Casa de Esperanza
   P. O. Box 66581
   Houston, TX  77266-6581
   (713) 529-0639

Spring/Summer 2005 Newsletter

Volunteers of the Year: The Wolverton Family and The Kleinhenz Families The Wolverton family began the tradition of fostering children and the Kleinhenz families,
as the next generation, have carried it on in an inspiring way.
 

Rena Faye and Jack’s son, Steve, lived at home when Carrie came to the family and their daughter, Julie, was away at college but she was home enough to feel a family relationship to her. Julie married Eric Kleinhenz and they had three biological children. Julie and Eric then took in two Casa children who needed only short-term foster care. The big step came later when a brother and sister were placed in Julie and Eric’s care. The brother suffered from an attachment disorder that made it extremely difficult for him to form relationships. Interestingly, and luckily, the small child immediately took to Julie’s dad. Jack was his favorite and he learned to say paw paw before mommy or daddy. Jack’s sudden death left the family devastated. It was by fostering and later adopting a third child from Casa that gave Julie a new focus and brought joy back into her life. Julie and Eric continued fostering and then adopting another Casa child.

Julie and Eric wanted a country setting for their family. They built a home on 16 acres where they have horses, dogs, cats, goats that give milk, chickens that lay eggs for the children to gather and a small fishing pond for the older children. The work in progress is a sports court for basketball and tennis.

Meanwhile, Eric’s brother, Keith, and his wife, Sheila, had had two biological children. They wanted more, but they had a strong desire to help children who were in need. They decided to follow Julie and Eric’s example and fostered, then adopted a Casa child. More foster children followed. They were not all easy situations at the beginning. Two of the children came to them with the condition referred to as “failure to thrive.” Now Sheila and Keith are in the process of adopting these last two foster children.

Between them the Kleinhenz families have five biological children and seven foster or adopted children from Casa. The seven Casa children range in age from three to six. The older, biological children in both families nurture, guide and entertain the younger children. The two families live about 30 minutes apart and get together at least weekly. The children each have “best buds” counterparts with their cousins. Two of the girls take ballet together and another two have the same piano teacher and are working on duets.

Julie and Sheila, the two sisters-in-law, are like actual sisters, but without the sibling rivalry. They take turns caring for the other’s children so they can each have “date nights” with their husbands. Eric and Keith also take over on occasion so Julie and Sheila can go out together.

 Rena Faye has recently died after a long battle with cancer. Jack and Rena’s legacy lives on in the Kleinhenz families and the many children who have had the good fortune to become part of their lives. Rena stayed an active part of Carrie’s life and was her “mother figure” until the day she died. Carrie is grown now and still has severe emotional problems but is managing to find her way in life.  No matter what difficulties Carrie may face, she will always know that she had a mother and father who loved her  unconditionally.  According to Sheila, “Everyone who knew Rena Faye knew that she was crazy about her children, grandchildren and foster children and she treated them all with tender love and kindness. We loved and respected her greatly.”

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