Mission of the Month

These past 4 years, IPC has been involved with this home in Lillois, Belgium. Lillois is a small village near Waterloo and Ittre. Le Refuge presently is home to 30 children (of 23 different families) aged 3 – 15 years, boys and girls, who are wards of the state. Some children can visit their parents for various periods of time, some children are not allowed to visit their parents at all, and some children are progressively spending more weekend time with their parents in the hope of returning to live in their home.

In a nutshell, ¾ of the children are under juridical protection and ¼ of the children are “in danger” and cannot go home at all.

One of the goals of the Refuge is to slowly integrate the children into their home as the parents and the children are rehabilitated and counseled.

The Refuge has been operating for 45 years and some 450 children have passed through its doors. Occasionally, a previous “tenant” of the home returns to visit. However, most of the children who leave the home find it very difficult to return and visit due to all the anguish and hurt they have felt during those years.

Mr. Jean-Paul Delcorde is the director of the home and has been for the past 36 years. There is a (fulltime + part time) team of 26 who, in various capacities, work with the home: helping with homework, housework, psychological help, an adult who sleeps at night in the home, cooking, and more.

All the children attend school but no more than 3 attend the same school. This is so the children integrate and do not form their own little group. This has proven to be a healthy program. However, only 10 children attend a “normal” school; the others attend various types of schools catering to children with special needs. Jean-Paul says that more and more children arriving at Le Refuge have various types of handicaps (mental, physical, emotional). It is not easy to coordinate and provide for the needs of so many.

The director and his staff try to instill the importance of school and the notion of respect (self respect and respect of others). The children need to feel they are “capable” and need a great deal of reassurance and encouragement.

We hope you will contribute to the mission project through your donations and, if possible, will join us for making a “hands on” different work day on Saturday, 28 August. Thank you.

IPC intends to have a work day to refinish/rejuvenate the playground equipment at Le Refuge.

There are 5 sets of wooden playground equipment which have not been maintained in at least 3 years. As you can imagine, with rain and usage, the equipment is in dire need of our help!

The mission funds will be used to offset the cost of: renting belt sanders, deck protector, brushes, etc.

The workday invites all adults and youth to help – hands on assistance is needed to complete this mission project!

The date: Saturday, 28 August.

More details will follow later in the summer!