An identity for Yennifer

Another Casa Shalom child has gained legal standing and a legal identity! Yenifer, age 4, came to Casa Shalom in early 2012 after being physically abused by her mother.  Yenny's mom never registered her with the Guatemalan government, and because of that, Yenny had no legal identity or protection.  We were recently able to register her, and today, she received her brand-new birth certificate.  We are grateful that Yenny will now be able to attend school, and one day get a good job and vote, which are all privileges that come with having a legal identity in Guatemala.

Mynor's forever family

 Many already know the story of little Mynor, who came to Casa Shalom as a newborn 2 1/2 years ago, after being abandoned in a ditch in Guatemala City.  We are so excited to share the news that today Mynor is being adopted and will be leaving Casa Shalom to live with his new mom and dad!  We will miss Mynor greatly, but we thank the Lord that He has provided a wonderful forever family for this precious little boy. It's a very happy ending to Mynor's Casa Shalom story.

Left: Mynor with his new family and below: Mynor as a newborn baby at Casa Shalom.

A special visit

Yesterday, we were privileged to receive a visit from Olga Gonzalez, a former director of Casa Shalom. Hermana Olga was director many years ago, but we know that she touched the lives of countless children who came to Casa Shalom during that period of time. We are grateful for all the previous directors, staff and volunteers who sacrificed and paved the way for Casa Shalom to be what it is today!

A beautiful mural

The toddlers pose in front of the incredible new mural in their living room, which was painted by last week's short-term missions team from Wings of Faith Church in Ocala, Florida.