Kyle McClellan is a hard-working man – the founder of Brace for Impact, former MLB pitcher, KMOX Radio Sports team member, husband, and father of two is a busy guy with a fuller plate than most. But even he knows that no one works harder than a mom. Cooking underappreciated meals, wiping runny noses, picking up the same toy sixteen times a day, kissing every bump and bruise, and folding unending loads of laundry are just a few things every mom deals with on a daily basis. And while they’ll all tell you that they wouldn’t have it any other way, not a single one will turn down the chance for a day off from all of those mom duties every now and then.
So when McClellan’s Brace for Impact team made their latest semi-annual trip to Haiti, they offered just that to the four moms who care for the children at the IDADEE Children’s Home – a day off. These moms have devoted their lives to the care and well-being of the thirty-two children who live at IDADEE. With eight children to each mom, that doesn’t leave much room for downtime in their busy schedules. While the moms rotate their time off, they never get the opportunity for the four of them to take a whole day off together. McClellan and his team devoted one day of their trip to this Mom’s Day Off, with the mission team taking charge of the kids for the day, while also providing money for the mom’s outings and even a driver to take them wherever they wanted to go.
Meanwhile, the mission team took charge of the kids and spent the day with the IDADEE crew. In spite of the language barrier, there was no shortage of fun to be had all around. The kids had no agenda – they just wanted to spend quality time with the team. They made crafts, colored in coloring books, played both board and ball games, and shared meals with the kids. But the most important thing they did was shower those kids with simple love and affection, and the kids in return loved them right back.
When the moms came home that night, refreshed and relaxed, it was to a happy home, well-tended and loved. They were renewed by their experience, ready for the next day, their responsibilities seeming that much lighter. The experience was an all-around success for everyone involved and Brace for Impact intends to make Mom’s Day Off a standard part of the itinerary for their mission trips from now on. In the meantime, in addition to continued financial provision, these moms can also be supported by a daily cover of prayer from all those who support the mission of Brace for Impact, sustaining them from afar until next time.
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