By Dexton Shores

There are many needs, but these are the most , in priority:

1) Roof (awning) over the recreational area or patio. We need shade covering over at least half of the recreational area, but preferably all of it.  This will enable us to use more the recreational area due to the extreme heat that is typical of Arcelia.

2) Build a large multipurpose room. This will be a place where we can have music classes, tutoring and study hall with an appropriate environment conducive for studying and doing homework. It will also serve as a chapel for worship and other meetings and get togethers, if you are in agreement.

3) Computer lab with a least three computers where older children can do homework and educational activities. This would also allow the opportunity for interactive educational games for the children.

4) Since we have 18 children now, we could also use another Suburban or van for transportation.

By Casa Hogar Staff

•    Children are responding very positively to their environment. They were given some tests to evaluate their maturity and the results were encouraging. They were not excellent grades, but satisfactory.
•    Sister Maria Elena Vieyra from the Church of Christ visited and asked the children to write down what they wanted for Christmas. Bro. Agustin continues to support us with regular Bible teaching classes for the children. One of the children, Amairani has excelled with excellent grades in school.
•    The president of the DIF gave us free supplies like milk, cookies & corn meal for making tortillas.
•    Children’s personal hygiene habits have really improved
•    Had a wonderful celebration of the Christmas season with piñatas and gifts for all of the children & they really enjoyed the visit of Debbie Simmons, Adam, and Grace.

By Dexton Shores

Lyn Ragsdale went to Arcelia on a mission trip with the Prestoncrest group in October and painted several murals on the walls of the orphanage. Every day a young deaf mute by the name of Emilio in his twenties, faithfully helped Lyn paint the murals. She shared near the end of the week that she had lost a son four years earlier in an accident and that he would be about the same age as Emilio. She wanted to do something to help Emilio in memory of her son and donated money to teach him sign language.

When Lyn returned home she said she realized from her experience how she could fill the hole in her heart that had been there four years and she began to serve as a volunteer in a nearby school to teach first generation Hispanic children English. She sent the money to pay the expenses of a sign language teacher to spend a week in Arcelia to teach the first classes.

The week before Christmas, a teacher from Mexico City went to Arcelia to teach sign language classes to Emilio, and two children that are also deaf and mute. People in the community from the school and churches were invited to also attend the classes to learn how to communicate with the deaf in their community. During the month before the classes, Emilio suffered a period of depression and resorted to drinking alcohol. He attended the first day of classes, but we were disappointed that he did not return for subsequent classes even though his family encouraged him to go.

The two deaf children, however, attended every class with about 25 other family members of the deaf students and other interested people from the community. Six workers from the orphanage and all of the children attended and were very enthused to learn sign language. They formed a choir and sang in sigh language at the local Church of Christ and at the church were Perla is a member.

SIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES
December 20-23, 2008

Three deaf students:

• EMILIO ESPINOZA RAYO DE , 27 YEARS
• ARISBETH, 10 YEARS
• CARLOS, 12 YEARS

• ROMOALDA
• ROSA
• JOHNI
• THAMAR
• ARMIDA
• MARCELINA
• MARIBEL
• EDGAR
• ARGENTONA
• JESREEL
• ABRAM
• YATZIRI
• HENRY
• JARETZI

ORPHANAGE STAFF

• MARIA EUGENIA ESPINOZA CALDERON
• AMAIRANI MENDES MEDINA
• LEONARDO MENDEZ MEDINA
• NATIVIDAD CALDERON NUÑES
• MARIBEL RODRIGUZ NAVARRO
• JUAN LOPEZ GALLARDO

CHILDREN FROM THE ORPHANAGE

• ENRIQUE
• ANGEL
• SARAHI
• MARIANO
• RENE
• ANA
• LINDA
• KERSEY
• JOSMAR
• MAGDIEL

By Dexton Shores

Debbie Simmons, a school teacher from Arlington, contacted us expressing her desire to serve a week in one of our Mexico orphanages during the Christmas holidays. After sharing the three options with her, she decided to serve in Arcelia because she felt the houseparents there needed more help. Debbie, her 22 year old college student son, Adam, and her 12 year old adopted daughter from China, Grace arrived in Mexico City on Christmas Day and were met by our country director, Juan Carlos Millan. They traveled to Arcelia the following day and served for six days. Following are a couple of emails received by me and Bill Bledsoe from Debbie after her return.

Dexton,
We’re home safely. Enjoyed Arcelia and the children. Juan and Maribel have such big hearts…want to start a library for the children..took just 5-6 books but am collecting books in Spanish for them. Bought two in the airport on the Mexican pyramids and Mexico City..esp for Francisco and Enriquez (Francisco told me he wanted to be an archeologist.) Juan Carlos Millan and his family were very gracious to us…He is fantastic and such a positive guy…said they might come to Texas in April…Love to see them again and have them for dinner or take family to Six Flags. Daughter Ester was very sweet and mature. Thanks for your help in facilitating this trip…Let me know how to stay connected…Their faces are in our hearts… debbie simmons, Arlington
______________

Hi Bill…
Got off the plane about an hour ago…loved the trip, the adults and the children… wanted to bring several home with me. Juan Carlos Millan and his family traveled with us and stayed til Sunday. They were very positive and terrific in helping us feel at home. Juan and Maribel were so gracious and outdid themselves making us feel welcome and feeding us like kings. The children were energetic and affectionate. You have done a wonderful work in this city and it is amazing the doors God has opened through you, Perlita, the Lopez couple, Buckner, etc….The 4 who recently arrived are all so eager for love…they squeeze you until you know you are going to feel the hug for weeks to come. I bought a couple of books and a Spanish movie for them in the Mexico City airport…really want to start a little library for the children…to help them in school and expand their worlds so they can be successful…left puzzles, educational games, crafts, etc… More later….thanks for sharing…we were blessed…