Graduation day!

Today, the children of Colegio Shalom celebrated the graduation of students from kindergarten, sixth grade, and high school! Everyone got dressed up, attended a ceremony where they received their diplomas, and enjoyed lunch afterward. From Casa Shalom, Evelyn and Raquel graduated from kindergarten, Jose Alfredo, Colim, and Ada from sixth grade, and Enma from high school. We are so proud of all of our children and their academic accomplishments!

Left: Evelyn and Raquel in their caps and gowns.







Walfer and Gabriel, from the local AIDS hospice.


















The kindergarteners take this graduation business very seriously













Raquel with her teacher and her diploma.



















Evelyn with her teacher and her diploma.



















Colim with her sixth-grade teacher.


















Baby Mynor wasn't too impressed with the celebrations, and decided to take a nap.















Marina, Raquel and Evelyn's house mother, presents them with a special graduation ring.











The 2010 Casa Shalom graduates (from left: Jose Alfredo, Enma, Evelyn, Colim, Ada and Raquel)

Going home

Today, Josh and Jessica will be returning to Guatemala to continue ministering at Casa Shalom, after a 2-month fundraising furlough. A BIG thanks to the many pastors who allowed us to share our ministry with their congregation, and to the many who have supported us financially and in prayer. Please continue to keep us in our prayers, as we ask the Lord to provide for us financially and to bless our work in Guatemala.

New beginnings

At Casa Shalom, we value the education of our children very highly! They are given every opportunity to succeed beginning in pre-K, and continuing through elementary school, high school and eventually, college. This October, the end of the Guatemalan school year, the orphanage had 1 high school graduate: Enma, 17. She has successfully completed high school, and in January, will begin studying for a tourism degree, a popular choice in Guatemala due to the great number of tourists that visit Guatemala each year from around the world. At Casa Shalom, each young person is given a choice to continue studying after college, even though our legal responsibility for them ends at 18.
They have the freedom to choose whatever career path interests them. We believe that by providing them a trade school or college education, we can break the cycle of poverty end their lives. Enma with be the sixth Casa Shalom kid who is currently studying for an advanced degree - other young adults at the orphanage studying business and marketing, computer engineering, accounting, mechanical engineering, and more!

Rayos

The Rayos, the Casa Shalom boys ages 10 - 14, pose outside the front gate. Our children are divided into individual houses by age and gender. In their houses, they have a house mother or father who cares for them and provides spiritual and academic guidance and lots of love. Beatriz, seen in the photo below, provides care for the Rayos house.

Book time

Linda and Abby, both 2, take some time of from playing to "read" their new books! Both little girls love to be read to, and love to turn book pages and call out the names of items they recognize.