Adiós 2008, Bienvenido 2009! **March 10-11

Changes for the ministry in 2009 are visible on the horizon. Please join in praying for God's plan to unfold with the support and individuals needed for His Glory!

1) Today all staff is new, with the exception of Elma, Mikey and his wife Xochit, and Margarita. New staff includes some Christian trained psychologists and teachers. Since the death of her husband (Nov. 2008), Elma is living at the home most of the time. She likes this because she can pray for all needs on site and pay more attention to what is going on with residents and staff. Our funds, as the non-profit established to support the home, have been weak in 2008. We pray that we can strengthen our giving to pay salaries in the coming year.

2) The day care program has 78 children under school age attending Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 7:00 pm. The parents of these children are required to attend "Parenting Classes" and held at Casa MAMi. This program is funded by the government and parents receive "Recognition Certificates" when they complete the course. This component of the ministry is important for changing what happens at an early age between parents and their children.

3) There are 38 girls in the residential program at Casa MAMi. The second floor includes dormitory bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry, and a study area. They attend school and are expected to follow rules that allow limited TV viewing, and regulate personal habits for study, meals, bathing, laundry, and routines.
Everyone in both residential and day care programs eats all meals at Casa MAMi (over 100 people!)

4) In December all of the homes for children ('casa hogar') in Reynosa (13) were asked by the government to complete a form and to be inspected. Casa MAMi and founder/director Elma Fonseca de Velásquez were awarded first place! Elma received a plaque and a laptop computer! The government has approached Elma to start a day care program for a maquiladora, with parenting classes. They also would like for her to add a third floor. (Who is paying the staff for these ambitions?)

5) Two of the older and most successful residents (academically), Fernanda and Anastasia, have been offered partial scholarships (books and uniforms) for college prep programs. We are dedicated to seeing these girls pursue their education and continue to have lives that reflect God's redemption and delivery from lives of poverty, oppression, neglect and abuse. (They are still 2-3 years before admission to the university, but we are committed to offering them opportunities.)

6) The former location of Casa MAMi, on Carranza Street, has been rented for nearly two years to house staff and homeless families. Funds for this expense are not available so this ministry will probably end soon, unless someone comes forward to cover it.

7) Annual Meeting- March 10-11, 2009. If you, your church, or friends and family have an interest in this ministry, you are invited to join us in Reynosa for our annual meeting. This will be a time to visit with some of the Mexican supporters, learn about the needs, background and vision of the ministry. Please pray about this! Any friend of Casa MAMi is enthusiastically welcome for this trip!

To God be the Glory! Thank you for reading this! Email us for more info: casamamimx@gmail.com
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