Here is our monthly (más o menos) newsletter to keep our friends and family updated on what is happening with Hope House Children's Relief (HHCR) and Hope House in Mexico. For those who don't know, HHCR is our not-for-profit 501(c)3 and all donations received are directed solely to Hope House (Casa Hogar Mi Esperanza en el Corazon) in Ixtlahacan, Jalisco, Mexico. The newsletter will provide updates on the boys - especially the new ones - a little insight into the staff, teams, vocational training, projects, and items of special interest.  If you know of someone that would be interested in HHCR/Hope House, Mexico updates, they can subscribe here.

A copy of last month's newsletter can be found here.  If you go to this website there is a link to all previous newsletters.

We received a very heartwarming and informative letter from Annel, the Administrative Director of Hope House. We wanted to share it with our readers and donors. A common word we hear when visitors come to Hope House is "impressive". It is because of the incredible loving staff. This letter will give a glimpse of the heart and attitude of the staff. The letter, the original being in Spanish, which can be found here, and translated below, deals very explicitly as to how Hope House staff and boys are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The local government, the State of Jalisco, has required physical distancing and shelter-in-place, among other things, until 31 May. This creates real challenges with the boys, now 24/7 on site, and staff coming and going from their homes to help at Hope House. The administrator's letter explains that Hope House staff and boys are sheltering-in-place within the Hope House facilities as a family. Not all staff are able to participate and so, as you will see, some of the boys are helping out in various capacities. Not only does this help Hope House operate smoothly but it gives the boys the opportunity to work as family members, learn responsibility, and help in various tasks that will be useful later on in their lives. A plan is in place to ensure that essentials, such as getting food, medical and dental treatment, banking (depositing checks and obtaining cash) are taken care of by a single designated person, in this case, Omar. As part of this plan, HHCR has been instrumental in providing checks from the funds our donors have so generously provided by meeting with Omar as the need for money arises. As of today, April 20, there are no cases of COVID-19 in the immediate area, although there are in Guadalajara.

The letter will touch your hearts in a significant way. It did ours.  If you would like to participate in providing these boys hope and keep Hope House functioning, there are donate buttons at the end of the newsletter. 

CASA HOGAR UNA ESPERANZA EN EL CORAZON, A.C.

TIEMPO DE CUARENTENA POR COVID 19

I want to share a little of what we are experiencing here in Mexico but especially at Casa Hogar.

On March 14 of this year, the Covid -19 was declared a World Pandemic, a situation that worried me, but at the same time I felt that God had already been preparing us for this situation.  Since the beginning of the month we had two children with influenza type A, which caused us to take extreme sanitary measures since if the contagion spread,  all the children as well as the staff would be quarantined in the Casa Hogar.

All recommendations were followed and all complied with the measures, preventing more infections from occurring.

After this I asked the staff to take more extreme measures with this pandemic. We knew that this situation would greatly affect the economy, so each one was asked if they could follow the recommendations and take care not to go to other places and limit themselves. Coming to and from work and home would be fine, however I knew that would be difficult to control this situation, since not all of us think the same way and not everyone wants to suspend their normal activities after work, continuing as if nothing happened. I worried about such situations since there was the possibility that some workers would become infected, increasing the possibility that we would all be affected by it.

In particular, in my house we take extreme measures when arriving and leaving, we do not receive visitors. As the first week passed  I couldn't stop being worried; not only do I have a child at home, but 17 more at Casa Hogar. At first I did not know what to do, in my mind I thought so much about the situation looking for options, a solution to take care of everyone, of each child, of each worker. They are such difficult decisions and at the same time a great responsibility that comes with making them. But I spoke to God, I opened my heart and told Him that I did not know what actions to take and I asked Him to show me a sign of the path that I should take.

The first was to ask my husband, I know that he is jealous of our family time together, and depending on how he felt, if he answered no to my questions, this would mean that everything would continue as it was up to now; for me that would be a sign. Then I asked him: "Ismael, don't you think we should take care of our children and stay with them in this time of quarantine?" He answered, "Does that make you feel calmer?" And I with my watery eyes replied: "Yes, I think so". In that he replied: "Then I support you in whatever you decide." His response was so shocking to me since my husband would not normally have told me that. For me  I didn't need any more signs.

I knew that we had to cover shifts in the morning, afternoon and night, as well as the kitchen, clean clothes for all the children each day, make payments, the daily necessities of the home such as truckloads of water, gas, food... etc. these do not stop.  So, I texted and made some calls letting the staff know what I thought and wanted to do.

Five of the workers answered me and said I support you. Now we will be seven in Casa Hogar to help cover each of the areas.

Nena, the girl who helps me at the reception didn't return my call right away. The wonderful thing for me, when I received her call back, was that she told me: "I waited to call back because I had to ask my mom what she thought about it, since she would take care of my children. Depending on her answer I knew this would be God's will, and she answered without a doubt that it was okay for me to leave, that I did not need to worry. So I am here  to help."

I can tell you a lot of things about my workers, about how they are leaving their homes, their comforts, and their families, I realize that I have wonderful people who love my children and that God chose them for this service.

Then we talked to the children, that now everything they have learned they had to put into practice, that we are a family and that is what all families do.

Ulises, the oldest is helping to wash clothes and arranging clean clothes each day and for each child.

Josué  is in charge of the greenhouse.

José de Jesús  helps in the kitchen, disinfects all the vegetables and fruit, performs cleaning, and helps prepare food.

Gerardo is in charge of the deep cleaning of the house, keeping it in order.

They are the oldest. The others help with the areas that impact them, their daily routines and chores, their schoolwork and activities. And together we take care of the property around us (even those areas that are not technically ours), cleaning up the weeds and dry brush, since we are also in fire season. All our neighbors have been worried about their houses that a fire does not come to them, but we are fine. Thank God for the care we have taken and for learning from past experiences.

But everything is not just cleaning, food, and chores, but also moments of fun and games where we spend quality time together.

This time has served as a reflection for everyone, for each child and each worker, but for me especially since I realize how everything that happens leaves a blessing, even the things that seem at first to be negative. The portion of Scripture that comes to my mind is found in Romans 8:28 "Now we know that God arranges all things for the good of those who love him, those who have been called according to his purpose." And this makes me see the great love that God has for us and the care he has for His children in times of difficulty
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I value the time we have to praise and pray to God all together and pray for each of the people who have helped us, for our families, and above all that He values even the smallest detail of our daily life. All those little things that were customary for us, or we only noticed when they went wrong, now we see the great blessings that they are.

I cannot say that it is easy, but I know that this too soon shall pass and I am sure that God cares for us, as he has up to now been keeping us safe and each child in good health.

I want to thank the people who love us even without knowing us, who pray for us, who are caring for and looking after the well-being of our children, I wish blessings for you and your entire family.
 

Praise and prayer time.