Fireworks!

For the second year in a row, a local fireworks company has donated a wonderful show to the kids of Casa Shalom. Fireworks are a traditional Guatemalan way of celebrating Christmas! The kids and staff enjoyed the impressive show, and we hope you enjoy a few videos of it!

Christmas 2009

We here at Casa Shalom are celebrating Christmas 2009 in a big way. At the party, we enjoyed a chicken dinner cooked with birds from our very own chicken farm! Many of the kids also participated in a talent show. Enjoy some photos from our second Christmas party.

Carlos enjoys a big piece of chicken from Casa Shalom's chicken farm!

Even little Monserrat got to enjoy the chicken.

The babies performed "I'm in the Lord's army"

Waltercito was one of the most popular performers of the night!

Alejandro and Eduardo won 1st place for their duet.

Hector played a song on the recorder.

Jose Ramiro, Julio and Kevin sang.

Ada and Eliza performed a choreographed number.

Enma, who is just learning to play the electric guitar, performed with Colim.

A buffet conquered

As a special treat for the teen boys of Casa Shalom, we took all 15 of them to a special breakfast this morning. Using funds from the Casa Shalom Child Sponsorship Program, the boys enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Casa Santo Domingo, a 5-star hotel and restaurant in nearby Antigua. None of the boys had ever been to a buffet before and at first, they were confused by the concept of "all you can eat." They quickly got the hang of it, and quickly emptied out the omelet station, pancakes, bacon, sausage, fruit, cheese, beans and more. I don't think the servers at the restaurant had ever since anything like these hungry boys - they returned to the buffet time after time - some of them as many as 5 trips! We'd like to thank those who sponsor the teen boys for helping make possible this special event.






Yes, both of those plates belong to Alejandro.




























Fresh orange juice!
















The boys loved the fruit as much as the hash browns and bacon.









Some of them needed a rest after eating so much - Clemente took a short nap after his 4th plate.

1,350 pounds of bananas

Today Casa Shalom received a unique donation - 1,350 pounds of bananas to be exact! A missionary in a nearby town was giving them away for free to any ministry that could come pick them up. We received as many bananas as our pick-up truck could hold! They will be enjoyed by both the kids of Casa Shalom and Rio Bravo in the coming weeks.

Clara Alicia, Enma, Eliza, Jessica and Alejandro