Did your mommy and daddy leave you too?

Yesterday I was visiting the houses on our campus stressing the importance of dental hygiene with our staff when I noticed a new little one laying on the sidewalk in the sun. He looked at me and said,
"When you were a really little girl did your mommy and daddy bring you to this place and leave you here too?"
I wondered what was going through his mind in that moment? Rejection, feelings of abandonment...loneliness?

We had a long conversation about life and in the end he's still convinced that I too am an orphan and that I continue to live with my house-parent in the big green house. And you know I am okay with that because in a way it's true. There was a moment when I found myself in need of "forever" and in grace and mercy my Heavenly Father swooped in, satisfied that need and adopted me into His "forever" family.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the Heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In LOVE He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption..."
Eph. 1:3-7a

Please pray for these precious little ones as they wrestle....pray for healing to rise up in the most profound places. Please pray for the adoption situation in Guatemala, that God in mercy would impart wisdom to those in the highest positions in government as they make decision that will affect this generation and generations to come.

A life update....

Life here has been so busy....as usual right? We have been so blessed! So many beautiful things to share and equally so much intercession needed as we head into 2010 at full speed!

The past few weeks have been so busy! Stefan just finished his 52nd day of homeschool which means he'll finish his 2nd six weeks shortly! He's doing so well....getting adjusted to the routine and really self-movtivated! He'll have the next few days off as we prepare for our big Thanksgiving celebration here on campus....

This year Casa Bernabe has celebrated 25 years of service to Guatemala's children! There have hundreds of children pass through the ministry and it's been amazing to hear testimonies of children who have had an encounter with the Living God and been changed forever by HIS unfailing, limitless love! This coming weekend we will get together with friends and family to honor the Lord for his faithfulness over the years! We are so excited to see old friends, to enjoy good food and to remember together all that God has done.....

On Saturday we will have fair like activities for the kiddos, a huge cook-out/picnic and then worship together. Then Sunday we will have a special activity/program highlighting the last 25 years and then we'll have a traditional Thanksgiving meal....we'll be sure to post pics as soon as possible.

We continue to meet with the youth and it's been so much fun! Please continue to pray for these young men and women as they prepare for their futures. We are looking forward to our last meeting on December 2nd. It will be a fun time to get together, eat and play games. We've been so impressed with these young people and their maturity as we've talked about such moral issues as abortion, stealing, abuse and more. Please continue to pray for open hearts and for healing to rise up through these meetings.

Over the next two weeks Stefan and I will have the opportunity to help finish painting Casa Nueva Esperanza which will allow for more relationship building with those boys! And I will finish up several projects before heading to OKC for Christmas. I have been working on calls to local donors and have much left to do on this project...please pray for favor as I communicate with those in our area about the need for continued sponsorship. I also have a newsletter and monthly thank you card to get out....

I am so grateful to work with such an amazing team, men and women truly committed to fighting for justice, loving deeply and seeking solutions for each child that enters our care. I am learning that while I often feel so incapable of doing what is before me that it's important to remember that if it's before me that God has allowed it and will equip my hands to accomplish the task.

Last week Flory and I went to a women's breakfast at a local restaurant. I was surprised, right there in the middle of the restaurant these women were worshiping, crying out to God for healing, restoration and a word in and for their lives. The woman who shared that morning talked about having victory in the battlefield of the mind. I was convicted that many days it's so easy to get defeated as the work is great here and the laborers are few. Sometimes what has to be done is overwhelming and I allow the task to defeat me. I was reminded through this meeting that I am more than an overcomer and that I am simply the vessel. Such a timely and good reminder in this busy season.

Please continue to pray for us:

1. Pray for unity as our staff prepares for 2010.
2. Pray for healing to rise up in every area, in every child.
3. Pray for Stefan and I as we continue to build relationships with the children we serve.
4. Pray for a supernatural impartation of Spanish in our lives. My job requires a high level of Spanish fluency and I have MUCH to learn...and little time to study.
5. Pray for continued financial support so that our family can continue to stand in the gap.
6. Please, please pray for the provision of a vehicle in our lives....we REALLY need a vehicle to be used on both a professional and a personal level.
7. Please pray for our 2010 staff....there are so many needs in this area! Teachers, house-parents, house-helpers....etc.

Thanks for your prayers, support and love!!!!

A day with the boys....

A fun day in the sun....

Learning to play baseball...

Playing tazos....still not sure how this game is played or it's purpose....

More on Samuelitos....(See earlier post for details...)

This is the little church that is currently serves as a "Samuelitos" base in Chimaltenango.

These are the kids/adults that went with us to deliver the gifts!

One of our kids giving a gift...













This is the sweet family that serves the children of "Samuelitos" each weekend. They provide Bibical instruction, education about such things as reforestation, abuse prevention, hygiene and more. This family also provides meals for these children who otherwise would likely only eat
once daily.

Dia de la Biblia....Celebrating the WORD...

Celebrating the Word.....

In August we were so excited to be able to dedicate one entire day to celebrating the Word of God here at Casa Bernabe. We felt that we could not celebrate the WORD without sharing the Word in some way and so we decided to pack up shoe boxes each containing toys, toothbrushes, school supplies and a Bible. We were not sure who we would donate these shoeboxes to but we knew God would provide the perfect place - and He did!

The kids worked hard, creating cards, choosing the best of their own toys to give and then wrapping the gifts. It took a few months to find just the right place but this past weekend God brought the project to an emotional close as we donated the gifts to a ministry in Chimaltenango.

Samuelitos: Un Reto Para Vivir....

Samuelitos is a ministry begun by this young lady (left). Laura is 21 years old and has a heart to see the children in her village come to know Christ in a personal way. Laura's parents are pastor's at a small church in the village which now serves as a base for this new children's program. The church is small....but on Sunday when we arrived there were about 100 people crammed into the tiny building. The children were absolutely precious! They themselves led worship, a time of adoration, prayer and Bible reading. Then the kids said thank you with a dance...

The most impacting moment came when Laura asked the kids from Casa Bernabe to give out the boxes they had prepared.... on of the kids had great expectations...his hope was to watch a child open the gift that he had prepared. God is so good, so personal and so with us....He considered the desire of Alizandro's heart and provided just that! A tiny little boys dug into the box and with great excitment pulled out the gifts that Alizandro had so lovingly given. The expression was priceless and Alizandro's reaction I will never forget. Later in the van he said, "I feel so privileged, so privileged to get to give of what I have...." All around the church kids excitedly opened their gifts and so many were excited about the Bibles that we had put in each box. Most of the kids do not have access to the Word of God in their homes. It was so exciting to see their reactions....such a blessing to be able to give back to the Kingdom.

Thank you for being a part of Casa Bernabe's extended family, for interceeding for our children and for enabling us to be able to give back!

Beauty in our midst....

"A crown of Beauty instead of Ashes...
the oil of Gladness instead of Mourning...
a garment of Praise intead of a spirit of Despair..." Isaiah 61:3



It's been such a busy season....and yet so sweet! This week I have been working diligently on a Plan for Protection for our organaization. Casa Bernabe recently linked arms with the Viva Network - Red Viva here in Guatemala. Viva is an organization dedicated to training, networking and protecting children in crisis across the globe. As our involvement with Red Viva increases so do our oportunities to train our staff.
My section of training has to do with specific ways that we as an organization can be protecting the children that God entrusts to our care. It's been such a fun project. The information is amazing and will take us beyond evaluation and into action. While I am nervous about presenting in Spanish I'm so grateful for the oportunity to continue encouraging our staff, learning alongside one another and working hard together to create a healthy environment where we can grow kids God's way!

The boys at Nueva Esperanza continue to be so fun for me! There are 13 of them from 7 years old to 11 years old. I have one word for them...ENERGY! They are like a Monster Drink out of the can...ALWAYS! My goal in June was to get to know each child by name and I am so grateful to the Lord as he allows me each day really get to know each kid...beyond just their name.

Last week I spent a good deal of time just talking with different girls. It's been so good to hear their hearts, to sort of separate them from the rest and discover what makes them unique and then of course look for ways to help them live their dreams.

This week we've been so busy with all kinds of activities! We are getting ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary in November and so rehersals have begun for that. On Tuesday we spent time thanking a special group who have been here this week installing a really cool communication system. This will be so helpful especially at night!
Yesterday the psychologists had a really neat program to end their year with our kids...an art contest! At the end of the contest everyone stayed to watch a movie and have popcorn....it was raining and cloudy making it the perfect afternoon for a movie. Luky and Karla do such a great job with our kids....
Today we are celebrating the end of the scholastic year. There will be a special program to honor those completing the 6th grade as well as junior high. (I'll post pics a bit later...)

Thanks for your prayers as we continue to serve these children!!!

New experiences, New hope....

This past weekend Stefan and I had such a great time! We were asked to housesit in Nueva Esperanza, our home for boys 8-11 years old. At first I was a bit intimidated at the thought of 14 boys and only one of me but it turned out great! There were folks who helped on and off but God was so good to keep a steady flow of energy, creativity and strength for each challenge. Stefan somehow managed a day of homeschool in the midst of madness and Sam survived a weekend alone.

Saturday we took family pics, played a two hour game of baseball....that was interesting seeing as baseball is not a much played sport here, we made dozens of cookies, homemade carmel popcorn and then settled in for Swiss Family Robinson...which the boys LOVED!

Thank you for continuing to keep us and our CB family in your prayers! There are so many activities coming up as well as staff vacations which happen once a year. These vacations leave us with less staff and so our energy, creativity and ability to handle challenges have to be steadfast and constant.

I will write a more detailed update soon......