Michael & Celeste Peters and two of their three daughters return to the Casa Alegre Orphanage next month, from October 18 thru the 27th.  Celeste is one of Paul & Vera Northrup’s five children and, along with her family, is GRM’s ambassador to Mama Liz and the Casa Alegre orphanage.  Enjoy this encouraging post from Michael & Celeste:

Peters @ Casa Alegre

Dear friends & family,

You won’t believe all that has gone on at the orphanage in this past year–there’s so much great news to share!

  • Many of you contributed last year to our sweet 16 year old Brenda for a surgery on her leg.  As an infant she had been thrown against a wall, which impacted the ability for one leg to grow properly.  It became increasingly more painful and difficult to walk as she was maturing.  The doctors determined that surgery could be done to stimulate bone growth.  The surgery was $20,000.00, and then Brenda would require rehab and nursing care once she was back at home.  Thank the Lord for His generous people; last year YOU SUPPLIED ALL THE FUNDS FOR HER SURGERY AND CARE!  THANK YOU!!  Brenda had the surgery and is home now still recovering.  We can hardly wait to go love on her and continue to encourage her. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers & financial support to this amazing rescue ministry happening every day at Casa Alegre.
  • Another most exciting event…drum roll please… Mama Liz, (our dear friend, founder of Casa Alegre, and tireless champion of the children) is getting married!  Yes, you understood that correctly!  Elizabeth was deserted by her husband more than 30 years ago.  She reared her own 2 children alone, plus the hundreds of children who have come to her through the orphanage.  A sweet friendship arose with a man from the local church where her father is the Senior Pastor.  He is a veterinarian and has helped with the animals raised at the Casa, and has been an all around encourager and supporter for Elizabeth.  After 18 years of friendship he proposed this summer!  Elizabeth is beaming, and we are delighted for her happiness!!  God is so good!
  • The kids at Vacation Bible School at our home church, Mission Hills, were challenged this summer to raise funds for two commercial stoves desperately needed for the orphanage.  Miraculously they did!  These kids raised over $6,000.00 for the kids at the orphanage.  That covered the whole cost for the two stoves!  Mama Liz went to tears when she heard what the children had done.
  • Another great happening is that Mama Liz has found two families to live on campus with the kids.  A husband and wife and two small children now live on the girls’ side; while a mother and her two grown sons are living on the boys’ side. This is such an answer to prayer.  We have been so aware the children, even the older ones, desperately needed more individual care & connection.  This creates much more of a family environment.  Mama Liz has done a phenomenal job, but let’s face it, being the primary breadwinner, businesswoman, public relations department, mother, disciplinarian…well, you get it!  It is just too much for one person and it has taken a toll.  Her own physician was telling her she needed to scale back or she would find herself in serious physical trouble.

What a sweet privilege it is to come along side and help hold up the arms of those in the battle of rescuing children!  We are so privileged to be able to go, to love, and to pour into the lives of the children, and into Mama Liz and all those who so diligently work alongside of her day after day. We have obviously fallen in love with these kiddos and can’t wait to get down there each year to reconnect!

Michael, Celeste, Rachel and Riley will be returning to the Casa this year.  Audra, entering her junior year of High School has to remain home to focus on her rigorous school demands.  It’s the first time in 7 years that she’ll miss our time with the kids.  They will certainly miss her too!!

The rest of us will be accompanied by a group from our church and other local churches.  In addition to our main objectives – liberally passing out hugs, loving on the girls, & wrestling with the boys – we have numerous construction and repair projects to do, bible studies and discussion groups with older boys and girls, and who knows, we might even be installing a couple of nice new ovens and baking some cookies while we’re there.  There’s ALWAYS plenty to keep up busy.  Not a moment is wasted while we’re with the kids and ministering to Elizabeth.

We covet your prayer support and encouragement. Through them, You Go Down With Us even though you may not be able to go physically – this time!  If instead, you will keep us in your prayers between now and October 27th, we would really appreciate it.  Pray for safe travel, good health, and particularly good connection with the kids and vision for future planning.  Your financial support for our trip and for our kids is always needed and appreciated too.  If you’re able…any gifts are tax deductable and can be made out to Gospel Relief Missions and sent in the enclosed envelope.  You’ll get a tax receipt, and we will be sure that each dollar is used most effectively.  Thank you and God bless you and your family to overflowing!!  He is good and so faithful!!!

Thank you…from the Peters Family