A child's haven from poverty

Monday, September 23, 2002
A little girl, a resident of the children's haven.

INDIANOLA -- How does $1,000 turn into $32,000, and a playground? With a lot of perseverance ... with a never-give-up can-do attitude.

Indianola's Rotary Club started four years ago with a $1,000 donation for a children's haven in Mexico. And four years later, with the help of Rotarians in Minnesota and Mexico, the donation grew to $32,000 and will be used for playground equipment, cement and electrical service for the haven. The pet project for Don and Suzie Burton, Bartley, is the Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, children's haven, where indigent parents can bring their children until they get on their feet. The Burtons -- "snow birds" who spend winters in Texas -- started a fund drive for the haven, and soon discovered all sorts of strings attached to a request for a matching-fund grant.

"The application had to be in Spanish, too," Don said. "And the playground equipment had to meet the Mexican government's health standards." And the application had to be processed through a Mexican Rotary club.

Haven residents gather in the kitchen.

More strings, more hoops, more conditions.

"If not for Topper (Fossen) and Cliff (Lord), I was ready to give up two years ago," Don Burton said during a Rotary meeting Sept. 12.

"Cobwebs grew on our money over the years," he said, "but our perseverance really paid off." The initial $1,000 grew to $32,000, with donations and help from the Anoka, Minn., Rotary Club, two Rotary clubs in Mexico and matching funds from Rotary district and international organizations.

Don Burton, with three haven residents.

"I can't say enough for this little Rotary Club," Don said. "We completed an international project, with just the six or seven people who meet regularly."

The Burtons have been involved with the children's haven for many years. Mennonites started the haven about 30 years ago, Don said, and it houses 50-or-so children at a time. "These children are so precious," Suzie said.

The children at the haven are not adoptable, she said. They are given an education, religious training and medical attention. "This is a tremendous opportunity for children of poor, poor families," she said.

The haven is funded entirely with donations, and receives a lot of help from the Christian Church in Bartley, Don said. Don often takes van-loads of clothing and other donated items to the haven. "These people are amazed that anyone north of the border cares, and cares enough to help," he said.

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