Jorge Angel and Fatima

Today, we received 2 more additions to the Casa Shalom crew. Jorge Angel and his little sister Fatima bring the total number of Casa Shalom kids to 65. The 2 children come from another orphanage that is downsizing. Jorge is 2 and a half years old and Fatima is 6 months. Please keep the babies' house parents Oliver and Monica in your prayers - these are the 2nd and 3rd new babies they've received in a week!

Big blessings

We are excited to share with you some of the miracles we've seen recently at Casa Shalom - it is wonderful to see how the Lord is using people just like you to make a real difference at the orphanage.

- After announcing that the organization that has been donating bread was going to cease their donations to Casa Shalom, we received a donation to buy 1 month of bread for the children!
- The white van was desperately in need of new tires, and we received a donation to replace them!
- A team visiting from Myakka, Florida make a donation to continue the work on the well!
- Orphan Resources International recently made a much-needed donation of corn flour, beans, milk, and sugar!
- In turn, Casa Shalom has been able to be a blessing to others in need. In the past few months, the orphanage and visiting teams have been able to take well over $4,000 worth of food to the Rio Bravo feeding program!

Photo: Clemente works on his muscles while his younger brother Martin looks on.

Ada and Colim pal around before Christmas vacation .

Maria

Yesterday, Casa Shalom welcomed a new child! Little Maria is two and a half-years-old. Maria's mother couldn't afford to take care of her and left her at a local AIDS hospice. Since Maria doesn't have the AIDS, it was decided that she'll live at Casa Shalom. She's a sweet little girl who is already integrating herself into the baby house - that makes 15 babies and toddlers!

And we are happy to report that yesterday, baby Abagail, 8 months, was released from the hospital and is back at Casa Shalom. As diagnostics aren't nearly as advanced here as in the U.S., her illness was never fully explained to us - we know she was suffering from an internal infection, but the location of the infection was never pinpointed. Nonetheless, we are excited to have her back at Casa Shalom - please keep Abagail and Maria in your prayers!

Just getting started

We recently sent out a special edition of our monthly newsletter (if you'd like to recieve TheHansonsinGuatemala newsletter, just send us an email) detailing some of the work we've completed in our 8 months in Guatemala, as well as our plans for the coming year. This may be old news to some of you, but we want to make sure everyone is aware of our plans for the coming year! In 2007, when we decided to come to Casa Shalom, our intention was to stay for one year. The end of that year is rapidly approaching, but we both feel that our ministry at Casa Shalom has just begun! We thank God that He is using us in great ways to minister to the kids of the orphanage and the school, and He has expanded our ministry to include some very needy kids in Rio Bravo. We are currently in the process of raising funds to stay in Guatemala for at least another year. We believe that the Lord isn't yet finished with us in Guatemala and we ask that you pray that He provides a way for us to continue ministering here! If you are interested in supporting us financially, please contact us at TheHansonsinGuatemala@gmail.com