Sunshine

ANNUAL REPORT
4
Christian Principles
APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH WHICH SERVE
AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS MINISTRY.
Answering God’s call
Pablo Villanueva believes God has called
him to share his faith with youth at the Boys
Ranch through his daily work as recreation
coordinator. As a former resident of the
Boys Ranch, Villanueva understands the
challenges that come with that calling.
“I know what’s going through their
minds because I’ve been there,” Villanueva
said. “It’s easy to talk about God around
Christians; it’s more difficult when you try Tyler, left, and Markies, right, participate
in a Bible study led by Pablo Villanueva,
to talk about God around people who aren’t center, at the Boys Ranch.
ready to hear it.”
When Villanueva was placed at the Boys Ranch in the 1990s, he had little interest
in living at the Ranch and did not want to hear about how God could change his life.
However, through encouragement from his homeparents, Norm and Jude Champagne,
and his caseworker, Kenneth Alexander, Villanueva decided to stay at the Ranch, and
he later became a Christian through the influence of his staff.
“Becoming a Christian is the only reason I survived my teenage years,” Villanueva
said. “My faith in Christ kept me alive.”
Villanueva is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Boys Ranch staff, and like
other staff members at Methodist Children’s Home, he considers it a personal mission.
“I believe God called me here and I want to give the boys a chance to learn more
about Him,” he said.
During the spring, Villanueva and Karen Melton, program director at the Boys
Ranch, began a Bible study. Villanueva shows a short Christian video, then leads the
boys in a discussion about lessons they can learn from the video and the Bible. Although
only one youth showed up for the first Bible study, they averaged about 10 boys
by the end of the semester.
“I knew it would take a while for some of our boys to become interested,”
Villanueva said. “As time went on, a few of the boys began to talk about issues they
were facing.”
Markies, a Boys Ranch resident, has experienced the benefits of participating in
the Bible study.
“It has helped me deal with my anger and get closer to God,” he said.
Tyler, another Ranch resident, also believes the Bible study has helped him grow.
“It has helped me to behave and go down the right road,” he said.
Villanueva is thankful that God is working through the Bible study to affect the
lives of young people, and he feels blessed to be part of a ministry to at-risk youth.
“It is very fulfilling to be able to do what God has called me to do at a place that
has done so much for me,” he said.
General Facts
MCH: AT A GLANCE
Methodist Children’s Home serves more
than 1,300 children and youth daily through
residential care, foster care and a variety of
community services.
Founded in 1890, MCH is
affiliated with the seven
United Methodist annual
conferences in Texas and
New Mexico.
The Home began as an
orphanage, but it gradually
expanded into a comprehensive ministry that
serves at-risk children and their families.
Methodist Children’s Home operates residential
programs on the Waco campus, at the
Boys Ranch and in Waxahachie. MCH also
provides services through 13 outreach and
satellite offices in Texas and New Mexico.
Through the Home’s
strength-based philosophy
of care, staff members
build healthy relationships
with youth and help them
identify and develop their
strengths and talents.
MCH completed its first
year of competition in the
Texas Charter School Academic and Athletic
League. The Bulldogs competed in volleyball,
flag football, basketball, cross country,
track and field, and soccer.
MCH is accredited and licensed by the
Texas Department of Family and Protective
Services and the Council on Accreditation
(COA) of Services for Families and Children.
“I am blessed to serve in a
faith-based Christian
ministry that communicates
the importance of God’s love
to children and youth.
”
Sunshine I Summer 2009
BOBBY GILLIAM
President, Methodist Children’s Home