Welcome Strutton Family!

GCH is pleased to welcome the Strutton family, who are now officially candidates as Yugo missionaries. What this means is that over the next year or so the Struttons will be working toward moving to Mexico and joining GCH as full-time missionaries.
The Strutton's assignment at GCH is important as they will be in charge of the baby & senior centers that we hope to someday build. The baby center will provide 24/7 care for abandoned & needy babies. The senior center will provide day-time respite and care to seniors as they help us love on and care for our babies.
Please keep the Struttons in your prayers! Pray that Juan & Alicia will quickly develop their Spanish language skills, for their funding and support base, for their transition to living in Mexico, and for the future baby & senior centers.
If you want to know more about the Strutton's, check them out at:The Strutton Family Blog

WELCOME STRUTTONS! We're thrilled that you're officially a part of our team!

How's Juan Marcos?

Many of you have asked for an update on Juan Marcos, the boy who had surgery on his right foot. As you can tell from the photo and his big smile, Juan Marcos has had an excellent recovery and he is doing quite well! His foot is now in proper position and his muscles, back and tendons are adjusting accordingly.
Juan Marcos wears a small brace on the lower part of his leg to help support it as it continues to strengthen. Also, the therapy he is doing on his right hand is giving him increased strength and ability. Today, Juan Marcos is busy playing, running, and riding bikes!
Thanks to all who have prayed for Juan Marcos. He’s thrilled to have experienced this miracle… and we are thrilled to have him at GCH!

Our littlest one, Naomi

Just couldn't resist sharing with you a photo of Naomi, our littlest one at GCH. She's been with us about a month and is doing GREAT! She's now "cruising" from bench to chair to sofa to legs in her attempt to walk. So cute! We are grateful that WE get the privilege of watching such special momments unfold before our eyes.

May Needs List

Here is our current monthly needs list. You might notice more on the school section, as we're starting to prepare for the supplies we'll need in August when school resumes. Thanks for your help!

Grace Children’s Home Current Needs List (updated 5/07)

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

Food: spaghetti sauce, pinto beans, noodles, canned fruit, canned corn, wheat sandwich bread, butter, canned tuna & chicken, canned fruit, pancake mix, maple syrup, 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, ketchup, flour tortillas

Cleaning/ Household supplies: Goof-off, laundry soap, Clorox, oxy-clean, Ajax, dish soap, pinesol, fabuloso, disinfecting spray, spray bottles, fabric softener sheets, ant traps, household foggers (bug bombs), household garbage cans, large plastic storage containers (for clothes, shoes, etc), commercial size pots & pans, 2 quality large knives (for food prep), rolling pins, tea kettle

Paper products: napkins, Kleenex, paper towels, surgical gloves, gallon size Ziploc bags, plastic spoons and forks, toilet paper, large black garbage bags, medium kitchen size garbage bags, paper plates!

Personal Hygiene: lotion, shampoo, detangling spray, hair gel, diapers (sizes 5 & 6), diaper wipes, thick diaper ointment, deodorant, lice shampoo, disposable razors, hair brushes, purrell

Clothes: girls knee-hi navy socks (sizes 8-14) and knee-hi white socks (size 6), knit solid navy sweaters & vests (boys & girls sizes 4T – 14 youth), black school shoes (boys & girls sizes 11 – 5 youth)

School supplies: hard back & CD-Rom Encyclopedias in Spanish for young adults (10+ yr olds), large capacity – heavy duty backpacks (no wheels, please), clear plastic for laminating/covering books

Vehicles:
1. Fairly new 15+ diesel mini-bus – low miles, reliable, good condition (we have some funding already for this)
2. Trailer for intern housing – good condition, electrical/ water working

Other: Large book shelf size cabinet with doors, large garden storage sheds (2), car-port size canopy (for shade for our kids in the outside), Bounce house (for monthly group b-day parties)

Time to get your passport!

Starting in January of 2008, U.S. authorities will require all travelers to have a passport in order to return to the United States of America (from Mexico). Since there will be a huge rush to do this, we strongly suggest that you start the application process NOW! If you're a U.S. citizen, you'll find information at the U.S. State Department page,
New Application for a U.S. Passport

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of over 8,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

You’ll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time: if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.
For more information on getting a new passport, please visit How to get a passport page.

Thank you! Have a blessed day.

Colegio Bilingüe Calmécac

As you may have read, we hope to send several of our kids to a special school, Colegio Bilingüe Calmécac, next year. Some of what makes this school so special is that uses a U.S. English reading, writing & math curriculum, along with the Mexican curriculum, plus computers, art, music, PE, ETC. It is an exceptional educational opportunity that very few children here ever receive.

Recently the local Principal invited us to send more children in the upcoming school year, and if we can raise enough funds, we hope to send 7 children from GCH to the Colegio Bilingüe Calmécac.


In addition, the school wanted to involve it's students & parents further. They scheduled GCH to be it's next field trip, and over the course of 2 days & 3 separate groups, the entire school & staff visited our homes. In our photo is the first of the 3 groups, the preschool & kindergarten classes.


What's incredible about all this is that God is opening even more opportunities for our children, as well as reaching the hearts of the families who have children already attending the school. It is our prayer that through these visits they would see the love of Christ demonstrated to "the least of these"... and to themselves!


Thank you Colegio Bilingüe Calmécac for your visit, support and partnership! You are an incredible blessing to our kids!

Education Center Questions

Someone recently asked (on our blog) what the Education Center would be used for. Here are some of our dreams...

The Education Center will be used for supplemental education for our kids & much more. In the building, we invision hosting medical & dental clinics, parenting/ health seminars, English classes, music classes, Bible studies, community educational opportunities, etc, etc. The list seems limitless, which is why we're putting so much effort into making a good building!
Our kids will benefit from all the above mentioned, plus it will have a teaching computer lab, library and various classrooms in which we can teach and help with homework.
The center will also have space for visiting teams to stay with us for a few days, as they help us share their knowledge, hugs & resources with our kids. Those dorms will double as a place for "slumber parties" for our kids & their house parents, plus be available as a retreat center for local pastors & lay-leaders. It will also provide for staff housing and much needed storage space.
Please keep praying with us for the continued progress in construction of this important building!

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS!

Remember how we wrote you about the special educational opportunity we have for a FEW of our kids? It's at a special bilingual school that uses both US & Mexican programs, in addition to computers, PE, art, field trips, expanded education, etc. It's truly an incredible educational opportunity!

As we began to put the word out that we want to send 3 kids this year (we sent 1 child last year... who, by the way, did FANTASTIC!), people began to ask, why don't we send more? I wondered the same thing... why don't we send more?

The answer is simple... FINANCES! We currently have 6-7 children who are ready for this school and are simply awaiting sponsors. We need $1,500 per child for start up costs, uniforms, books, etc and $150 per month for the next 9 months.

Do you know someone who can help? Can you pray for us that God will provide our sponsors? It is our dream that all 6 children will enter this school in August (the beginning of the school year).

Prayer Praise!

Thankfully, most of our GCH workers who were quite ill, seem to be on the mend. Thanks for your prayers for them. God has been so good to all of us! Our kids are doing well now, as well. Please keep Diane Mesiti-Miller, good friend & wife of our engineer, in your prayers as she continues to battle cancer -- her family would cherish your prayers!

The Education Center

Here's a current photo of George, outside the Education Center. Given all the things God is doing at GCH, we needed to finish that building YESTERDAY! Please keep praying with us for skilled laborers & funds to complete this important building.

Prayer updates

Thanks to all who have been praying for our extended GCH family & friends!
* Jeannette Dube (pneumonia) is slowly recuperating and is good spirits. God willing, she'll be back with us in a few weeks.
* Diane Mesiti-Miller (cancer complications) had a VERY successful surgery (one only God could do!) and is recovering much quicker than expected.
* Lionel Liebrecht (heart issues) is now being seen by doctors in the US and seems to be doing well. His issue started on Sun., so we've only recently begun praying for his health.
* Glenn Berry (bronchial issues) is now on medicines which we hope will quickly restore his health.
Many of our kids are also doing much better. Thank you for your prayers & please keep praying!

Want to know how to help?

Do you want to know how you or your group can help and get involved with Grace Children's Home? It's easy... there are PLENTY of needs to be filled and you can be a part of extending Christ's love here.

1. Pray for GCH - & our children, staff, expansion, funds, direction, etc.

If you want regular prayer updates, please let us know and check our blog regularly.

2. Spread the word - & tell others about GCH and what God's doing here! We need more partners on every level.

3. Send or raise funds - The monthly operating costs of housing, feeding & caring for 28 children & staff 24/7 can be costly. We need monthly donors -- $25, $50, $100 & $1,000 per month. We also need one-time gifts to fund construction of our Education Center and other projects.

4. Get hands on - GCH is a great place for your group to serve Christ in a tangible way. If you have a team that wants to come down, have the leader contact us at palaus@juno.com. We'd love to help you get started!

On behalf of our grateful family, thank you for your prayers & support!

Gone fishing!

Every now & then it's important to just get away... & if possible, go fishing! George, Georgie & Eric (our eldest & middle sons) were recently invited on a guys only fishing trip (I was bummed!).

It was the first day of the season, so all of them and the other guys caught trout galore! What a great memory our boys had with their dad & friends!