It seems like my life just hit warp speed. School started back last week (with my kiddos) and the girls at the Hope House started returning from their brief summer vacation. I don’t know if I have told you but the girls’ home went from housing 9 girls last year to 20 this year.  Needless to say, this is a gigantic leap of numbers, responsibility, and, most of all, faith for our missionary team. 

With this new phase in the Hope House ministry, Keith and I have been appointed as the directors of Spiritual and Social Care and Development for the girls — in other words, their youth pastors.  Both he and I are thrilled with this responsibility but feel a little overwhelmed (especially with our Spanish speaking skills). Our weeks will be busy working with the girls at the HH as well as the youth at our home church, Centro Cristiano. 

This past week was spent welcoming the new (and returning) girls as well as putting the finishing touches on the home’s decor. While it is sparse in our “states-minded” way of thinking, it is a homey, cozy place for the girls, some who have never even slept in a bed. I’ve have been busily working on getting prayer journals, bookmarks, and pens ready for each of the girls so that they can begin a personal devotional time with God. What’s so interesting is that we will be teaching many of these girls just how to do that. Some might not even know Christ as their Savior! What a privilege we’ve been given:) Here’s a few pics of our work this last week:

These are the flower pens that I’ve been making for each girl to go along with her prayer journal.

Doesn’t Bay make a lovely hand model?

painted rocks.

The girls also spent time painting the headers for their rooms. Each room is name after a flower. Their artwork is pretty incredible.

We ended the week with a some Slip-And-Slide fun. The guy in the red shirt might be Keith;)