Ready, Set, Go! WOOF!!!

October is a big month for the Casas. On the 24th is the big run. This has been a great fund raiser and will be especially important this year with our Project Hope construction plans at Sagrada Familia. If you'd like to support all the two-legged and four-legged runners, check out this webpage

New Acolyte

Katiuska seems to be doing really well in her new school along with Lizbeth and Xavier. But Katiuska has been asking Padre Ron about becoming an acolyte. Yesterday Padre went over with a communion set and they practiced setting up the credence table and how to present the wine and water, and how to do the lavabo. Both enjoyed the practice. Sunday Katiuska will shadow Giovana and get out some of the butterflies so she can do it on her own the next time. Go girl!

Project Hope Takes Off!

Wow! GOD IS GOOD!...all the time! ALL THE TIME...God is good! Well, we are about to do the "first stone" ceremony at Sagrada Familia on Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m. This is the ground breaking ceremony for the dormitory unit so needed there. Who do we thank?
ALL our supporting churches and those wonderful individuals who have had a burden for our Casas Hogares kids. Christ Church, Plano, got the ball rolling when it seemed too overwhelming for us to attempt, and it has been awesome to see how many friends and churches have taken up the banner from as far away as England. We planned it in phases to be completed as funds are available: Phase 1-a much needed retaining wall and dorm unit for 12 girls. Phase 2-a similar upstairs unit for 12 boys. Phase 3-an expanded kitchen and dining room with computer room and library. Phase 4- a possible set of 4 bedrooms for "transitional" living before launch to fully independent living. Pray that this construction will be finished by Feb. 2010 so we can move over the next set of teenagers from Casa Hogar San Jose when the "Roof Dog" team comes down.

You can see the plans at http://ronandvicki.net/first_stone.htm

Questions- - -

Susana officially turns 17 on Oct. 28. Unlike most teens, she went through a phase when she consistently said she was YOUNGER! She didn't want to come to grips with how close she was getting to being 18 years old- the age of adulthood here. Her fear was that she would have to move out and had nowhere to go, no job, and no way to support herself. She finally voiced that to Director Pedro. As many of you know, we are at the point of ground breaking for a construction project to build more adequate dorm space here at Sagrada Familia. Without the additional space, we cannot receive any more teens into our Home. Pedro showed her the plans.

As Pedro talked, the lightbulb came on and Susana realized that her courses in cosmetology really had a purpose! When she realized that we are making provisions for a period of transition, she began to see she wouldn't be out on the street. The possible "apartments" we might build sounded great to her. Finally, she asked Pedro,"So, we'll live independently upstairs here and then go down to the dining room for all our meals?" Pedro smiled and said, "Not quite, Susana. You all will be COOKING your OWN meals upstairs..Oh, and CLEANING UP afterwards as well."

Growing up is a gradual process, isn't it??