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In 1982 Wally and Mary Sharp, from the United States, came to Guatemala. Their vision was to partner with the Verbo Churches in Guatemala to open a home for abandoned and orphaned children. They opened their doors to receive children for the first time in Antigua Guatemala. After two years they moved to Palin, a small town about 28 miles from Guatemala City. There they received more children and started to work officially as FUNPRONI (Foundation for the Protection of the Orphan Child). They formed a board of directors and named the orphanage “Casa Bernabé”, House of Barnabas (meaning House of comfort). In 1984 legal foundation status was granted under the Guatemalan Acuerdo Gubernativo 571/84.
A piece of property consisting of 11 city blocks, located on the outskirts of Guatemala City on the road to El Salvador was donated for Casa Bernabé. This provided a permanent site for the ministry. Used trailers were brought in for “temporary” use. Volunteer teams from the United States worked side by side with brothers and sisters from the local Verbo Church to construct the first story of a permanent concrete building. This building at different times has been used to house children, staff, and work teams, and to provide facilities for kitchen, dining, laundry, school, clinic, and office space.
FUNPRONI, “Casa Bernabé”, has legally operated for 15 years. During this period we have cared for hundreds of children. Over the years some of these children have been able to return to their families. Others have been adopted by families in Guatemala, the United States, Honduras, Mexico, and Canada. For others Casa Bernabé is their permanent home.
During this time many changes were made. We have come through many difficulties, especially in the area of finances. In 1993 the Board of Directors decided to close the orphanage due to lack of funds. But God had other plans! Pedro Hernandez, a Verbo Pastor, and his American wife, Donie, had been directing a similar ministry, Casa de Samuel, since 1983. Upon learning of the impending closure of Casa Bernabč, Pedro offered a solution. The Alliance for Children Everywhere would assume responsibility for Casa Bernabé, uniting the two ministries!
A phone call to the Alliance for Children headquarters in the United States set many things in motion. Letters were sent. Calls were made. But most important of all, prayers were sent up to our loving God Who is intimately concerned with the plight of His little ones. Pedro and Donie were suddenly responsible for the existing children and staff of Casa Bernabé as well as that of Casa de Samuel! But God had already spoken to them about the work that He had placed in their hands.
True to His Word, God has continued to faithfully provide. Although there have been a number of times when they didn't know where the next meal was coming from, God Did! At one point the staff had not received pay for five months! When asked by church leaders what he planned to do, Pedro answered, "Trust God!" God had promised to meet their needs, and He did! Within a few weeks the full amount for all of the back pay came in one donation! Hallelujah!
In 1996 Casa Bernabé started their own Christian school with approximately 30 students. By 1997 the population had grown to include about 50 children! And in 1998, as a result of their desire to help the many children with learning disabilities, they began to implement a more personalized education to help meet the individual needs of each child. This system is bilingual which will be an additional benefit for the children! |
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Our History |
