Something to share with you from March 2009

Donation of School Supplies
Our children received a donation of school supplies from the children at Pagosa Springs Intermediate School. With the children out of school and on Spring break, the kids have lots of free time that is now filled in by drawing, coloring, and physical activities! School supplies that are donated are always a blessing. At the beginning of every school year, Casa Hogar has to come up with all the school supplies for each child required by the school, each teacher provides a detailed list of all the supplies that will be needed throughout the course, and the school material varies from pencils, erasers, crayon, paper, notebooks, scissors, glue, etc… As the child gets older and transfers on the middle school and high school, the required school material list gets larger. The school itself does not provide any school material thus, the reason for hardships for many parents when it comes time to send their children off to school.

Generously Supported
Dr. Dan Keuning and his family have generously supported the Casa Hogar project for 4 years. He donates medical supplies to Casa Hogar for the children’s use. Casa Hogar, through the Ministries of Love program, has distributed the medical supplies donated by Dr. Keuning to low income communities and to other organizations such as the Red Cross in Mexico. He also donates his time as a doctor, offering free medical check ups to low income families located in sub-urban areas of Manzanillo, and the outer border of Manzanillo where migrant families abide.

Thanks also to the Lewis family and Pastor Jason Rose!.



A place of refuge for those who need refuge.
There is a scripture in the new testament in which Paul is instructing Titus on how to lead the church of his time. Paul is laying out a beautiful progression of a natural response to kindness and grace. He says in Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…” and he ends the thought in verse 14b with, “…a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

This phrase “eager to do what is good” or “zealous for good works” is one that is hard sometimes for me to understand. Many times I need a real life example to understand scriptural concepts, but in early Spring of this year I had the opportunity to see an example of this “eager to do what is good” lived out in a very real way… I had the opportunity to visit Casa Hogar los Angelitos in Manzanillo, Mexico with some friends from my community. Pastor Jason Rose and I (from Grace Evangelical Free Church in Pagosa Springs, Co.) met with the Keuning and Lewis family, also from Pagosa Springs. These two families spent a month doing projects around the orphanage using their time and talents to serve. Dan Keuning is a medical doctor and was able to practice care of many of the children at Casa Hogar los Angelitos, and in the nearby village of La Lima. The primary purpose for me going was to see the wonderful work being done, and to evaluate whether to take more willing folks from our community down to support the project.

My first impression of Casa Hogar can be summed up in one word… Sanctuary! A place of refuge for those who need refuge. It was quickly evident that for the children living there it is a place to be nourished physically, spiritually, emotionally, and educationally. There is so much peace among them, in contrast to the harshness of life found just outside the orphanage walls. The vision that Nancy Nystrom was given is being born out through willing workers and servants to the children of Manzanillo and the surrounding areas, and it is a beautiful example of being “eager to do what is good”.
I look forward to my return trip with others from our church in June 2009. I look forward to building deeper relationships that have been started with the children of Casa Hogar los Angelitos, and the wonderful staff that works for The Children’s Foundation. I also look forward to the encouragement that I will receive from the people who are “zealous for good works” as the result of experiencing God’s grace in their own lives.

Chris Liverett, Pastor
Grace Evangelical Free Church
Pagosa Springs, Co.

Proyecto Portal Partners Hilltop Community Resources and
Casa Hogar los Angelitos

…a unique gateway to Spanish Language learning

Hilltop Community Resources, a human service organization in Grand Junction, is honored to be partnering with Casa Hogar los Angelitos in a unique language learning and exchange program. Proyecto Portal is designed for area organizations and businesses looking to actively encourage and support their employees in developing Spanish Language skills. The project partners “immersion format” Spanish Language instruction with guided service-learning trips to Casa Hogar los Angelitos. The combination of intense language study & real life practice in a service-learning environment is customized for differing groups and language levels and a commitment to small groups allow for maximum adaptability for participants and minimum adverse impact for our hosts.

At the core of this project, Hilltop hopes to honor and encourage those of their over 500 employees, who have expressed a desire to learn or improve their Spanish. The byproducts of this project include better serving the Spanish speaking community, as well as promoting cultural understanding and exchange. Hilltop also recognizes the opportunity through this partnership and project to spread the word about and provide long term support for the Casa Hogar & Ministerios de Amor. Creating a “sister program” type of relation- ship affords the mutually beneficial exchange of ideas, experience, resources, and vision.

Hilltop’s pioneer group of Proyecto Portal participants travelled to the Manzanillo in February and helped establish a new style of volunteer programming that includes engaging the Casa Hogar staff & youth in offering our participants classes in regional culture and cuisine, art, music, dance , history and geography. Conversely, Hilltop participants lead customized youth activities and staff trainings throughout the course of the week based on individual participant’s professional experience and personal passions. Intermingled with all of the classes and activities is formal Spanish language instruction and tutoring, as well as structured language exchange opportunities between participants and youth. A well rounded and winning combination!

For information on Proyecto Portal please contact Kelley Sura
at 970-640-8588
____________________________________________________

Hilltop Community Resources, Inc.
1331 Hermosa Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81506
970-242-4400/Office
97- 243-4646/ Fax

Promotion Event in Manzanillo
On March 15, the children of Casa Hogar participated in a benefit program...cooking 1500 doritos (little tacos)...and performing in downtown Manzanillo in order to help raise funds for the Casa Hogar.

It was obvious that they enjoyed this experience

Something to shere from January 2009

RECEIVING AND GIVING LOVE!

Casa Hogar los Angelitos began the year well. We are thankful for all who helped make the past year a great one. We give out our thanks in advance for the future help that will be provided to us. Mexican tradition celebrates January 6 as the arrival of three wise men at the birth of Jesus Christ. Tradition has it that upon their arrival, each wise man brought baby Jesus a gift; thus, the reason for a celebration on January 6. Families gather together and eat traditional, crown-shaped bread made especially for the occasion. It is a symbol of the crown placed on Jesus Christ head. They also exchange gifts, and enjoy the Mexican tradition of piñatas and candy.

Comercial Mexicana brought our children gifts, traditional bread and milk that the children enjoyed!



Happy BirthDay!!!

Happy BirthDay!!! We had many children celebrate birthdays in January and February. They were invited for lunch to Cabaña de Gaus Restaurant by child sponsors Lori and Brenda Muirhead, who sponsored the event. The children all loved the meal, shared with one another, and wanted to save food for their siblings that live at the Casa Hogar. Brenda Lepe demonstrated to be a great example for our younger children. Once the warm food was served, she helped and showed the others how to use their utensils properly. Brenda is in her third level of middle school and next year she will go on to high school. We are proud to say that she currently has a 9.8 GPA out of 10!
For our boys Uriel and Alfonso, this was a new experience; It was their first time at a restaurant. Cristian had been to a restaurant before, but not recently. The three boys did a great job using their utensils. They all were receptive and open to learning proper table manners.

After the meal came the dessert :) All the children enjoyed having cake after a nice meal. The majority of them had the intention of saving their individual pieces of cake for one of their little friends back at the Casa Hogar. Once they were told that the remaining cake was to be brought back for the other children, they went ahead and ate their pieces!

Thank you, Financiera Independencia for keeping us in your thoughts.
All through the year Financiera Independecia gathers funds for Casa Hogar los Angelitos, and in January they give us a check. When this takes place they also bring piñatas, cake and candy for our children.

3rd Annual Golf Tournament

Our teenage boys visited during the Golf Tournament. They all had a great time!

Thank you, S.S.A Mexico for sponsoring our annual Golf Tournament event.
On January 17th Casa Hogar los Angelitos A.C kicked off their annual Golf Tournament.
We received support from different individuals; among them was Bob Findley who actively sponsors two of our children, and Ambassadors Steve & Diana Stout, who are active in supporting Casa Hogar.

Benefit Dinner in Manzanillo
For the past 11 years Casa Hogar los Angelitos has hosted an Open House & Benefit Dinner. This year the event was held at the Grand Pavilion in Valle de las Garzas, Manzanillo Colima Mexico. The children held a spectacular presentation event of Pre-Hispanic and traditional Mexican dances. Janice Morgan was the chair person of the event and she did a great job putting together the event. She worked in coordination with a large group of wonderful people who donated their time before and after the event. It was a success because of their efforts.

OPEN HOUSE We appreciate all who participated as sponsors for our annual Manzanillo Open House. Tours were given to visitors, the children danced, and the teenage girls celebrated their quinceañeras in the company of their friends and the family they have who could spend time with them.Before the children performed the staff was presented to the spectators. The majority of the staff has worked with the project for more then a year. It was done as a form of appreciation for the excellent job they are doing with the children!

Many commented on how well the children performed and how it was a highlight of their evening.We strongly appreciate all the support given to the Casa Hogar los Angelitos project!

February

We initiated our Art Class this month with 14 of our childrens in attendence.

Architect Manuel Medina is donating his time as the Art Instructor.

He is doing such a great job!

Happy Birthday!

February:

Pilar

Katia

Claudia

Alfonso Alvarado

Katia

Emigdia

Jose Gutierrez

Staff:

Roberto

Sra. Lilia

Something to Reflect Upon

Why do we need Casas Hogares?

Edith Aida Sanchez Murguia

I was eating a few days ago with my friend Nancy Nystrom, whom I hold in very high esteem and with whom I have had a very intimate bond and friendship since 1997. She said to me, “Amiga, why don’t you talk about why we need Casas Hogares?” an unusual subject for us, perhaps, but one that concerns her tremendously, as she is at the forefront of Casa de los Angelitos here in Manzanillo. She has been an altruistic person, giving her time and the very best of herself to support kids from families with a range of problems that hurt their children preferentially. I promised her I would, and, well, a promise is a commitment, so today I am making good on it. A Casa Hogar shouldn’t be just another house that takes in abused, abandoned or orphaned children only to submit them to a series of norms that place limits around their behavior. The children in casas hogares should receive the attention that they lost, so that they may live in a balanced environment, effusive on the emotional level, that they may feel the joy of being alive, that they may do things with enthusiasm and enjoy the security of a home, so that later on, they might have constructive relationships with others, be successful in school and at work, be productive and have the capacity to adapt to changes. Simply put: THAT THEY MAY BE HAPPY. To achieve that a child lives in an authentic family environment where he or she can find understanding, attention, and maternal affection, he or she has the support of the people who care for and pay attention to each one of the children. Nobody can give what they don’t have, nor teach what they have never learned. A child who doesn’t receive love from the time he is little will have difficulty giving it when he is older. But if the environment that is found in a Casa Hogar is one of love, attention, care, preparation, they will achieve the majority of the goals for which Casas Hogares were created. The Casa Hogar should give a child that arrives there, first of all, self confidence. A child that has abilities will be able to face any test and will be capable of overcoming any of life’s crises. Children in casas hogares, through individualized attention, will discover and stimulate their talents. A child that triumphs in an activity will build self-esteem and will be capable of solving problems. The children that arrive at these homes should form, from the moment that they arrive, a consciousness of respect for the law, respect for the rights of others, respect for the truth. Guided by this concept, they will discover other virtues like honor, loyalty and worth, which are the same virtues that will help them develop their future. “If God is the powerful pilot that flies the plane on which we are all passengers, if He loves us, he guides us, let’s trust in Him, I trust in Him. There’s no reason not to be happy!” The child must know that through the darkness comes light, that every problem has a solution for those that believe that things will get better for them. That is why casas hogares are necessary, but very few of us worry about the fate of so many children that suffer abuse, rape, hunger, drug addiction. Get to know one of the casas hogares and its needs, and if you can and help, any resource is well used and they need a little of us. My respect and admiration go out to Fr. Jose Rodriguez and to my friend, Nancey Nystrom, for giving the affection and support that so many kids need. May God bless them always for that. And as always, I would like to thank you for your preference and your time, and those of you who have told me that you read my column on our web page and outside of my city, thank you very much as well and I remain at your service at: edithsanmcheareflex@hotmail.comhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGPgJRpJSBap1a1ToYOHKkqR9z3ADmhCX4y-W53zDGiM7ouRNJxUanJeu4UkFqjd3eLj8GKy2_2SKikIXrQ-btgbRcXb1_VQXn3zJzYXDLOY8YuyaC2QIWVfYFv5zMObN1rEn/s1600-h/Imagen1.png

Dinner Benefit for Casa Hogar los Angelitos A.C.

It will take place with the purpose of collecting funds for our kids.

Date:

Saturday January 24th

Time:

Silent Auction....................6:00 pm (18:00)
Diner and Program............7:30 pm (19:30)

Place:

Gran Pavilion ( Casino Fair Grounds ) Valle de las Garzas, Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

Ticket Price:

$ 400 pesos mx.

$ 40 USD

For further information please call: 314-33-408-78

or call Mia Moreno: 33-477- 05

www. casahogarlosangelitos.com

¨Changing the life of a child, one child at a time. ¨

Virginia Olson Invited our kids to participate in the opening program of Playa Grande Condominiums. It was a marvelous presentation of the kids of Casa Hogar los Angelitos in company of the kids of Casa de la Cultura.

The Campo Verde College arranged an appointment to make a Posada (fellowship reunion) with the boys and girls at the casa hogar. Previously the high school teenagers have helped us in a generous manner; they voluntarily donated their valuable time as a support to our installations; consequently they experienced a great deal of time with the kids.

Everybody had fun with the competitive games, piñatas and candy; they rejoiced greatly with the games played by the high school students of Campo Verde.

Sponsorship Posada

The teenagers danced and presented for the sponsors. To the kids Dancing is a way of expressing their gratitude. The sponsors were pleased and enjoyed the presentation they adapted well to our program.

Jorge, Andres & Francisco as well as all the children are thankful for all the support they receive from their sponsors, and they take their time to present a dance known as ¨Las Comaltecas¨.

Laura y Juan Pablo presented a dance known as Jarabe Tapatio. Both kids are intelligent, affable, and they offer to help in what ever is necessary.

Laura y Juan Pablo presented a dance known as Jarabe Tapatio.
Both kids are intelligent, afable, and they offer to help in what ever is necesary.

Good bye Old year, Welcome New year 2009 !!!!

To say good bye to the old year the staff participated in a drama. Both the staff and the children reflected on what the old year left and proposed goals and objectives for the new year 2009.

For the Goodbye party of the old year the menu was pork meat and deep fried meat. The Lunch preparation was a lot of work, the teenagers helped put it together. The teenagers demonstrated great teamwork abilities.

Raul Lepe in support of Luis Hernandez, Roberto Lara and the teenagers helped deep fry the meat.
What a nice way to say good bye to the old year and receive the new year; with a father and son fellowhip.

Alejandra, Brenda and Rodrigo eat their lunch after serving everyone else first.
They did a great job at distributing food to all the younger kids.

Happy Birth Date to :

Isabel, (Social Worker Assistant), Artemio, Andres, Beto, Rut & Francisco

We took advantage of good bye year party to sing Happy Birthday to our birthday kids of the month of January. The majority of the kids were satisfied with lunch that they did not eat cake.

The Teenagers show off their gifts.

Our princess enjoyed their Babies, dolls, and we can´t forget their fashion glasses.

Gift´s of Love ...Diciembre 2008

One of the programs at Casa Hogar los Angelitos is “Gifts of Love” or “Regalo de Amor”. This program began in 2006 with the objective of allowing individuals to give a monetary donation making it possible for each child to be given a special gift at Christmas. We begin promoting this program three months in advance, and anyone can make a specific donation for this purpose.

On Christmas Eve the children of Casa Hogar los Angelitos receive their gifts and enjoy a full day of festivities. Parents of the children are invited to the casa, and they each bring one thing to contribute to the buffet dinner. The children so look forward to the traditional Mexican foods like tamales, atole, Christmas salad, and a Christmas pie called jericaya! For entertainment they play different types of games and enjoy candy from pinata’s, but the most exciting moment is when the time comes to open the presents. They gather around the Christmas tree that is decorated with their homemade ornaments, and every child wants to be the first to receive their gift! They often include a gift of necessity like shoes or clothing, but also a fun gift they desire as well. Before the youngest children at the casa are put to bed that evening they bring baby Jesus and lay him down under the tree to sleep with the angels. It is a sweet, special gesture much like the gesture of those who give to this program, and to our little angels.

Our annual Christmas celebration with friends and family is a cherished tradition for all who are present, and we thank you for caring about our children. We ask that you pray for these children and the many thousands of other children who live each day in desperate and dangerous situations.

Shopping for love

The Christmas season is approaching quickly, and thoughts turn to shopping for loved ones . . . As you begin, we’d like to share with you that The Children’s Foundation is excited to be registered on GoodShop.com. It is an online marketplace that allows you to choose from hundreds of popular merchants. The experience of shopping through GoodShop is exactly the same as going to the retailer’s websites directly. What’s different is that each time you make a purchase on GoodShop.com a percentage of that purchase can benefit our organization! All you have to do is simply choose The Children’s Foundation as your cause. In addition, you can begin to utilize GoodSearch.com as your search engine of choice. Not only will you get great search results but GoodSearch will make a donation to The Children’s Foundation as well.

We also have been given another wonderful fundraising opportunity by nationally acclaimed artist and Children’s Foundation supporter, Tom Dubois. At “Triune Art” they are on a mission from God to provide their patrons with pictures in Christ, and The Children’s Foundation is being registered to receive 25% of every purchase made in our name. Please browse their website at http://www.triuneart.org/ to see their beautiful, visual saving moments bearing witness to the ONLY true God in the TRIUNE name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an individual or congregation to purchase true art by a true master!

As we enter 2009 we hope these will be ongoing and successful fundraising ventures for us, and one that will be easy for everyone to participate in. We would love to ask that you begin now to search and shop on our behalf. Thank you. Happy Holiday season.

Love Ministries

Our team is out, the truck is loaded and ready to go to the immigrant camp.

The donations we received are shared with them. They come from WallMart; such as, bread, vegetables, fruit, and clothing. Shoes and clothing were donated by the community.

Thank you for your generous donations!!!!

Every 15 days Casa Hogar Los Angelitos makes donations to natives from Guerrero. The donation is made up of edibles; such as, bread, fruit, vegetables and water. As well as, clothing, shoes and blankets.

(right) Margarita, daughter of immigrant parents, is happy in her innocence. She doesn’t worry of what she will dress or what she will eat, and if her buddies will approve of her dress apparel
She is happy to receive a pair of sandals and a set of clothing specially; she gives a spectacular smile when she receives a green dress with flowers.

(above) Roberto is distributing a pair of Jeans to Alejandro; who gladly accepts them.
Alejandro is the only child who understands and speaks spanish with little difficulty. The other children seem to understand, but don't speak spanish.

Alberto (center), one of the kids of CHLA, has gone a few times to help out with the donation drop off.
We are glad that he is willing to help out, and that he has the opportunity to live this experience.
It helps him value life as it is, and helps him recognize the world from a different persfective.

Migrant families gather together on the ground to eat.
They are nomadic people, and when they are in Manzanillo, we extend our hands and aid them in ways that it is possible for us.

Of course this would not be possible with out your help and support.
On behalf of all the children and Staff,
Thank you again, for your contributions!!!!!!