Welcome to The Xena Project’s “Special Report” page.
The Xena Project is proud to be bureaucratically light, and of our reputation for caring more about the people in front of us than numbers on a report. We are also, however, committed to transparent operation. What’s the clearest way to communicate community impact? Crunch the numbers and share a report! We are happy to do just that, as often as our community and supporters ask. Every time we create a summary, we share it here. Whether it is monthly programs or a specialized effort such as Hurricane Harvey Relief in 2017, you can always look here for hard data on what The Xena Project is doing and how we are doing it.
If you would like to request more information about anything detailed here, please contact us. Thank you!
December 2018 Report to Simonton Community Church, from the Director:
This month, The Xena Project is grateful for:
The ladies who supplied meals for each of our fall Thursday night Bible studies at Simonton Community Church. Last week, a veteran who attends every Thursday remarked that these Bible studies are the only time he gets a home-cooked meal, and that he has difficulty conveying how much it uplifts him. We all agree…. thank you, Simonton Church Family, for loving and feeding us.
Establishment of a lending library, sponsored by Simonton Community Church. Thanks to your incredibly generous end of year support, this first week of December we have begun stocking and establishing a robust library of faith-based resources, in addition to proven titles that help warriors overcome the earthly barriers keeping them from a rich relationship with God (such as financial troubles, relationship stress, and similar). We are stocking the Fort Bend County Jail, which previously held primarily popular fiction; establishing a traveling library that will go on a monthly basis to Veterans Treatment Court and Veterans of Foreign Wars meetings; creating a “library spot” for law enforcement officials working in the jail; and making books available to warriors in our programs. A full list of titles will be available online soon. Additonal “thanks” to [former Marine, member of the congregation] for referring us to a used book store in Fulshear that is now officially book hunting for us, and to the veterans in the Simonton family who have donated additional books that were impactful to them.
An outpouring of resource support from private members of the community, and in the form of a $5,000 grant from EcoLab. The resources are a blessing, but what cracks my heart wide open is how these gifts are a display of trust. Every penny that is shared with The Xena Project stands as a sign that the people in our community see God working through The Xena Project, and God has put it on their hearts to be a part of that work. They trust us to be earthly stewards. More to follow as we develop the financial plan for the year to come, founded on a great deal of prayer. Please pray that God makes it clear in our hearts what He wants done with these resources.
A new relationship with Rice University’s Center for Civic Leadership. We met in November, and are thrilled to work together as community partners. Initial discussion included collaborative possibilities ranging from curriculum contribution (emphasis on justice-impacted veterans and law enforcement advocacy) to student project mentorship, and lots of exciting things in between. More updates to come.
A new relationship with Peace Lutheran Church, through Rosenberg Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Xena Project is taking over the VFW’s sponsorship of a mailing campaign to currently deployed troops from this area; we are hopeful this will lead to robust relationships with these veterans when they return from war.
A request by EMS Support Staff to host monthly small groups on trauma at their location, beginning in January 2019. This is humbling because these groups will be our first codified engagement with EMS, and they reached out to us. They have requested trauma management care, with faith-based healing tools available to those who request it. Please pray that we see clearly how to be of service, and that God directs us to the spaces where we are supposed to look.
The upcoming year, which already includes:
- Financial Peace University, a 10-week course, to be offered free of charge to warriors and family members beginning in January
- Weekly Bible studies in Fort Bend County Jail
- Weekly Bible studies at Simonton Community Church
- Monthly support of Fort Bend County Veterans Treatment Court, as well as support of individual veterans, families, and court staff between dockets
- Monthly fellowship groups for EMS Support Staff
- Law enforcement training on de-escalation, periodicity TBD
- Special presentations as already requsted by area civic clubs, veterans organizations, and others
We are grateful to do this work. We are grateful to be here. We are grateful to be trusted.
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Thus Far in 2018 (27 May Report):
Direct Services
- More than 300 hours of pastoral care and peer-led counseling provided to more than 75 veterans, 35 family members, and 15 law enforcement officials
- More than 100 hours of animal-assisted healing at the ranch in Beasley
- More than 20 Bibles and 50 sets of booklets/tracts provided to warriors and families
- 16 weeks of Bible study held at SCC, with an average of 10 warriors attending
- Five training classes provided to more than 150 law enforcement officials in Fort Bend, Baytown, and Dallas on de-escalation of combat veterans in crisis, including scenario-based exercises
- Four days spent in Harris County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) and two days in Fort Bend County VTC, bringing messages of hope and God’s forgiveness to the more than 100 veterans involved in the VTC court system, both felony and misdemeanor dockets
- The virtual ministry is growing, with more than 66 posts, 89 visitors, and 151 views
Special Initiatives and Events
- In May, two trips to Austin to advocate for trauma-impacted veterans
- In March, hosted 12 volunteers from the University of Missouri, who provided hurricane recovery services to several of our veteran families. Thank you to SCC for housing and mentoring them!
- In February, a suicide prevention/awareness walk by the Brazos where miniature horse “Star” met approximately 200 community members
- In January, Romeo Llama arrived, courtesy of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. The llama had been running loose in the Kendleton area; we suspect he’s been on his own since Hurricane Harvey. We hope to eventually add Romeo to the roster of animals able to work off-site.
Relationships
- Exploratory meeting scheduled with the Richmond Outpatient VA Clinic to determine how our ministry can better reach and support VA-served veterans, with an emphasis on Vietnam veterans
- Received first direct referrals from Fort Bend County Behavioral Health Services, following a 90-minute training provided to their team in March on de-escalation of veterans in crisis
- Growing a relationship with the Fort Bend Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, following a 30-minute presentation at their February meeting
- Thank you to Family Hope for feeding several of our warrior families
- Thank you to the Heart of Texas Foundation for facilitating initial introductions to Fort Bend County Jail and providing mentorship as we grow our veteran-focused jail ministry
- Thank you to WordServe Church for allowing The Xena Project to speak and preach in March
Coming Up
- Weekly small groups run by law enforcement officials, for law enforcement officials. The first group leader has been identified, and planning is in progress for a group to launch in the Sugarland area
- Several warriors are beginning training to become certified by the Alliance of Christian Counselors in Combat Trauma Care and Counsel, joining our five peer counselors already certified
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February 2018 at The Xena Project
By the numbers:
- More than 75 hours of pastoral care and peer-led counseling were provided to approximately 25 veterans, 10 family members, and 5 law enforcement officials
- More than 40 hours of animal-assisted healing occured at the ranch in Beasley during February.
- Miniature horse “Star” attended one off-site event, a suicide prevention/awareness walk attended by approximately 200 community members.
- The ministry team distributed two Bibles and more than a dozen sets of booklets and tracts to warriors and family members
Headlines:
- The Xena Project has been approved to work in Fort Bend County jail, where approximately 30 veterans are currently held. The Xena Project will remain true to the highly individualized care that is our hallmark by first meeting with each of the veterans and asking with open, loving hearts how we can be of service; these insights will then be used to craft relationship development plans for the long term. More to follow!
- The Xena Project is grateful to the Fort Bend County Crisis Intervention Team for our shared presence at Fort Bend County’s recent “Out of the Darkness” Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk. On Saturday, February 24th the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held a community walk at Brazos Park. The Xena Project brought miniature horse Star, who was immediately pressed into service for the comfort of numerous families who have lost loved ones to suicide. Among them were several military families. We are now in touch with the Katy-based Hope Connection, a suicide loss support group that includes additional military families; more to follow as this relationship grows.
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January 2018 at The Xena Project
By the numbers:
- More than 100 hours of peer-led counseling and pastoral care were provided to approximately 40 veterans, 15 family members, and 3 law enforcement officials.
- More than 20 hours of animal-assisted healing occurred at the ranch in Beasley.
- Weekly groups grew, and now include approximately 20 regular attendees who served in Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and peacetime
- The ministry distributed 4 Bibles and more than 20 sets of booklets and tracts.
- The team grew by one llama. “Romeo” arrived last Monday courtesy of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. The llama had been running loose in the Pendleton area, prompting calls from area residents for at least one month that the Sheriff’s Office is aware of; we suspect he’s been on his own much longer. As he settles in and becomes more easily handles, we hope to add Romeo to the roster of animals able to go off-site.
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Please click on the links below for updates across all programs:
