Happy New Year

[nggallery id=25]In looking back at 2012 I’m truly amazed at the growth we’ve experienced here at the Chadasha Children’s Home. We started 2012 with 7 orphaned or abandoned children living with us and another 9 who are part of our Day Program.* John’s parents were here as well as a House Mom and her daughter and a woman who cooks and oversees the kitchen. Including Kate and Maicol, there were 19 kids and 6 adults. We had two pre-school teachers and another teacher who gave classes to our school age kids in the afternoon (because here the kids go to school for a morning session or an afternoon session, but not all day). In January we brought on a second House Mom (and her 3 sons), 2 more boys for the Children’s Home and one for the Day Program. In March we added 4 boys to the Day Program. In May we had 1 boy and 3 girls come to live with us. Also in May, the Arnold Family moved to serve alongside us. In June 2 girls moved in and 3 siblings became part of our Day Program. In August, another boy…in October, 2 more…and in December, 2 more!! Mid school year, we added a fourth teacher, and in August we hired 2 additional kitchen staff. That brings our totals for the beginning of 2013 to:
20 kids living in the Children’s Home, 9 Missionary and Staff kids, and 22 Day Program kids!
Early in 2012 we had a couple and a recent college graduate who each spent a couple of months here working with our kids and doing some much-needed construction and maintenance projects. Then over the summer we had 5 interns who spent a month to 6 weeks with us. Also during the summer months we hosted 6 teams who represented 8 different churches from 4 different states. The teams were a huge blessing, bringing in backpacks with school supplies for all our kids, a great supply of Pull-Ups and baby wipes, new toys for our Preschool and play rooms, and all kinds of gifts and goodies for the children. They came in prepared for sports camps and VBS as well as countless hours of work projects—painting bedrooms, constructing bunk beds, building and outside dish-washing area, painting the classrooms and main entry wall to our facility, bathroom repairs, and so much more! Most importantly, they showered our children with love and attention.
At the beginning of the school year we made changes to our school program, so now two of our teachers give classes in the morning and again in the afternoon, while the teachers for the younger students come only in the afternoon. We have kids who go to the public school and study here on their “off” session. We have others who only study here because they never had the opportunity to attend school before coming to us. For example, we have quite a few teens that are just now learning to write their name, form letters and numbers, and do basic addition and subtraction.
Now, as we’re entering 2013 we’re praying for God to bless us with his spirit of wisdom and understanding…as new children come and seek a home, as we parent the 51 kids we currently have, as we need to hire new staff, as we deal with the every-day comings and goings in the Children’s Home. As God brings us to your mind, please make this your prayer as well—for us to be filled with His spirit of wisdom and understanding.

*This program exists because there is no such thing as day care or after-school care here, so single parents who work have nowhere to send their kids. Many rely on neighbors or family members to care for their children, while others resort to locking their kids in their home to keep them “safe.”