Depew church of Christ families recently hosted several boys from the Westview Boys’ Home in southwest Oklahoma. A married couple or house parents drove them to one church family’s home.
They arrived on Saturday afternoon, enjoyed a great dinner, and stayed the night with that family.
The boys played outdoor games and placed their names on the Sunday morning worship planner.
Most of these boys, aged 12-15, come from homes where the parent(s) can no longer guide their son's needs. The boys may come from a life of drugs, crime, failing school grades, and even neglect and abuse. At Westview Boys’ Home, they are provided a stable home life with caring adults.
Parents or guardians are not asked to provide financial support. If the child’s legal guardians or parents choose to contribute a tax-deductible amount, either regularly or occasionally, that is acceptable.
You might ask, “How does the Home manage to continue?” That’s a good question.
The Home, established by churches of Christ during the Great Depression, is supported by free-will contributions as a charitable relief for parents of struggling boys.
Parents are typically at their wit's end or “the end of their rope” when they reach out to Westview.
When they visit for consultation, a counselor on staff interviews both parents. Each prospective boy is also questioned if he wants to live at Westview and must sign an agreement to finish the two-year program. By signing this agreement the boys are accountable for following rules.
They are then placed in a house outside town, under pleasant conditions. After two months parents may contact and visit their sons. Sadly,notalldo.The rural farming community provides a stable, caring, loving, Christian environment. Each boys' cottage is owned and operated by Westview Boys’ Home.
Most of the boys will complete the two-year program.
The boys are taught to respect authority and learn personal responsibility through caring for a cow or a pig and doing scheduled daily and weekly chores within the home.
Local schools accept and place the boys at their appropriate grade level. They are expected to honor school policies and keep up with their studies. A Westview Boys’ Home reward system provides incentives.
The Bible teaches, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Unfortunately, some parents don’t respect God and His Word. That is one reason for the world’s turmoil. If only criminals had been taught to love Jesus!