Today we received two sisters, Jimena and Scarlett. Their case was an emergency due to the fact that they were in a high risk domestic violence situation. Since the girl’s arrival, they have been in lots of trouble at home and in the daycare. House parents, Esteban & Gabby have their hands full! The girl's mother is having to go through treatment for domestic abuse victims before she has any hope of recovering her daughters.
New Parents for Magiel!
On July 22nd, Magiel left the children’s home with his adoptive parents, Carlos and Roxanna! Magiel arrived here when he was only 5 months old. We thought he would be with us a short time, however, his case got stuck in the court system and we have worked hard to get it resolved. Magiel would pray for parents and grandparents. In God’s infinite mercy, He not only gave him what he asked for, but also gave him a great grandma! Thankfully, 4 years later, he has been placed with a family who will love him and give him the opportunities in life he deserves!
Another Boy comes to the A.P.!
Yamil arrived here from the province of Puntarenas on the Pacific coast. He was already placed in a Catholic institution, but they asked to have him moved because he didn’t fit their profile. Supposedly, Yamil’s teacher told them that he had a slight mental retardation (she diagnosed him without a proper evaluation or exams). Armed with that information, the other home asked to have him removed. Yamil’s biological mother is unstable and has presented a number of problems that have jeopardized the boy. In November 2012, PANI began the judicial process to declare Yamil abandoned. Unfortunately, his mother has appealed the process along the way, prolonging the final outcome.
Newcomers!
This morning we received a brother and sister in our homes. Kevin (9 yrs.) and Maria (6 yrs.) have been living with their father who is constantly drunk and inattentive to their needs. Their mother has abandoned the children and is living elsewhere. Kevin has taken on a “parental” role with his little sister in that he keeps their meager home clean, he cooks for her, and makes sure they go to school. Upon arriving at the A.P., he seemed subdued and frightened. Maria is much more extroverted and seems pretty happy to be here. Please pray that Kevin and Maria will feel the love of Jesus in this place and come to know Him in a personal way.
Ministry News
We count it a privilege to receive each child here at the Abraham Project homes. The work our house parents do is invaluable. They receive each child with open arms, helping them know that they are unique and loved. They provide a home, education, food, and lodging, but above all, they share the good news of Jesus Christ with them. Our tíos will never know the extent of their mission and ministry on this earth, but we are confident that they will hear those words, “Well done good and faithful servant.” With that said, we are happy to have our most recent newcomer. God brought us a special delivery. Jennifer came to us straight from the hospital. She was only 19 days old! She is the youngest of six siblings who have been neglected and physically abused by their mother. The father has some of the older siblings and a couple have been adopted. When she arrived, Jennifer had visitations with her mother. However, they have since been suspended due to the fact that her mother stopped coming to see her. We are hoping she can be declared abandoned soon and adopted by a good family!
The kids in the homes are in full swing at school. Isaac and Roberto have made excellent grades this year with the goal of getting exempt from their final exams at the end of the year. Great incentive! The brothers ran for student body President and Vice President at school this year. They promised to help fix the leaky faucets in the school bathrooms. Steve told them that if they won we would see about getting a team over there to fulfill their promise. After the voting process was over, the boys did not win. However, the experience was invaluable and a great learning opportunity for both of them.
Anthony and Sol have been our challenges this year. Both have brought home multiple notes from their teachers complaining of incessant talking in class, standing up without permission, disrespecting the teacher, and so on. Anthony is super smart. He just doesn’t apply himself at school. Sol is making a huge transition from kindergarten to first grade, that alone can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, both have spent a good deal of time in consequences with Tío Steve. Please pray that they would see the importance of a good education and straighten up and fly right!
Sharon and Angela have been tutoring diligently in Math. They girls made excellent grades on their last round of exams. We’re so proud of them for their effort and hard work.
Last weekend, the children in Gaby & Esteban’s house went on a field trip to the beach. Our psychologist and social worker accompanied them. Our social worker is a member at Hotel Condovac and was able to get the kids and the tíos in to use the facilities for the day. The trip was a memorable experience for the kids. Everyone come home nice and tan with lots of neat stories.
Once again, thanks to all our supporters for conscientiously giving to the kids. We know that your gift is a sacrifice and do not take it lightly. God sees your diligence and we trust that He will reward you exceedingly for all you do!
Special Delivery!
Today we received, into the children’s homes, a sweet baby girl. Jennifer is only 19 days old and came to us directly from the hospital. All the kids in the home were excited about our newest addition. She is the youngest of six siblings (some are with their father and others have been adopted). Her mother is physically abusive towards the other siblings. We are hoping she will be declared abandoned so that she can be adopted by a good family soon!
Good News! Good News!
Good News! This morning Ericka, Luciano, and Angelly went to “audencia” (hearing with a judge). We are thrilled to report that everything went super well and they are now formally adopted by Micah and Sara! Knowing their past and everything they have endured, we couldn't be happier! We can now chalk this up as our second U.S. adoption! *Yoo-Hoo!*
Ministry News!
Last go-round we shared that there was a potential family in the U.S. for Ericka Luciano, and Angelly. The family was contacted and affirmed their desire to adopt the siblings. The case worker for the kids came out and gave them the good news that their parents would be arriving in Costa Rica on April 2nd. Needless to say, the children were elated! They have already been talking via SKYPE with their family and have learned that their adoptive parents have 2 children of their own! Luciano is thrilled that he will no longer be the only boy in his family. He’s going to have a brother just about the same age! We really do feel like the Lord has already been preparing the hearts of these kids for their transition to the States. Our psychologist, Marcelle, shared with us that days before their case went before the adoption council (back in January) that Ericka went to find her and told her that she needed to talk to her urgently. Marcelle told her that she would give her an appointment for the following week, but Ericka told her, “I need to talk to you now because I’m leaving soon.” Ericka didn’t know that her case was being heard by the adoption council that week, nor that the adoptive family would even accept her case. She just had that intuitive feeling (the Holy Sprit) that she was leaving soon! That same weekend, Gabby (the house parent) told us that Angelly had shared a dream with her. She had dreamed that she was getting on an airplane with her new mother. All this, before anyone even knew that there was a family waiting in the wings! We truly feel like this family has been handpicked and that the Lord has already, supernaturally been preparing the kids for their transition!
Micah, Sara, and their children arrived in Costa Rica on April 2nd. The following day, the adoptive couple came out to the project to meet their new kids. Ericka, Luciano, and Angelly were outside waiting for their parents to come. When they did, they embraced one another. The reunion was very sweet. It’s amazing to witness God’s inconceivable love for these kids, in that He has provided them with exactly what they needed … a new family!
Anthony and Aislinn’s case will be going before the judge on May 18th. Not too long afterwards, a date to receive the judge’s decision will be set. We hope the case will be resolved in favor of the children soon. Please pray for a quick resolution on behalf of these kids.
We are so proud that Isaac, one of the pre-teen boys in our homes, is the newest addition to Comunidad Crisitana El Faro’s worship team. Last year, he tried out for a spot and made it! He has attended all worship practices, and has demonstrated responsibility and diligence in this area of ministry. On any given Sunday morning you can see him in the choir. He has also begun taking guitar lessons and is enjoying learning how to play that instrument. We are confident that by developing his talents, God will use him mightily in the future!
God’s word promises in II Corinthians 6:18: “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters.” Over the years, we have learned that as much as we fall in love with each child that comes through our doors, nobody loves them like their Heavenly Father does. Each little person here has a destiny, and ultimately it is His responsibility to make sure it comes to fruition. So we rejoice when our kids ask Jesus into their hearts, when they get adopted, join the worship team, or make good grades in school. He promises to be their father. Like any good father, He demonstrates active interest in every area of their lives. Our kids can say with confidence,
“His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”
The Terrible Twosome!
Today, Esteban and Gabriela received two new kids in their children’s home. Let’s just say that our house parents have their hands full! The siblings are pretty rambunctious. They have both thrown big, ole’ hairy fits, but with lots of love they are adapting to the ways of the home. We are happy that Joshua and Brittany are here. We know that whatever their circumstance, God is more than able to make a difference in their lives!
Ministry News
We want to start by sharing a couple of updates. In our October newsletter, we had mentioned a sibling group of three that had been declared abandoned. At the end of November, a case worker from the Office of Adoptions came by to visit the children. She wanted to get to know them a bit so that she could begin the process of “promoting” their case internationally. The meeting went well and the process began. When we returned from our trip to the states, we were informed that the Adoption Council would be meeting on January 17th in order to review their case. Fortunately, there was a family in the U.S. interested in their case. Why do we say, “Fortunately?” Because the oldest sibling is 12 and it’s a “combo” pack of three children. In our experience, it is very difficult to find families that want to adopt more than one child at a time, not to mention, one that is a pre-adolescent. Needless to say, we are thrilled that there is a potential family waiting for them. The Office of Adoptions has contacted the family and we are awaiting word as to when the family will be coming to C.R. to finalize the process. We continue to pray knowing that God cares infinitely more for Ericka, Luciano, and Angelly than any of us ever will! As for the other case of Steven and Maria José, we regret to inform that they left our home on November 27th after some “back & forth” with the PANI Office. The office that had the case was from the Province of Alajuela about 2 hours from here. A judge had granted the parents visitation rights (mind you, this was a domestic violence case). The visitations started out just once a month, but their father insisted that the judge grant them two per month. The judge granted the request. Since the visitation was “supervised,” that meant that a social worker or psychologist from that local office had to come here to supervise the visit. That was the big hang-up. Basically, the PANI office didn’t want to do their job. We tried negotiating with the office so that the kids could stay here. We asked them to supervise one of the visits (like they were already doing) and our psychologist would supervise the other. They rejected our proposal due to the fact that it was just to far to come and they weren't agreeable to supervising any of the visits. They told us that they would begin looking for another children’s home to move them to. They found a place just 25 minutes from the Abraham Project. Steven and Maria José had been with us for five months and had adapted well to the environment here at the project. We were very sad they had to go just because someone didn’t want to be inconvenienced. As hard as it was to see the siblings go, Psalms 72:12 promises, “He will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.” We are confident that He is more than able to keep Steven and Maria José wherever they are.
On a “happier note,” on December 17th (while we were away) Silvana was adopted by a wonderful Costa Rican family. Many of you remember her, she came to the A.P when she was only 3 months old. Her Costa Rican parents have a 5 year old biological son, so Silvana is the “baby” in her family. It’s interesting to note that she left just days before Christmas. We’re thrilled that she and her folks received the “gift” of family this holiday season. We are sure it was an incredibly meaningful time for all of them!
Shopping Fun!
Every two weeks our house parents shop for all the food, school snacks, and fruits and veggies the kiddos will need in the homes. It’s an activity that takes up most of the morning, but from time to time one or two of the kids tag a long for fun. Groceries in Costa Rica are not cheap. The average Costa Rican eats a simple diet of chicken, pork, rice, beans, vegetables, fruits, and pasta. Fish is popular, but it is expensive. The supermarkets look like the ones in the USA. They tend to carry a lot of the products that cater to North Americans; however, you can expect to pay a premium. The grocery bill for the children's homes is close to half our budget each month!
Ministry News
“They will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
Recently, we had the opportunity to encourage one of the boys in our homes who has struggled with fear for many years. Since arriving at the Abraham Project, he has received Jesus into his heart, attended the Baptism class at our church, and has been baptized. However his struggle with fear is very real to him. We asked him if he ever prays when he feels scared. He said, “No.” We began to realize that he had not yet fully trusted Christ to take care of his fears for him. He wasn’t convinced that Jesus would help him. We reminded him of the life he once had: no education, poverty, hunger, and neglect. We shared with him that God brought him to the project because He cared so much for him. Coming here was a gift that God gave him. We wanted him to know that Immanuel lives in him, and He is so faithful to take good care of him. This will be a lesson that he will carry with him for the rest of his life. It is one of hope, confidence, and love and it will bring great comfort.
We are grateful for the privilege of instilling this important concept in our kids. God is with them and He is for them. The children in our homes have been able to see Immanuel, “God with us” in a practical, powerful way. Here’s what they have to say:
● “Jesus died for my sins. God has a plan for me.” ~ Isaac
● “My tíos care about me because they help me with my school work.” ~ Ericka
● “My tíos love me.” ~ Angela
● “As I get older, I learn to respect others and value the things I have.” ~ Roberto
● “I love it here.” ~ Sharon
“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
This holiday season may our hearts go out to those who will not enjoy a blessed Christmas Day. Look for the opportunity to share with those who have nothing. There is nothing more inspiring than giving to those in need and seeing the difference that Immanuel, “God with us” makes in their lives!
FELIZ NAVIDAD Y PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO!
Urgent Need for 2013
As we move forward in our ministry, specifically considering Phase II (four additional children’s homes), we would like to hire a consulting firm to help us develop a strategic plan. Basically, the idea is to have someone analyze our current operations and make recommendations for the exponential growth that we will be experiencing in the future. We have already chosen a Christian consulting firm to do the work. It would be a one-year coaching process in which they would assist us with implementing the strategic business plan. The only thing left to do is to raise the $7,500 needed to hire the firm. If you would like to donate, see instructions below for giving. All contributions should be marked for World Hope Outreach in the check’s memo section.
For those who desire to contribute financially, mail to the following address:
Cornerstone International, P.O. Box 192, Wilmore, KY 40390
Please make checks payable to Cornerstone International and note in the memo section “World Hope Outreach”
Thomas Family Contact Information:
Phone #: (956) 287-3131 Email: sgthomas@ice.co.cr
Katherine
Today we received a sweet little girl in our children’s homes. Katherine is only 1 ½ yrs. old, the second child of her drug addict mother and father. Her older brother has already been adopted and the plan is to proceed down the same path with her case. She is really timid, but we are confident that with time she will come out of her shell. Looking forward to watching how God transforms this little girl’s life!
Ministry News
In 1954, the United Nations General Assembly instituted Universal Children’s Day in order to encourage all countries to initiate action that benefits and promotes the welfare of the world’s children. On September 9th, Costa Rica celebrated this special day. Our kids enjoyed an outing to the Crown Plaza Hotel, where our hosts, Eclipse in Action, treated the kids to a festival of events. The theme was “Jesus is our Superhero.” The kids played games, devoured lots of good food, and fellowshipped with kids from other children’s homes. It was a fun activity for the kids and house parents alike. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should to, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” We take this verse to heart here at the Abraham Project. The task of discipling the children is the most important thing we do here. In the day to day devotionals and Bible study periods, the kids are learning to forgive people from their past and trust their Heavenly Father. Seems like an easy task, but in reality what makes it difficult is that they tend to relate their earthly father to the Heavenly Father. Unfortunately, their earthly fathers have neglected and abused them giving them bad examples of what a true father should be. We’re working on changing that mental picture to one of confidence and trust in the One who truly loves them. In short, we’re raising kids who experience the freedom that comes from passionately pursuing Jesus.
With that said, we’ve had several kids express desires to be pastors or missionaries someday. We see their giftings and talents in the areas of music, public speaking, and art. Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. We love to dream about God’s plan for their lives and look forward to seeing the fruit of all we are sowing right now.
The older kids are now leading their very own devotionals in the homes and the house parents are seeing huge success. The kids are delving into the scriptures, preparing and participating in the activities. We’re excited to see such growth in their spiritual lives!
Last newsletter, we mentioned that we had a group of 3 siblings that had been declared abandoned. We did our part to prepare the psychological reports, health evaluations, and photos. The local PANI office took over a month to even send anyone out to pick up the reports. We have called a number of times and they are still sitting on the file. It hasn’t even been sent it to Adoptions yet. It’s been two months with no movement, that’s highly frustrating! Please pray that they would move quickly to get their part done and sent to the Office of Adoptions. These kids are hopeful to have a family soon!
We also shared about our newest kids, Steven and Maria José. They have had a couple of visitations with their parents. Unfortunately, the judge has asked for extensive evaluations to be administered to a family resource that is interested in obtaining custody of the children. In our experience if a child comes from a highly dysfunctional family, their extended family tends to be dysfunctional as well. All of this has put the judicial process of declaring the children abandoned on stand-by for now. We know that the Lord is fully aware of what is going on with this case. Please pray for God’s will to be done.
First U.S. Adoption ~ Hooray!
On June 20th, the PANI asked if we would receive a sibling set that was up for adoption. Although, Ruth and Emmanuel were only with us for nine weeks, we were able to help facilitate the bonding process with their new adoptive parents from the States. At the end of August, their parents arrived in Costa Rica. Their initial meeting with the kids was touching. Ruth ran outside, clung to Mommy & Daddy and just cried. Everyone was moved to tears as they watched the realization of a dream come true! God’s gifts are perfect!
Interns at the Abraham Project
This time of year (summer in the USA, technically ‘winter’ here in Costa Rica) is not only a time for many teams to come serve at the Abraham Project, but also for young adults from across the country to come and work as interns for a month or more. This summer Jonathan and Amy Griffith, the missionaries who run the intern program, will ‘host’ a total of 19 interns! Ten young adults, ranging in age from 14-21 already came in June and dedicated a month of their summer to serve here at the Abraham Project. Another nine are here this month. They come from all over the U.S., ready and willing to work, serve, help, engage in the culture, and most importantly grow in their relationship with Jesus. They live with local Tico families, and are mentored by Jonathan and Amy throughout their time here.
Here are a few pictures that give you a glimpse into the life of an intern:
They lead and participate in the weekly prayer meetings we have on Friday mornings.
They paint. (Getting instructions about the job from Steve Thomas)
They cook dinner for the children's homes.
They dig holes in the new property adjacent to the Project (an archeological study had to be done as part of the permitting process to build the next children's homes - this included digging 42, 1x1x1 meter holes!).
They explore Costa Rica and do zip lines!
They go hiking with the local church's youth group.
They babysit the Griffith kids to give the hard-working parents a little mini-vacation!
They hang out with the kids from the children's homes.
And they do much, much more. Thank you interns for coming and graciously giving your time and energy and love to the Abraham Project this summer! More pictures to come of the group that is here serving this month...
Ministry News
The month of December was super busy for the kids in the children’s homes, as they wrapped up final exams and the school year. December also marks the beginning of summer vacation! Our house parents, Esteban & Gabriela, took on the task of making 250 tamales for the kids in the children’s homes. They invited Jenny (Gabriela’s mother) and Emilia to help clean banana leaves, prepare the food, and mix the masa. Tamales are a huge part of Christmas tradition in Costa Rica.
The daycare center closed it’s doors on December 15th for a two-week end of year break. That evening they put on an incredible Christmas program. Lights! Camera! Action! Every child in the daycare participated in the much anticipated event. There were over 500 parents/family members present to watch their little ones perform. The singing, dancing, and celebration of Jesus’ birth, was a joyous occasion. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed traditional Christmas tamales and agua dulce (sweet sugar cane water).
Several businesses and organizations blessed the children from our homes with Christmas parties. In fact, the children enjoyed six parties in all! A pharmaceutical company hosted a get together at McDonalds, some employees from a bank brought Santa out to see the kids, and a call center brought a band & choir out to sing Christmas carols to the children! The Christmas season was certainly festive! We all enjoyed the food, gifts, activities, and bags of candy that the different organizations contributed.
Siblings Mainor and Jenny were given some sweet news in December. The Office of Adoptions informed them that they would soon be adopted by an Italian couple! The kids have been with us for over two years while the Office of Adoptions actively looked for a family for the brother and sister. For the longest time, things didn’t look promising, because Adoptions had told us that families are somewhat resistant to adopting pre-adolescent boys (Mainor turned 13 in November). But their persistence in searching finally paid off! The Office of Adoptions has been sending a social worker out to talk to the kids and prepare them for an eventual meeting with their new family. At this time, the date for a hearing with the judge has not been set. Until that happens, we will not know when the family will arrive in Costa Rica.
At the end of October, we received another pair of siblings to add to our group of kids here at the homes. Angela is eight years old, while her little brother Jefreson is four. We received a call in October from PANI, looking to move these kids from another children’s home. The other place stated that Jefreson was difficult to handle and they wanted him removed immediately. Our supervisor has told us that she usually calls the Abraham Project when she has “difficult” cases. Although, she is not a believer, she has seen the difference that Christ makes in the lives of these little ones. She likes that we offer the “religious” component to our work with the children. Pray that Jefreson’s behavioral issues are resolved quickly, and that he and Angela feel the peace and presence of Jesus in this place.
We are eternally grateful for the love that each of you extend to our family and the kids here at the project. It is greatly appreciated!
Paintings
This week, we had a very talented artist come to the Project to paint a couple of murals on the walls of the playrooms in the Children's Homes. She worked for three days to give the kids a more colorful, happier place to play.
We are very grateful to Mandy Antoon for all of her hard work and effort!!!
