“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” ~Brené Brown I like to think I’m good at “preaching” about the power and strength of empathy and vulnerability in building a healthy world. I even talk about how empathy and vulnerability are foundational to the healing and restorative work at My Refuge House. Sometimes, I like […]
We have many stakeholders in My Refuge House (MRH). Some of you share your time. Some of you share your talents. Some of you share your prayers. Some of you share your friends. For all of this, we are thankful. Each of you plays a significant role in supporting the mission of My Refuge House. Many […]
“Home is where we start from, but home is also where we are bound for, the place we always seek” ~ David Steindl-Rast I’m heading home today…after a 14 hour direct flight from Cebu to Los Angeles, I will be with my husband and kiddos. I’m very eager to be with them as our family lost a favorite aunt in Virginia this past week, […]
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Dear Lovely Supporters of My Refuge House, Nicole turned 12-years-old right before she moved into My Refuge House (MRH) last November. She has not talked much about the cybersex trafficking she survived when her eldest sister pimped her, and this is the first time she has been separated from her family. While she was […]
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit, the wizard Gandalf explains why he has chosen a little hobbit named Bilbo to accompany the dwarfs to fight their enemy. He says, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it […]
We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. ~ St. Augustine of Hippo These words can seem so simple, but a second glance begs us to dig a little deeper into the paradox that Easter can represent. Before I met the girls of My Refuge House, I worked with a mom in […]
If you are reading this, you are a character in the story of My Refuge House. Whether it’s your first or your 395th time clicking on our website, you are part of our story. A spark of curiosity caused you to click a link in order to read more. This is the spark that unites us. The tiniest spark of […]
The other day I was working at a local coffee shop and I did what I normally would do; I opened up my laptop, put in my earbuds and started to work. Before long I felt a tap on my shoulder. It felt as if an alarm went off waking me from my thoughts. […]
This is the story of how I recently learned a lesson in bravery, fundraising, and storytelling from my six year old. For those of you who may not know, when asked what I “do”, my first answer is usually, “I’m a family therapist.” When I became the CEO of My Refuge House last April, I […]
