The End of Summer is Near

  I cannot believe how fast this summer has gone by! This week is the last group that I am here for, and Orangewood Presbyterian comes next week as the last group of the summer for us at Casa Hogar. It has been a pretty great summer for Casa Hogar. Lots of groups coming in to love on the kids and share the love of Christ with them. I am especially excited for this week as it is my home church, and it has been so incredibly special to see them love on the kids of Casa Hogar. This week the kids are learning about the Trinity and how the Lord loves us as a Father, was willing to die for us so that we might have the gift of eternal life as a Son, and gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit so that we have strength and grace daily. The kids love having so many familiar faces like "Papa Oso" aka "Papa Bear" aka Chuck Duggan and many others and have also loved meeting all of our new team members. It has been a special week thus far and I am excited to see what else the Lord has in store for our group this week. Pray for our team as we continue to love on and minister to these kids. Pray for energy and health as well as that Christ would be evident through all that we do.
   The end of the school year is finally here for everyone at Casa Hogar and they are all so excited for summer break! Many of the kids graduated from high school and elementary school and are headed into a new stage of life, which is very excited. Please pray for the transitions that many kids will face this summer. Pray that the kids will cling to the Lord through all the hard and exciting transitions. The Lord is very alive here in Acapulco. We were able to see 29 new members baptized and become members of Jesús   de Nazaret. Pray that the Lord would continue to move throughout this city and that he would continue to work in and through Jesús de Nazaret.

       

Thankful

    There are many things to be thankful for here at Casa Hogar, but I want to take a moment to explain to you why I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed Casa Hogar with some of the most gracious, kind, and loving leaders around. Pictured above is Iliana. Iliana helps serve as the Public Relations chair for Casa Hogar, but she does so much more than all that the title of Public Relations typically entails. Iliana serves any and every team, person, or foreigner that comes to serve at Casa Hogar. She helps everyone feel welcome while visiting Casa Hogar and Acapulco and truly makes it feel that it is home. She has such a heart that is willing to serve in any and every way that she can. It is a pleasure to work alongside her as she loves deeply, serves graciously, and walks with the Lord daily. Casa Hogar is made up of such a special staff. From Hermano Alejandro who is known as the Dad of Casa Hogar, to Laura and David who help with homework and driving the kids to school, to Aurelio who drives the kids and teams anywhere they need to go, to Lupita who serves as a mother to the younger and older girls, to Roberto who loves on the older boys, to Doña Isabel who cares and loves on the younger boys, this staff is truly something special.  There are so many other people who have a part in serving Casa Hogar in ways outside of being with the kids daily that I have not named, but I am so thankful for their service to the kids as well. For many of us, we are blessed to know what it is like to grow up in a loving household, but for these kids who have seen heartache and sometimes tragedy through their homes, they have not experienced a God honoring and loving household until they are here at Casa Hogar. The staff does an incredible job of making this place home. Making it a place where kids can grow up learning of Jesus and watching these leaders love Jesus. If you have ever been blessed to come to Casa Hogar you know the exact home atmosphere about which I am talking because it is contagious. The love of Jesus is shining here at Casa Hogar in so many ways and much of that is due to the leaders here at Casa Hogar. It is a blessing to serve alongside them daily and watch each of them lay down their crowns at the feet of Jesus so that His name might be known. I ask you to join me in prayer for each of these leaders as they love on these kids and point them to Jesus. Pray that the would be energized and rejuvenated daily through Jesus love and grace. Pray that they would have discernment and wisdom on how best to love these kids. And pray that Jesus would come and meet with them daily, filling up their cups so that they might pour out to others. 

We have a couple weeks break between teams here for Casa Hogar, and then my church, FPC Macon, comes down July 15th and I could not be more excited!! After our team comes, Orangewood Presbyterian is our last team of the summer! I know that the kids are beyond excited for our team and Orangewood's team to come as both churches have had a long lasting relationship over the years with Casa Hogar. The kids are finally finishing up school this week and headed into summer break. Pray that the kids would have a nice transition out of the school year and a restful summer vacation! Pray that the Lord would begin to prepare FPC and Orangewood to come serve here so soon. 

Thank you for all your prayers and support of Casa Hogar. The Lord moves in mighty ways through prayer.

              It has been a great past couple of weeks here at Casa Hogar! Between the team from Christ Covenant in Florida last week to the team from Nashville and Birmingham this week, the Lord has been working in many ways. I wanted to share the picture above to tell you a little bit about my brother Giovanni because the Lord sure is working in and through this young man. Giovanni is currently studying engineering in college, but for the past year or so he has also been a leader for the youth of the church of Jesús de Nazaret here in Acapulco. Gio's love for the Lord is so evident as he is so eager to share the gospel with any and everyone he comes in contact with. Gio has been sharing the gospel and explaining his mission with each of the groups that have come to serve here at Casa Hogar. It is an incredible thing to hear the same good news of Jesus in a completely different language than your own because it helps us to see how big our God is. I am thankful that the Lord has raised up Gio to be a witness for Him to the youth of Acapulco and I am excited to come alongside him and his other leaders to share the good news of Jesus throughout this city. I am excited for the week ahead as this team of 13 has already started making strong bonds with the kids. The new building is getting closer and closer to being completed everyday and we are so excited. Pray that the Lord would give us energy to work hard and love on the kids well this week. Pray that the gospel would be seen in all that we do. Again, thank you all for your many prayers. We appreciate the love and prayers you give to Casa Hogar.

Here Comes the Crazy Summer

      Yesterday, a team of 40 from Christ Covenant Presbyterian in Florida came to visit Casa Hogar for the week. We are so excited for them to come alongside us and serve the kids this week. They are an energetic group that is ready to serve in whatever ways are needed. The kids are excited that this church is here because it is their third time visiting Casa Hogar and there are many familiar faces that have returned to continue the friendships that have been established over the years. This week we are looking forward to painting and cleaning the boys rooms as well as helping out a little bit on the new building. As you can see in the picture above, the new building is getting so close to being finished and we are so excited!!! Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for this team over the next week. Pray for safety for the team in all that they do. Also pray that as they share the gospel with these kids that their words would be clear and the kids would have open hearts and minds to receive the word of the Lord. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!

11 Days

Hi Everyone!

As most of you know starting June 16th I will be serving at Casa Hogar orphanage in Acapulco, Mexico for the next year of my life. This is something I have been praying about for the past 8 years and I am so encouraged that the Lord has opened the door for me to serve at Casa Hogar. This is my first blog post of hopefully many from this blog, all about my journey to Casa Hogar for the next year! I cannot believe that I leave in just 11 short days, and what is even more exciting is my first team as an official Casa Hogar Intern will be there in 13 days! We have 5 teams coming to serve at Casa Hogar this summer and I absolutely cannot wait to be down there helping. My hope with this blog is that you are updated on the things that are happening in Casa Hogar and the city of Acapulco through the work of Jesús de Nazaret (the Presbyterian Church in Acapulco). I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for Casa Hogar, Jesús de Nazaret, and myself for the next year! If you would like to receive prayer letters and updates on what is happening with me personally you can email katiescott420@gmail.com.

En Cristo,

Katie Scott