Casa de Niños

A ministry of God's love in Tepic Mexico

September 2002

“As the Father has loved me so I love you, continue in my love.” Jn. 15:9

"Jesus loves me this I know" We have all sang the song but do we daily see the evidence that he really loves us? It is easy to take our wonderful God for granted and forget, so to speak, that he is looking to bless us, daily! God showed me again today when I was thinking on this newsletter that he loves and cares for us here at Casa de Niños. Our finances have been low so we had asked the gas company if they could give us propane gas, free. Today for the second time now they arrived and filled our two large tanks for free. I felt the goodness of God. We need to get in the habit to look for it and expect it daily. We have seen Gods goodness more in these days as our finances are low. I pray that in this time we will learn to always be looking for the goodness of our wonderful God.
Look for Gods goodness in your day today!

Mariana

Our 8-year-old Mariana is doing well now. She came to us malnourished from the mountains and has never walked, at least not yet. A couple of months ago broke a leg in a fall with one of the workers but has recovered and has the cast off and is now in school here at the Casa which started Aug. 19. She is excited. Please keep praying for her she needs to have a desire to want to walk and run like the rest of the children here. A life that she has never known. Her body needs strength and prolonged health so that she can grow and develop more physically. Mariana is so susceptible to illness and has spent much of her life in the hospital recovering from sickness. Pray and believe God with us and for his strength and protection to be in her and around her. Our desire is to have a home where persons can care for children like Mariana. We have expectations for her that are high and we want to help her gain all she can from this life. Caring for children like Mariana is demanding but can be very rewarding.

E-News Update: Oct 21, 2002
Mariana has gone to be with the Lord. Sad but at the same time happy news. We will miss her but it is good to know that she has been moved into her heavenly body now that has no limitations. Mariana has struggled so much with her health. It was our hope to see her walking but we will have to wait until we see her running and jumping in His presence. I thank you and we thank you for being a part of us, for praying. We cannot know his ways completely, but we can know that he has everything under his control.

We need you

Church bodies are an important part of Casa de Niños and have been since its start some 30 years ago. We truly depend on a functioning and participating body of Christ. I understand that all of you will not be involved in the ministry of Casa de Niños but all can pray and share with others about the children here. God moves when we are his vessels allowing God to work through us. I believe God delights in using us because he can move through us and touch many in his process to bless. Talk to your church, Pastor, missions board. We need you to be Gods vessel. Get your church involved in some way.

Mercedes Christian Church along with Pastor Don Brynteson and Pastor Roland visited the Casa this summer. Their long history with us has been a big blessing. We thank North Heights church in Minnesota for visiting (Hi Duane & Byron!), and Church Planting Int from Ohio with my new friend Dave. We are looking forward to Carol bringing down the Harbor church from Minnesota again this Christmas. We are so grateful to our God for these churches that visited us this year. We so much need church bodies to be a part, to come, to support, to help in any way. God has blessed us with many through the years that have helped. Please dont forget us. The children need your involvement. Church involvement at the Casa has laid much of the foundation of Casa de Niños and continues to be part of the building up process.

Back to School

We expanded the school giving two more class rooms so that each grade kinder thru 6th will have their own room and teacher. We have been able to do this because of the children from outside the Casa that attend the school now for the second year, and pay tuition. We run about half Casa kids and half from outside. Of course we function as a Christ centered school. There are about 50 children in our school. This change has been good for the children giving them interaction with other children but in a Christ centered environment, and good for the Casa giving us opportunities to grow in relationship with the church body. We have a few Pastors the have enrolled their children in our school. We are working on an opportunity to get funds from the government to cover half the cost of putting up a building in front of our school to give more classroom space and to add a library. Pray that the door will open and that the remaining funds that we need will be there when needed. We want our children to have the best and feel they deserve it.

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold." Pr. 22:1

Radio

Jose Luis and Lucy our house parents for the girls produce along with their pastor and others short radio programs that are aired daily in Tepic. They have one for men, women and a children's program on weekends. The Casa kids have participated occasionally. Please pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be on these programs and that the Spirit would prompt people to tune in. Please consider sending them an offering supporting them in their work here in the Casa with the girls and here in the city of Tepic sharing the good news through the airwaves. Jose Luis is also co-Pastor in his church. If there is someone out there that has a burden for radio ministry please consider and ask God how you can help. This dedicated couple has been a tremendous blessing to all of us here especially the children. They really have a heart to see Jesus reflected to everyone through others seeing and knowing what God has done and is doing here at Casa de Niños. They arranged for Irma to have a spot on the radio this week here in town to share about Casa de Niños. We want to be a light to our city and to have a good name among the people.

Mom & Dad

We need house parents for our children. This is a hard job. To bring your family into a place where you receive instantly a dozen or more children. We need this system to continue. It is good but they need God to fill them with strength, his strength. Pray with us for those who God is speaking to that they will respond to His call. Satan does not want these children to have a mom and dad. We invite you young at heart to come and spend time living with the children and assisting these house parents to do this challenging but rewarding job. We now have house parents for our boys and girls but want to grow to serve God by serving more children or doing a more complete job. We want to separate the older boys to put them in their own home with their own house parents. At this point we dont have the house parents or the home to do it but believe in our God to work out those minor details. We asked the Governor to donate a house for this cause. We want to be able to care better for children like Mariana, boys growing up, or young ladies that are almost ready to go out into the world that need special care or have special concerns but again need the facility and another family to take on the task. Pray and believe with us. Our desire is to do the best job that we can with the children that God has placed with us, but we cannot do it alone.

Michele and Brian

Our two youngest children Michele and Brian have left to be with their mother who lives now near the city of Guadalajara. Their young mother returned after leaving her children with us for a year and a half while she tried to put her life together. She now feels that she can provide a stable environment for them. The child welfare agency (DIF) along with Casa de Niños feel we have to give her that chance. Pray that she will be faithful to her children and that God will send his angels to protect and raise up the seeds that have been planted in these young hearts. We know that God will be with them and although they have been moved or transplanted to a different place that they will grow to love and serve our Lord! I know that many children will pass through these doors here at Casa de Niños and run and play at our facility and that many or most of these will not spend most of their childhood with us. We thank God that he gives us opportunities to plant seeds in little lives and we are confident with our God to complete the work.

The facts

1. January-June average income was $2,375
2. We need $5000 each month.
3. Our reserve has reached $0
4. Our God owns the cattle on 1000 hills.
5. Our staff is working by faith and with faith.
6. A worker can be supported for $120 a month.
7. We spend $1,000 dollars per month on food.

I share just the facts, and I ask that the Holy Spirit will help to put conviction on those hearts that he has chosen to make these numbers balance. Nobody here gets rich, in fact our staff now is working without pay. Our workers deserve to be blessed.

"Giving is teamwork because when the team works together they can win, but when some of the team think that their part is insignificant and quit the team will loose."

A simple thought from a simple prayer

"And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." Jn. 17:26

If you have not read the 17th chapter of John recently read it again today. This is the opportunity that we have to really see into the heart of Jesus. Pay close attention to the words. They are simple but to the point. It is so important that we are one and really dwell in unity. Jesus taught his disciples about love and showed us all what it is. If we do not love one another we cannot expect Gods Holy Spirit to dwell in us. That is why the church today is weak and without a strong message. When we are one and love one another as Jesus taught then and only then will we experience a mighty outpouring of Gods Spirit as in the day it first fell upon the church. There is no formula for this outpouring other than this simple message that came from the heart of God. Let it into your heart.

Casa de Niños Frank Gonzales A.C

Old Newsletters:

April 2002

December 2001 - Vol 6, Issue 1

June/July/August 2001 - Vol 5, Issue 1

April/May 2001 - Vol 4, Issue 1

Jan/Feb 2001 - Vol 3, Issue 1

December 2000 - Vol 2, Issue 1

October 2000 - Vol 1, Issue 1