Our New Refuge

At the end of May, a team of architects made their way to Cebu and spend a few days with me. We drove around the city, listening to Glee (My current favorite soundtrack to life) and looking at building designs. This team, who call themselves Visioneering Studios, decided to tackle our project as their one pro bono project of the year, and gave their time and energy to developing our new facilities for free. I have to say, at the end of those 2 1/2 days, when they showed me their sketches, I was amazed. I can't believe they were able to design this is such a short period of time! It's beautiful, and they really worked to meet all of our anticipated needs.

(Our new Facilities!!)

The drawing above is what the team went back to California and developed. Isn't it gorgeous?? We have to have a very high fence for security reasons, but they were able to incorporate the building into it and make the front softer and less intimidating. That front building will be admin and counseling rooms, meeting rooms, library and kitchen. Five of the structures in the bottom area will be homes. They can house 6 girls each, and will be set up to accommodate a family style situation (which is much more therapeutic than a group home!). The other structure, is actually an open area that we will use for any kind of meetings or gatherings or programs. The best part is, the property is on a hill, so if people are standing in that open area, they will be able to see the ocean, even with the high wall at the bottom!

(A view of our property, just purchased this week! See the Ocean?)

At the top part of the property, outside of the gate, we will build another home, that can be a transition home. We are finding, with our clients, often times they are older, or have children, and don't fit the requirements for other shelters who offer education or other services. We want to fill that gap. We will build this transition home so that those who are not appropriate for other placements, and can't go home, will still have a chance to go to school, or get a job and save money, before going out on their own.

So much of recovery depends on feeling safe. Safety is accomplished by physical surroundings, structure, and relationships that are built. I have watched girls lives change by the relationships they have built with our staff here. And I'm so thankful that Visioneering drew this concept of safety and relationships into every aspect of their sketch. It just looks... peaceful. Don't you think?

Right now, the MRH board is in the process of fund raising to build this new facility. If anyone wants to help by giving or hosting your own fundraiser, please let me know! We desperately need it to so we can make this sketch a reality!