Bokenkamp Children's Shelter

Providing short-term care with long-term impact

Juan is a bright, cheerful and determined 12-year-old from Honduras. His mother and father, hoping for a better life for their child than the unending poverty, violence and hunger of their homeland, spent their life savings to send their son to live with relatives in America. He arrived at Bokenkamp Children's Shelter after traveling on foot over 700 miles of punishing terrain before he finally reached the United States. Along the way he would survive violent attacks that left him fearful and withdrawn.

When Juan arrived at Bokenkamp, he was malnourished, dehydrated and sunburned. His feet were in worse condition than most. Not only were they raw from blisters, but they were infected from where he stepped in prickly pear cactus.

The staff cleaned and treated his wounds. His feet began to heal, but the psychological and emotional wounds took longer to get better. Thanks to the love and care of the staff, Juan has made another journey -- from a fearful refugee to a laughing, happy child.

He is learning English and how to read and write in his native language, as well as how to play games, laugh and smile all over again. He is no longer plagued by fears of the dark or of enclosed spaces. Most importantly, he has begun the process of being reunited with family in the United States.

Bokenkamp Children's Shelter is an emergency shelter for approximately 60 unaccompanied refugee children from Central and South America, ranging in age from infants to teens. These children have all experienced some form of traumatic separation from their families. Many are victims of the sex trafficking trade. Others are fleeing civil war and armies that draft boys as young as 12 to fight. Still others are searching for parents who are in the United States.

Bokenkamp provides short-term care that will leave a long-term impact in these children's lives by offering shelter, education and spiritual care.