“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;” 2 Corinthians 9:10
Kyla recalls a less than idyllic early childhood. Her mother did not graduate from high school and struggled to find adequate work while trying to care for five children. Eventually, she experienced issues with substance abuse.
The kids quickly learned to be independent and creative. They took care of each other when their mom was not present. Despite their challenges, the siblings never questioned their mother’s love or devotion.
They still recall how she did her best to make sure her children’s needs were met, but at some point, it all became too much.
“We never went hungry. If it meant we were making ramen noodles, eating old cereal or raw hot dogs straight from the package, we just managed to get by, and that was our normal,” Kyla recalls. Despite how fond they were of their mother, the kids lived in conditions deemed unsuitable for children.
Days before her 6th birthday, Kyla arrived at BGC. As her mom drove away, Kyla whispered, “I Love You,” then her mom’s car became a blur in the distance. Kyla was sad that their family was being split up, yet a feeling of relief crept in with thoughts of a warm bed and a full tummy.
“There are so many wonderful memories of living at BGC,” Kyla says fondly. She appreciated the stability, love and family environment. Whether it was holiday celebrations or pancakes every Saturday, the traditions helped her overcome painful memories of the past.
Kyla’s journey with God began with the many Christians who fed into her life every week. “Ms. Gloria, our House Grandmother, opened her home to us like we were her own grandkids, and we got to swim there in the summer. She made us Easter baskets in the spring. Our mentors from Lakewood Church would bring over their families with dinner from Olive Garden and just hang out with us. And so many people at Fairfield Baptist church taught me what it was like to be a Christian every week at Sunday school.”
Kyla graduated from Texas A&M University in 2014. She is a Regional Manager at a successful company in Houston and is grateful for the opportunity to give back to others in need with both time and financial resources. She’s married to a God-fearing man, and she continues her own walk with God. She attributes her success to the love she received at BGC.
For 50 years, kids like Kyla have needed Boys and Girls Country to provide the home and security their families cannot. With God’s provision and the support of our partners, we’ve been able to give them what every kid deserves: love, safety, structure, education, health, and a foundation of faith. Your support ensured that Kyla would carry the memories and examples of a healthy family and Christ-like love into her adult life.
For the second consecutive year, we’ve had to cancel our annual Spring Festival, which provides $350,000-$400,000 annually to care for our children. More than ever, your support allows us to transform the lives of kids living in trauma and unhealthy environments and change the outcome for generations to come. In this 50th year, we celebrate with more than 1,600 alumni and their families. None of this would be possible without the love and generosity of friends and partners like you.
Please consider sowing into the lives of the next generation, so we can reap another 50 years of blessings for children. Your prayers and financial support are needed to help us provide the home that kids like Kyla so desperately need. Your gift will make a life-changing difference to our children. Please consider making a one-time or a sustaining monthly gift to our children and become a part of the Boys and Girls Country legacy, growing children for life.
Thank you for being a blessing to our children!