Fiestas

Wednesday was the 30th anniversary of the founding of Casa Bernabe! We had a special worship service that night with singing, prayer, a few people sharing short messages, and some houses getting up on stage to dance or sing a song. Then afterward the service we all took our chairs downstairs and sat together in a big room, each house to its own table, for an absolutley delicious celebration feast of salad, rolls, pasta, and cupcakes. It was such a fun, uplifting, and laughter-filled evening, everyone was beautiful and thankful and serving. What a wonderful glipse of heaven, it so reminded me of the parable where the Lord fills his banquet with people from the streets, broken people whose hearts are thankful. I talked with one young woman the night before and she told me stories of when she learned English many years ago when the entire school was in the dining room that the short term mission groups now use. God has abundantly blessed this place with incredible men and women who serve as house parents and teachers as well as the resources to help add rooms to the school and build a new house.
I am so thankful for these house parents! I really believe God has prepared each of them and gives them the wisdom they need to serve their chldren well! Not only do they provide a loving and Christ-focus environment, Casa Bernabe plans special meaningful experiences like the anniversary festivities for the kids to have fun and to learn. Another awesome event that Casa Bernabe puts on once a year is a fundraiser called Family Day (Dia de la Famila). They have the day off from school and each house participates as a team in a bunch of different group activities and races. There is one extra "family" group made up of all the students who come to Casa Bernabe's School but who do not live on campus. Then after the activities are through, most of the house moms and some of the teachers have set up booths to sell food like tamales or nachos, chocobananas or icecream, and all the money raised goes to Casa Bernabe. This time the short term group that was here were so generous to buy food for all the families and even some for us as well! It felt like a field day and a fair and a mini World Cup all combined and all the Alabanza kids (and everyone else) absolutey loved it.
It is crazy to think we only have barely two weeks left but I am so grateful for the ways that Casa Bernabe has taught me how about family, about to be observant, about the joy and strength that fills us when we are broken, and about the many various sometimes surprising ways that God can use me to show love to His children. All praise to His name for His powerful presence in this place and the ways that he uses us to show His love!
"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds." Psalm 9:1