HER Operations Christmas Party

Our entire Operations Staff with families.

Howard and I prepared a tradition North American "Turkey Dinner"
which our staff had requested.

For fun we had cookie decorating,
Pictured here are Angelica on the right with her three kids,
Vladamir, Kenard and Rebekah.

Our good friend Suzy, organized all the cookie decorating stuff.
I thought it was very creative, she use a muffin tin to put all the things they
could use to decorate their cookies.  Thanks Suzy and Pinterest! 

Even Pedro, our oldest staff member decorated cookies :)

At the end of the party, everyone piled in the camp truck and headed for home.

December Festivities

We had many celebrations during the month of December.  To kick off the Christmas season we hosted a Christmas cookie baking day with some of the ladies here at Refugio.  This year the Ecuadorian ladies really enjoyed learning how to make "cut-out" cookies.  As with last year we each brought a couple of recipes to share (which means translating), then we made the recipe.  I think the most enjoyable part  for the ladies though, was being able to take the Christmas cookies home to share with their families.  As with tradition, at lunch we stopped and enjoyed Howie's delicious BBQ burgers and fries.  For those of you who know me well, I am not a huge fan of the kitchen, so I tend to float and clean pans as they are used and needed for more recipes.  I also love just listening to all the talking and laughing that goes on as they learn new things and experience "The Joys of Baking"!

Nathaly and I stirring the fudge.

Katy, Nathaly, Diana, Erica, Kari, myself, Anita, Piedad, Angelica and Suzy.

Learning how to make Christmas cut out cookies.

Feliz Navidad!

English Class

English Students Fall 2013
Left to Right: Anita, Patricio, Holgar, David, Angelica, Pablo, Diana, Karina, Deanna,
Nathly, Maria Jose, Mariana, Aurelio, Howie and Jhonny.

For the final class each student had to give a three minute presentation on their
"Family Tree".  Patricio giving his presentation.
At the end, they had me (Mariana) give my presentation in Spanish :) 

We had a class party with lots of great food!

On the way to taking our class photo, we had a bit of a mishap getting into place with the camera timers.

The women of the class...

...and the men!

The Garden ~ El Jardín

Aerial View of the Garden before the summer work teams.
As you can see the Cypress trees on either side of the Grace Center.

Aerial View taken at the end of the summer.
Thanks to our various work teams the Cypress trees were cut down, taken out and all the wood moved to dry.

East Gate of the Garden Before.
This view shows the Cypress trees from the inside of the garden.

East Gate of the Garden After.
Once the Cypress trees were removed, construction was then started on a retaining wall.

West side of the Garden Before.
Another view of the Cypress trees from inside of the Garden.
Also, a view of the upper pond.

West side of the Garden After.
A view of the completed retaining wall on the opposite side of the Grace Center.

Lower Pond at the beginning of the summer.

Lower pond with the water flowing freely from the upper pond.
Another project was to construct a stream, or "a creek" as they say in the South,
to allow the water to flow freely through the Garden.

Howie saw a bridge like this when we were in Guadalajara.
 With Holgar's help they figured out a way to make this one for the garden.

Psalm 129 ~ Paraphrased by Mary Scholl

As the loud speaker from

the Barrio blasts messages,

so the enemy has done since

my youth, messages of

worthlessness, insecurity and fear.

Now the grooves are

long and deep,

in my soul.

Over time, as a healer,

God fills in the grooves,

making them smooth.

Please God hold at bay the enemy, 

as he attempts to re-open wounds.

Make my ears deaf,

to the loudspeaker.

Father tune your ear,

to the frequency of my heart.

Savior tune my heart, 

the the frequency of your spirit.