bokenkamp. When told she could call home to notify her family of her whereabouts, she refused. Eva only wanted to get in touch with a sister she knew was living in Laredo, TX. When Eva was hospitalized for an injury, her sister and another family relative surprised her by coming to visit. This was just two weeks before her birthday and to Eva it was a miracle! The sister submitted all the necessary paperwork and the two sisters were reunified shortly after.

· Adolfo, a 15-year-old boy from Guatemala, arrived at Bokenkamp on a quest to find his uncle who was living somewhere in the U.S., and convince him to return home. Adolfo wanted to help rebuild his village, which had been completely wiped out by a mudslide, and he needed his uncle’s help. Adolfo told stories of destruction and despair, and how he had pulled dead bodies out from under rocks. His plan was to work, and send the money home, until he would be able to go back himself. Adolfo has been very patient, understanding, and humble. He recently celebrated his 16^th birthday at the shelter [and his uncle has not yet been located].

· Fourteen-year-old Corina escaped from El Salvador to the U.S. on a search for her mother. She did not know her father and had been raised by her grandmother, uncles, and aunts. Corina fled her home country after four men raped and assaulted her one day after school. Once Eva was safe at Bokenkamp, her mom was found living in Houston. She visited Corina regularly and finally was able to take her home.

· Upon his arrival at Bokenkamp, it was obvious that 16-year-old Estuardo had a great personality and an uncanny ability to positively alter the mood of a group. The performer in Estuardo came shining through at the Bokenkamp Talent Show, when he wrote and sang a Christian song about hope and faith. He sang that God put us here, for a reason, and that each and every resident of Bokenkamp was meant to survive. He sang that they all must be resilient and stay positive, and always look forward to what was to come. This fine young man left a lasting message in the hearts of everyone who heard his song that day.

Rachel, age 24, is a new volunteer to Bokenkamp, but she comes with plenty of passion and a desire to help the residents. She was recently accepted into the Peace Corps to serve in a Central American country and she hopes that her experience at Bokenkamp will enhance her effectiveness in her new Peace Corps assignment.

In spite of a significant language barrier–with Rachel desperately trying to learn Spanish, and the girls of Bokenkamp using what little English they have picked up from school– “dance has an amazing way of opening up people to others,” Rachel notes. “It’s amazing to see how these girls who have no dance experience catch on so fast!” With little time left to practice, Rachel hopes to fine-tune the routine and make this act one of the best that Bokenkamp has ever seen.

“I am truly humbled; the girls take what little they are taught and run with it,” says Rachel.  “It makes me really appreciate the opportunity to help and hopefully inspire them.”