First ever Open House!

We had very specific goals and therefore invited specific guests to join us for this special day!

After many weeks of planning, preparation and much on-site set up, we welcomed our invited guests to our very much still a ‘work in progress’ construction site!

Our team worked tirelessly on all kinds of details and logistics, all the way to making coffee for 50 people over an open fire since we still do not have electricity!

We had a full day of presentations where we had two different groups, each with their own purposes.

In the morning session we invited pastors and staff from local churches that we have identified as churches that we would love for the girls to get involved in. Also in this morning session we invited directors and leaders from local ministries that work in this same context of orphan care, trauma informed care, mentoring , vulnerable and at risk populations.

Goals with the Churches;

1) Create strong relationships and alliances with certain local churches. One of our primary objectives in our program is to always stay connected with the local church. The local church is God’s plan for reaching and impacting lives with the Gospel. Therefore it is mission critical for us to make sure each young person finds healthy community within a local church with solid doctrine.

2) Communicate well with pastors and church leaders the mission and vision of Casa d Gracia. Along with this, we want to begin now to encourage them to be watching for our young people and welcome them with lots of love.

3) Consider and pray about people within their congregation that would potentially be good mentors to commit to walk alongside our young people during their time in our program and then long after they graduate from Casa de Gracia! We want to launch each young person with as much strong biblical community surrounding them as possible!

Goals with the Ministries;

1) Create strong relationships with others serving in this same context. As our leader, Rich Smith says, ‘This problem is bigger than all of us, we all need to work together for these young people!’

2) Communicate well our mission and vision so they can help refer young people to us as we work together for the kingdom and the Gospel.

In the afternoon session, we invited personnel from the system of protection around the country.

Goals with the Orphanages and Refuges;

1) Communicate in depth who we are, why we exist and what we plan to accomplish with our residential and day programs.

2) Create connections and relationships to be able to have a good process for receiving young people from them as they turn 18 and age out.

3) Pray and plan for those in the system that are currently 16 years old and up and will be needing a safe and gospel centered place to transition to.

It was a great day full of so much joy and excitement as we welcomed each guest!

And it was truly a celebration to be able to set up inside the first transition home and see it filled with new and familiar faces!

Please pray for much fruit to come from this and future events we know we will need to plan.