May 2021 Guate update

"I was a stranger and you took me in." - Jesus

Casa David Guatemala

We are excited about the recent grand opening of Casa David in Antigua, Guatemala. Casa David exists to extend a loving welcome to strangers - family members that have traveled to Antigua to admit a patient at the National Hospital located nearby. Without resources or options, it has been common for many people to be found sleeping in hallways and streets close to the hospital to be available for the one hour each day visiting time. Casa David’s founder, Marvina Hooper, noticed this situation many years ago while visiting and ministering to children in a National Hospital in Honduras. Years later she answered God’s call to be used to open the first Casa David in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and already the Lord has provided for two houses in that country. A couple of years ago our friend Olivia began to feel a stirring within. She had been serving with a local ministry for ten years and also was completing a degree in Hospitality and Guest Services. She invited us to dinner to share this tugging on her heart and asked us to pray that she would courageously follow God’s lead - no matter how scary it seemed. Casa David Guatemala, under the leadership of Olivia Juarez, is an answer to that prayer!

Olivia says,”As I visited Casa David in Honduras and saw the guests studying their Bibles, I just knew that this is how I wanted to serve, not to provide a place to stay with a little Jesus, like a garnish on top, but to give our guests Jesus and His Word with a side of physical needs met.”

To learn more we encourage you to look up Casa David Guatemala on both FaceBook and YouTube.

Marvina and Olivia mark the official opening of Casa David Guatemala in Antigua.
Dale is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for Casa David and we look forward to sharing the love of Christ with “strangers”in Casa David Guatemala.

Every “stranger” that enters the doors of Casa David will certainly hear the gospel at sometime during their stay, have the opportunity to participate in nightly devotion and prayer times, as well as having a comfortable place to sleep and two hot meals daily.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." - Jesus

In April 2019 we extended a welcoming embrace to two complete “strangers”. Quickly they became family in our hearts. Ten months later they were ordered to return to their parents' home and we said a tearful goodbye in a crowded city parking lot outside the government building where the judge’s decision was handed down. We marveled how two complete strangers could so quickly be tightly woven into the fabric of our home and family. We grieved and began to figure out a new normal. After just four months they were found in need once more and gratefully returned to our home! Shortly after their return Antony would begin to speak of something that he remembered from their first visit by saying, “When we were here but we didn’t know you.” And that became the common distinction between the first time and the second time, “But now we know you.”. We were, as were they, strangers no more.

Several weeks ago we learned quite unexpectedly that there was a good possibility that the boys would be returning to their home once more. Some God-orchestrated circumstances kept us from attending in person the court hearing that ended with an order for the boys to return to their home. Not only did this mean that the boys didn’t have to experience the trauma that such appointments always induce, but also gave us the gift of a whole week of heart, mind and physical preparation before we took the boys to their parent’s home on May 6!

We pray that their family will experience the presence, provision and protection of Christ and that the “home” feeling that the boys learned to feel with us will easily be transferred to life with their family! But most of all, we pray that seeds that were planted in their hearts will grow and someday reap a great harvest!

We appreciate your prayers for Kristin and for us as we again make this painful transition and follow God’s lead into another new normal, part of which is …. a visit to the US!

We hope to see many of you as we make a rather rapid sweep
of many places we call home!

We will be in Missouri/Arkansas (June 15-31)

Warsaw Bible Church

Grace Chinese Christian Church (20)

Kentucky (July 1-11)

Absher family reunion
Cornerstone International Summit

Ohio (July 11-20)

Pleasant View Missionary Church VBS

Kentucky (July 22-29)

We appreciate your prayers for safe travels, rest for our souls and that each visit will be one of mutual encouragement!

We praise God for all of you and the recent blessings of provision and prayer, words of encouragement and compassion that God has poured on us through you!

By His grace and for His glory,

Dale and Anita

Thank you for partnering with us through your gifts and prayers. To stand with us financially, click the website button below which links you to our secure donation site. To donate through the mail, please send your checks to:

Cornerstone International
P.O. Box 192
Wilmore, KY 40390
1-800-859-4578

Make checks out to Cornerstone International and write Firm Foundations on the memo line.

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