Tender Life Maternity Home

TENDER LIFE MATERNITY HOME WELCOMES BABY NUMBER 27! Welcome home, Baby Leo! Our resident, Nancy Renteria, gave birth to Raymond Leo Renteria on February 11th. He was 9lbs, 9oz and 21 in. Long. The doctors decided to do a C-section, since things were slow-moving after two full days of labor. This little one finally made his debut, and we’re so excited to have them both home and resting!

Just wanted to take a moment and highlight our resident Yenyfer Rocha for her progress at Tender Life. Recently, she has been getting closer to God and beginning to listen to his voice and we have noticed a complete change in her attitude. Yenyfer said that God had told her to stop complaining and to do things with joy and a grateful heart. She is listening to Him, and she seems to have a skip in her step lately! It’s amazing to see how God gets a hold of people’s hearts, even in little ways. We’re so proud of her for learning to listen to and obey the voice of God!

Our resident Neddy Arteaga is so close to finishing her diploma program! Neddy started working towards her diploma through the VACE program In August. She was worried about the amount of time it would take to finish it, because she is looking forward to beginning job searching. As she’s been going through the math class, she has been overwhelmed and frustrated, but God has been helping her through step-by-step. Neddy is now one week away from finishing math completely, and she only has three classes left to go before she graduates! We’re so proud of her hard work and effort. She has worked tirelessly to get the job done, and she hasn’t given up. Her determination is going to pay off soon, and we couldn’t be more proud!

It’s almost time!!! Nancy Renteria is about ready to deliver, and she’s got that pregnant glow! Only two weeks left until her due date, and she is so ready for her little one to arrive. Please be praying for Nancy to have a smooth labor and delivery and wisdom as she prepares to be a momma for the first time!

Here at Tender Life we are looking forward with hopeful expectation of second chances and families being reunited! Our resident, Iliana Alvarez, is now having visits here at the house with her one-year-old daughter, Yadira. We are praying that soon God will open the door for her to have more time with her throughout the week, and that eventually she will be back in Iliana’s care full time. Iliana is currently pregnant with her first baby boy, whom she will be naming Ezekiel. She’s working hard to pull her life together and to get to know God better during her stay here. We’re so proud of the effort she has put in to being the mother God has called her to be!

Nancy Renteria is making wonderful progress here at Tender Life! She is currently taking addiction education classes through New Start For Moms, taking parenting and pregnancy classes through Ventura County Pregnancy Center and she’s working hard volunteering at the church three days a week. Nancy is growing in the areas self discipline and time management, as well as growing deeper in her relationship with God. We look forward to watching her flourish even more during her time here

Our resident Neddy Arteaga is doing a wonderful job in school! She is studying for her high school diploma through Ventura adult and continuing education. Neddy recently finished an Earth Science class, as well as a Life Science class, and she is currently working to complete a math class. She only has three classes left to complete, which is about 15 credits, and she will receive her diploma! She’s working hard, and pushing herself to complete it all amidst raising two children, volunteering for the church and taking care of her responsibilities in the Tender Life program. We are so proud of her continued efforts!

Former Tender Life resident is blessed with a car!!

TENDER LIFE MATERNITY HOME RECEIVES A NEW RESIDENT Tender Life is excited to welcome Nancy Renteria into our home! Nancy is five months pregnant with her first child, and totally ready to start this new journey with the Lord. Nancy has started volunteering at the church during the week, and she is excited to serve in different capacities around the church. We look forward to watching her grow during her time here!

The time has come to say goodbye to our dear resident, Ayanna Hitchcock, and her beautiful baby, A’mara! Aryanna is moving out to Bakersfield with her family where she will begin nursing school. While she was here she did excellent volunteer work at the church using her organizational and administrative skills in the office. Aryanna is a first time mom, and she has shown what a nurturing and loving mom she is even when she’s tired and overwhelmed. We will miss Aryanna and baby A’mara, and we pray God’s blessing upon their lives!

Welcome to our world!! Baby A’mara Kristine Arnold arrived on October 3rd, weighing 8 lbs and 5 oz, and she is very healthy! Aryanna was so ready to have her baby but at 41 weeks, she was still pregnant. A’mara finally made her entrance, and Aryanna was so excited to bring her home. Aryanna hopes that this little one will be appreciative of life, that she will always work hard, and that she will choose to go to college. We’re so excited to have her at the TL residence with us, and we look forward to watching her grow! A'mara is Baby number 25 since TRC has provided oversight for Tender Life Maternity Home.

Happy Thanksgiving from Tender Life Maternity Home. We are so thankful for all of you!

We’re so proud of Neddy for her hard work! She recently got her driver license, and now she was able to obtain a vehicle. She did things the right way by registering the car in her name and obtaining good insurance. She is succeeding more and more as she trusts God and does things the right way!

Aryanna Hitchcock is several days past her due date now, and we are all so excited for the arrival of her little girl ~ Amara! Ari has been having contractions pretty regularly and will hopefully be giving birth real soon. Please pray for strength and comfort for this Mama and for the safe delivery of her precious baby!

Meet Our Advisory Board Member Terry Long Terry Long, and her husband Doug, have been serving in a Foursquare Church ever since they committed their lives to Jesus over forty years ago. They attended a church in the San Fernando Valley for 22 years and found themselves at church every time the doors were open. This is where they learned that serving was part of their DNA, whether it be supporting the lead pastors, ministering to the congregation, serving as Children’s Ministr...y Coordinator or taking care of the facilities. In 2000, the Lord called their family to Ventura, and ever since then Terry has faithfully assisted in the Church Office at what is now The River Community Church. She prefers to be behind the scenes and has worked with teams who volunteer and prepare for the many church functions over the years. One key event that Terry has supported these past 20 years is the Tender Life Maternity Home Walk. She has been on-site to help with set up each year come rain or shine (and yes, it poured one year, but faithful people still showed up!). Terry currently serves the Tender Life Advisory Board as their Scribe in addition to assisting Jim Duran, the Executive Director, with any administrative duties related to Tender Life. Doug and Terry were high school sweethearts and have been married for 41 years. They have two adult children, one son-in-law, a grandson and soon-to-be daughter-in-law and granddaughter. They have celebrated over 25 years in pastoral ministry and are looking forward to seeing how God will continue to use them to serve Him and His people.

Great job to our House/Case Manager Lauren Stockton and our Assistant House Manager Cynthia Juarez for doing such an amazing job fundraising for the 2020 Annual Tender Life Walk. Lauren and her team raised a total of $2069 and Cynthia raised $1200 by herself. Thank you to all who supported the walk which raised $25,000!

Trish Steele is the founder and CEO of Women Crowned In Glory / Safe Passage. Trish is an author, model, beauty consultant and spokesperson who brings awareness to the issues of domestic violence. Recently, Trish reached out to TRC and Tender Life offering donations of new clothing ~ with the tags still on them! It's not very often we get to see the blessing of brand new donations, especially during this virus season.

A big welcome to our new Assistant House Manager, Brandi Brown, and her daughter Jamie! Brandi successfully graduated from The City Center, and she was asked if she would like to step into the role of Assistant Manager here at TL. Brandi was working at a drug rehabilitation center at the time but was about to begin a new job at Starbucks closer to home. When Pastor Jim approached her about house managing at Tender Life, she felt like God was opening the door for her here at Tender Life to care for the mommas and babies! We’re so grateful for her willing heart, and we look forward to getting to know her and Jamie more during their time with us!

Beach Day At Tender Life During the last heat wave that hit our county, the ladies and babies were able to enjoy a fun field trip to the beach. It was some much needed quality fun for the moms and a great day of swimming and watching the children play.

Tender Life would like to take a moment and highlight our home's Assistant House Manager, Cynthia Juarez (pictured on the left with Meghan Ingamills, a Tender Life resident). Cynthia has been such a wonderful influence on the ladies here. She serves with all her heart and shows the love of Christ to each lady. Cynthia will be getting hitched to an amazing man in October, and she will be deeply missed as a resident of Tender Life! We appreciate all that you do, Cynthia! Your hard work and continuous good attitude reflects in those you serve on a daily basis!

Former Residents Alondra Vidal wakes up at 3:30 AM, gets to work by 5:00 pedaling her beach bike uphill to Vista del Mar, puts in a full day’s work, and pedals home again to do it all over again the next day. She had been getting a ride from another employee occasionally, but he is ill and no longer able to take her. A driver’s license is not yet a reality for Alondra; first she needs to secure a learner’s permit, then pass the driving test after six months of practice with... a licensed driver. But she is thankful to have her job and is willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to get to work on time every day. Is a motorized bike an option in the interim? Her little one, Jaziel, is just starting to walk at 16 months, for which she is very thankful as well. But transportation is even more challenging for the two of them. A neighbor at The City Center handles transportation to daycare, but otherwise it is walking, biking or busing it for the two of them. See more

Megan is doing a wonderful job here at Tender Life. She is working hard to learn and grow so that she can be a good mom to baby Myla. Megan wil be starting Triple P parenting classes soon, and she is excited about it! Triple P is a parenting and family support system to prevent and treat behavioral and emotional problems in children. It aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support.

These two TL kids have officially started school! Noah is just entering Kindergarten, and David is now in 2nd grade. Although it’s distanced learning, they’re having a wonderful time. Being quarantined and having to learn a new way to do education has been difficult for everyone. But it was certainly good to see the looks on these boys faces as they joined Zoom meetings and were able to see their teachers and classmates. We look forward to seeing their growth as they continue on through the school year!

Former Resident At long last, SHAY McDOWELL was able to have her ten-year-old daughter, Jessie, spend the night with her and little Caleb at The City Center. Jessie lives with her dad, who has full custody, and had not previously been allowed to spend the night. This month she not only had weekend visits, but Shay was entrusted with caring for Jessie for 10 days while dad and stepmom went on vacation. A major victory! They enjoyed going to the Santa Barbara Zoo, attending a drive-in movie and playing miniature golf. She made friends with Serenity, another TCC resident, who accompanied them on their excursions and made her visit even more enjoyable. Playing with younger brother Caleb was also part of the fun experience.

Nereida is doing a fantastic job as a mommy of two little ones! Things have gotten busier, and Neddy is still healing from her C-section, but she is ready to get started back in the program. Neddy, along with her roommate Annastacia Doll, will be attending classes online through Ventura Adult and Continuing Education to get their GED. We’re so excited for the both of them! This is just the beginning of an amazing journey!