Grace Children's Home = GCH

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Like you, our holidays are busy with fun activities,

presents, and excitement!

We've been especially blessed at GCH to have wonderful partners who are giving generously

to our kids to make their Christmas extra special.

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE SHARING WITH OUR KIDS!
We've also received another little boy, Miguel (3 years old), to add to the excitement. He's a sweet little boy who needs a good home. I'm so glad God brought him to us!
Personally, we are going to take a much needed family vacation to George's homeland... a trip we've dreamed of for 18 years.

We can't wait!
SO... this will be our last blog post until after the New Year. We wish you all a blessed Christmas & joyous New Year! Thank you for all your prayers and support for us & GCH in 2006.

Look for new blog posts from us in 2007 (around 1/12)!

Buildings, Sheetrock, & Cranes, Oh My!

How do you get LOTS of heavy sheetrock to the top of a big building?... with a big crane! Every step of building the Education Center at GCH has been amazing, including our adventure of today.
Please keep praying for safety, funding and workers for this incredible project! Someday we will use the building for supplemental education, computer instruction, a library, health clinics, dorms for visiting partners, housing, office space, parenting classes, etc, etc.

Flor Margarita is here

Yesterday, Flor Margarita arrived to GCH. She's a sweet, bright 11 year old girl who has suffered and seen too much in her short life. She's old enough to know that she's finally in a safe place and she told us she's very happy to be here.
This photo was taken when she just arrived in our home. With us is the Mexican social service worker who brought Flor to us. He has been a good advocate for GCH and supports the vision of GCH.
For me, the best part about Flor's arrival was that she was the first child (since being at GCH) to run into my arms to give me a hug when she first arrived. It was a wonderful moment that reminded me why we're here. Please keep Flor in your prayers!

Welcome Home Sheila!

Yesterday evening we once again had the awesome privilege of welcoming a new child to GCH. Her name is Sheila and she's 7 years old. She arrived to GCH scared, timid and helpless (as they all do). I can't wait to see the miracles I know God will do in her heart and life these next few weeks. Please pray for Sheila!
God willing, we'll be receiving another girl today, Flor, and another boy in the near future. Thanks for praying for all our kids!

Corazon de Vida

Many thanks to the team from Corazon de Vida who recently visited us! We enjoyed a great day with them doing crafts, playing soccer and eating a great meal (which they prepared!). In addition, the young women's soccer team and coaches that came on the trip prepared a backpack with soccer gear for each child. Boy, did they have fun with their new stuff! Thank you CDV and ladies' soccer team!

Tio Lionel & Tia Helen

Lionel & Helen joined the GCH family this fall. They are a retired couple from Canada who dreamed to someday serve God by helping in an orphanage in Mexico. We were blessed that they were led to us!
Helen has some medical issues and they must return to Canada for further testing. PLEASE PRAY FOR LIONEL AND HELEN, as they are an important part of our GCH family!

Current Needs List

Grace Children’s Home Current Needs List (updated 12/06)

Gift cards: Costco, Wal-Mart, Home Depot
Funding:
1. To continue construction of the Education Center
2. To finalize land purchase for Baby-Senior Homes and Church/ community center
3. For on-going monthly needs (water, electricity, transportation, medicine, etc)

Food: spaghetti sauce, cooking oil, potatoes & tomatoes, cheese, chicken, hamburger meat, beef for stew, roasts, bacon, sausage, cilantro, fresh fruits & veggies, eggs, ham/ sandwich meat, hot dogs, maseca, jello, powdered milk, onion, ketchup, flour tortillas

Cleaning/ Household supplies: laundry soap, Clorox, stain remover for clothes, Ajax, dish soap, pinesol, fabuloso, disinfecting wipes, disinfecting spray, spray bottles, twin size sheet sets, fabric softener sheets, mops w/ refills, metal spoons and forks, foggers (bug bombs)

Paper products: TP, napkins, Kleenex, paper towels, surgical gloves, gallon size Ziploc bags, plastic spoons and forks, Costco size x-large storage containers (for clothes, etc), lunch bags, large black garbage bags, medium kitchen size garbage bags

HIGH PRIORITY: leak proof water bottles (for school lunches)

Personal Hygiene: lotion, chapstick/ blistex, shampoo, detangling spray, hair gel, diapers (sizes 5 & 6), diaper wipes, thick diaper ointment, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, disposable razors, hair brushes, purrell

Clothes: winter PJ’s (boys & girls sizes 3T – 14 youth), shoes (black or athletic, sizes 8 toddler – 5 youth), HIGH PRIORITY – BOYS ATHLETIC AND BLACK SHOES SIZES 1-5, white or navy turtle neck or long sleeve shirts (boys & girls, sizes 3T – 14 youth)

HIGH PRIORITY: beige boys dockers-style pants (sizes 6-14), navy sweaters & vests (boys & girls sizes 4T – 14 youth). ALSO – boys pants sizes 6-14 (jeans, play pants, etc), Boys & girls sweatshirts and sweatpants sizes 4T – 14 youth

School supplies: black permanent markers, erasers, hard back & CD-Rom Encyclopedias in Spanish for young adults (10+ yr olds), basic English curriculum (w/ workbooks, etc) for teaching 8+yr olds

Laptop: (Windows) – mainly for email & GCH presentations
Vehicles:
1. Fairly new 15 passenger van – low miles, reliable, good condition, pref. diesel
2. Trailer for intern housing – good condition, electrical/ water working