A family dedicated to children
Donation protected
As many of you know Walter and I have a very full, diverse, challenging, and complex household. We are far from an average family, yet very much a family. The place we call home was never intended for a family our size, but here we are very much a family, and very big in size. Throughout the years, our doors have been open to love and care for children. Whether it's calling our kids to dinner, only to see five or six children alongside our own six squeezing around the dinner table (some whose faces I don't know), or buying a bed, rearranging our rooms and becoming Mom and Dad to a child God placed in our path. Our family has continued to grow and love over the years in ways we never imagined.
We are currently a family of eleven. Our oldest son’s name is Elisha. At the age of 18, life so far has been heartbreaking. He is continuing in his recovery and rehabilitation despite significant mental and emotional delays. We will continue to trust and thank God for his plan in Elisha’s life.
Siara is 17. She is doing her best to cope and navigate her way through significant mental and emotional challenges in her life. She understands that only by God’s grace will she move forward, and that there is much support needed to maintain as close to a normal life as possible.
Isabel is 16 and fights daily to break out of and overcome the struggles of her past. She is faced with many challenges, but believes that Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
Jaeon is 14. For him life often seems like a battlefield. School, for a learning impaired kid who has repeated grades, seems impossible. He has however found much encouragement and friendship in his church youth group.
Kyle is 14. He came into our lives at 16 months old. He needed a mother and for me there wasn't a question of "will I?" or "how?" It just was, and then there were 5. Kyle has a traumatic brain injury and is partially paralyzed. He also suffers from a severe mood disorder that has him in constant need of care. He knows he is loved. He knows we are family and I am his mom.
Malea is 10. She is a sensitive little girl. We often struggle to give her the time she deserves. Her desire to do well and find joy in life is inspiring.
Temaj is 3 and came into our lives at 3 weeks old. We became a second home to him the day we first saw him, and not long after that he became a wonderful little face and voice that we get to hug and kiss goodnight and wake up to every morning. He now shares a bedroom with Jaeon and is another one of the many voices calling me mom.
Davon also came to us at 3 weeks old. He is now 15 months old and a joy we can’t imagine living without. He is learning to explore the world and keeps us on our toes.
Marissa is 9 and came into our home this year after several years in foster care. She has found a sister in Malea, a mom in me, and a dad in Walter. The emotional damage becomes apparent within minutes of meeting her. Her heart is hurt yet still kind. It seems like a mountain of things to work through and we know that God will be faithful every step of the way.
My husband is our only source of income. He's a hard working man that goes non-stop. From packing lunches and making breakfast to regularly working until 11 and 12 o’clock at night, every hour of the day and every day of the week is spent supporting and loving our family. We receive no benefits or assistance. It is an absolute miracle that we make it month to month. We have very specific needs. Needs that will allow our very unconventional family to continue to love and grow into men and women of God, continuing to look beyond themselves and be doers of the Word.
Our home needs significant improvements to house our current family and give appropriate living spaces. Those improvements include insulating enclosed parts of our home, building a safe exterior wall for bedroom space, rebuilding a wall, installing widows to make bedrooms safe and bring them up to code along with some electrical and heating work. The supplies for these home improvements are very costly and will require professional labor.
We are also in need of a vehicle to transport our family to the many appointments that address our needs. I have had to travel 18 hr. round trips for my son receiving treatment. Our one car cannot handle my husband's work needs and the family's throughout the day. We are in need of a 12 passenger van. Repairs can be a big blow to our finances. Because our every penny goes to maintaining a safe home life, we are asking for help to buy a new van.
We are also in desperate need of a washing machine. As you can imagine with a house this full, not having a washing machine is a big deal.
These are our needs that stretch beyond our abilities. We are asking for your help - help to parent the parentless. To provide a home and family to little ones without. To love and accept as one of our own the children God has placed in our lives. We believe God has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of our children and it is our desire to dedicate our every morning to sharing his love.
We thank you for your prayers.
Rochelle and Walter Rice
We are currently a family of eleven. Our oldest son’s name is Elisha. At the age of 18, life so far has been heartbreaking. He is continuing in his recovery and rehabilitation despite significant mental and emotional delays. We will continue to trust and thank God for his plan in Elisha’s life.
Siara is 17. She is doing her best to cope and navigate her way through significant mental and emotional challenges in her life. She understands that only by God’s grace will she move forward, and that there is much support needed to maintain as close to a normal life as possible.
Isabel is 16 and fights daily to break out of and overcome the struggles of her past. She is faced with many challenges, but believes that Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
Jaeon is 14. For him life often seems like a battlefield. School, for a learning impaired kid who has repeated grades, seems impossible. He has however found much encouragement and friendship in his church youth group.
Kyle is 14. He came into our lives at 16 months old. He needed a mother and for me there wasn't a question of "will I?" or "how?" It just was, and then there were 5. Kyle has a traumatic brain injury and is partially paralyzed. He also suffers from a severe mood disorder that has him in constant need of care. He knows he is loved. He knows we are family and I am his mom.
Malea is 10. She is a sensitive little girl. We often struggle to give her the time she deserves. Her desire to do well and find joy in life is inspiring.
Temaj is 3 and came into our lives at 3 weeks old. We became a second home to him the day we first saw him, and not long after that he became a wonderful little face and voice that we get to hug and kiss goodnight and wake up to every morning. He now shares a bedroom with Jaeon and is another one of the many voices calling me mom.
Davon also came to us at 3 weeks old. He is now 15 months old and a joy we can’t imagine living without. He is learning to explore the world and keeps us on our toes.
Marissa is 9 and came into our home this year after several years in foster care. She has found a sister in Malea, a mom in me, and a dad in Walter. The emotional damage becomes apparent within minutes of meeting her. Her heart is hurt yet still kind. It seems like a mountain of things to work through and we know that God will be faithful every step of the way.
My husband is our only source of income. He's a hard working man that goes non-stop. From packing lunches and making breakfast to regularly working until 11 and 12 o’clock at night, every hour of the day and every day of the week is spent supporting and loving our family. We receive no benefits or assistance. It is an absolute miracle that we make it month to month. We have very specific needs. Needs that will allow our very unconventional family to continue to love and grow into men and women of God, continuing to look beyond themselves and be doers of the Word.
Our home needs significant improvements to house our current family and give appropriate living spaces. Those improvements include insulating enclosed parts of our home, building a safe exterior wall for bedroom space, rebuilding a wall, installing widows to make bedrooms safe and bring them up to code along with some electrical and heating work. The supplies for these home improvements are very costly and will require professional labor.
We are also in need of a vehicle to transport our family to the many appointments that address our needs. I have had to travel 18 hr. round trips for my son receiving treatment. Our one car cannot handle my husband's work needs and the family's throughout the day. We are in need of a 12 passenger van. Repairs can be a big blow to our finances. Because our every penny goes to maintaining a safe home life, we are asking for help to buy a new van.
We are also in desperate need of a washing machine. As you can imagine with a house this full, not having a washing machine is a big deal.
These are our needs that stretch beyond our abilities. We are asking for your help - help to parent the parentless. To provide a home and family to little ones without. To love and accept as one of our own the children God has placed in our lives. We believe God has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of our children and it is our desire to dedicate our every morning to sharing his love.
We thank you for your prayers.
Rochelle and Walter Rice
Organizer
Rochelle Rice
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
