New Season, New School, New Blessings...

Well, it has finally arrived. Tomorrow morning (or today, depending on when you read this) marks a new season, new chapter, a new adventure of House of Blessing (HOB). HOB has served as an orphanage in the community of Bachiniva Mexico and surrounding areas for the past 10 years. And now, HOB gets to be a part of opening a brand new Private Christian School. Our buildings and campus will once again be filled with life and excitement as 53 students from Kindergarten to Jr. High and 11 teachers and staff begin the new school year this week.

For the past 3 months, so many wonderful people from Mexico and the United States have poured their hearts, effort and strength into getting everything ready. Even as I write this, we have a mission team here from Lowry City in Missouri that did a kitchen remodel, painted all the classrooms and a number of other projects in just 4 days.

I returned from a 2 week trip this past Wednesday. One of the events that took place during my time in the states was our annual golf tournament up in Washington. It was a TREMENDOUS success as we raised over $10,000 for the new school. It truly was a very special day. Thank you to all the players, volunteers, sponsors and churches that helped make it possible.

God continues to confirm that this is the new chapter He has for us and we are so excited to watch all that He does. Thank you to those who have been praying for us. Thank you to those who have donated money for this new endeavor. Thank you to those who have started to sponsor a students tuition. Thank you!

We would absolutely love and covet your continual prayers. I look forward to keeping you updated throughout the weeks.

Blessings to you

Jason

VBS and Music...

Last October, Jackie and I met with our good friends pastor Sergio and his wife Josefina. They have a church in a town called Porvenir, about 15 minutes away from Bachiniva. As we sat and drank coffee that evening, they shared a huge vision and desire they had to write, create and and do an entire original Vacation Bible School. To include curriculum, crafts, games, music, everything. In the years past their church has spent a lot of money to get VBS material from the states. It was always limited because they couldn’t afford the cost to purchase the entire package. That evening, we began to dream together how something like this could come to be. Sergio and Josefina already had a theme in mind and certain verses. They asked me if I’d be interested in helping with the music. OF COURSE. Music and recording is something that I really really love and haven’t done for a very long time

Music has been apart of my life since I was 11, going back to when I joined our family band ‘The Catch’. My dad asked if I wanted to join and play bass. OF COURSE. That was back in the day when they made cassette tapes. We ended up recording two of them. I have always loved playing, writing, creating, touring and especially recording.

During the Pandemic, I built a little recording studio which I had no idea it would be used as it has been. For the past 6 months, a wonderful team of individuals have been busy writing, creating and piecing the songs together. Any spare time i’ve had has been working away in the studio. Many late night sessions as the creative juices usually flow better in the late hours of the day.

Well, here we are 2 days into the VBS (Valientes - Por Jesus Nuestro Rey) and its been amazing. Over 70 kids have come each day to sing, play, and learn the story of David. From his days as a shepherd, to defeating Goliath and becoming a king. Hearing the children sing the songs that have come about over the past 6 months has been incredible and emotional. So much hard work has been put in to this VBS from both individuals here in Mexico and in the United States. We asked our dear friend Laura Williams, from Florida, if she would use her incredible drawing skills to do all the graphics and slides. It was a massive undertaking and she did an unbelievable job. Drawing free hand every character, object, animal, everything.

We have 3 more days left with the Porvenir VBS and then we will have a VBS here in Bachiniva. By the end of this week each kid will get a CD of the 6 songs we recorded to take home and continue singing and enjoying. Here are some pictures, and one of the songs that we did, called Valientes. Hope you enjoy them as much as we have.

Missions, School and Graduating...

On Tuesday I dropped off a mission team at the airport.  It has been almost 3 years since the last time I did that.  We had an incredible time with a group of 8 men and women from Beaverton Oregon.  I almost forgot how fun, encouraging and exhausting these times are.  The team did a fantastic job helping demo, remodel and prep our buildings for the school we will be starting on September 5th.

Yes, I did say school.  House of Blessing has an incredible opportunity to partner with our local church and the community to open a private christian school on our campus.  A little back story to how this came about.  Long before the Pandemic, we had a desire to start a school first and foremost for our kiddos at the orphanage and then as an opportunity to reach out to the community.  Plans were drawn up for additional buildings, online classes were taken to open a school and things were moving in the right direction.  Once COVID hit and changed everything, the school was lost in the background.

Earlier this year I was walking our property just thinking, praying and wondering.  What in the world is going to happen to this beautiful and large property and campus the Lord has given us and built?  Surely a Pandemic won’t be the complete end to House of Blessing and the work here.  It was made obvious and clear that the orphanage would not reopen as that is no longer the need here.  I pleaded with God to reveal and show how we can use this place to continue our mission and desire to care for kids, partner with families and invest in our community.  Well either that day of the next I received a phone call from my aunt who simply asked “have you been thinking about a school at all lately?” It was something that had been greatly on her mind for quite some time. That phone call was the opening to many more conversations, meetings, prayers, planning and seeking God. Is this what you would have for us?  Officially start a school?

Jackie and I were excited, our board of directors were excited, our church in Bachinvia was excited.  It seemed that this was a good direction to move in.  However, we began to wonder, “would people be excited and actually enroll they're kids?”  We held an open house and invited people to come and hear the mission, vision and our desire for the school.  Over 50 adults and kids came out.  It was a beautiful evening.  Obviously from that night there was an interest, however, would people actually enroll their kids when the time came?

We had enrollment for a week the beginning of this month.  By the 3rd day we had 20+ enrolled.  As of now, we have over 50 kindergarten through jr high students enrolled, and the number keeps growing.  What an amazing confirmation that this is the next chapter.  I am thrilled that House of Blessing gets to play an intricate part of the school as well as continue to focus on our other areas of caring for kids and families.  There are so many more details and stories to share with you all  that we hope to do so over the coming weeks and months.

Please be praying for us, our team, our new teaching staff, the kids registered and anything else you can think of.  This is also a huge step of faith financially as opening a school in this magnitude is a huge financial undertaking.  Walking our property that day, praying and looking at our beautiful facilities and property, I was quickly reminded that it has been God who has provided ALL that we have needed and more. And He can do the same for this next chapter. So many of you have been a part of that provision through your donations, support and visits.

If you would like more details about the school or learn of ways you can partner with us and sponsor a child’s tuition, please email or text me (jason@thehouseofblessing.org, 915.316.9496.

Lastly, I am SO EXCITED to announce that Maria Carolina has finished high school and will be graduating today.  Caro first came to the orphanage over 6 years ago.  When the orphanage closed during the Pandemic, Caro and Natalia moved into our house and have been living with us since then.  Caro will be the first in her family who not only has finished all her schooling and graduated, but will continue her studies.  After looking at a number of different colleges and universities in the surrounding area, she has decided to spend her first year after high school studying at a Bible Institute near Ensenada Baja California.  She was officially accepted last week and is absolutely THRILLED for this new opportunity. We couldn’t be more proud of Maria Carolina Caraveo Rascon!

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week and Happy 4th of July!

Jason