Thank you to the members of our home church, LifeChurch in Bloomington, Minnesota, for their donations and pledges of support to our ministry. We felt an outpouring of love and support from our friends and family during our recent trip to Minnesota and we appreciate your continued prayers!

The babies of Casa Shalom

Jessica and Josh with some of the youngest children at Casa Shalom. These beautiful babies have suffered a great deal in the short lifetimes. Several were abandoned as infants, others were taken away from their families by the government after their mothers were caught trying to sell them and several others were removed from their homes due to extreme poverty.

February trip to Casa Shalom

We just returned from a four-day trip to Casa Shalom to finalize our plans for our trip in June. This was the first time Josh has seen the orphanage and he loved it! We spent time reading to and playing with the children, we visited the school at Casa Shalom, and we spent time getting to know the director, Orlando Peralta, and some of the house parents. After the trip, we are even more certain that God has called us to serve the wonderful children at Shalom. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as the time for our departure gets closer! ~ Josh and Jessica

Alex, one of the youngest children at Casa Shalom, sings "Si, Si Señor" (Yes, Yes Lord)

Welcome to our blog

Welcome to TheHansonsinGuatemala@blogspot.com! This blog will be a great way for you to keep in contact with us during our year-long stay at the Casa Shalom orphanage in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and to read updates and prayer requests. In June of 2008, we will be moving to Casa Shalom to minisiter to the children as English teachers at the Casa Shalom school. Speaking English is a skill that can open many doors in Guatemala and can release the children from the poverty that is so prevalent in Guatemala. Additionally, Josh will serve as director of the many short-term missions teams that come to Casa Shalom each year. Recently, these teams have completed a dormitory for the teenage girls and a health clinic where the children can receive reliable medical care. We appreciate your prayers and support as we continue finalizing our plans for this God-directed endeavor. We feel that He has called us to Casa Shalom to share His unconditional love with children who have suffered abandonment, physical and sexual abuse, malnutrition and levels of poverty we in the United States cannot imagine. Please visit the blog often for updated information and photos. ~ En Su Nombre (In His Name), Joshua and Jessica Hanson