History

It’s unimaginable to think our lives without ministry being a part of it. Josefina Valencia accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior in 1975. She was a single mother, working hard as a secretary at the University of Juarez. After becoming a Christian, her life dramatically changed. She devoted herself to helping others find a new Life and a new beginning. Josefina opened her home if people needed somewhere to stay, and with the help of her adopted son, Cruz, they would never waste an opportunity to witness to others. Even on the way to church, they would leave early enough to stop into different stores to talk to the owners about Jesus.
Josefina started two churches and pastored them for many years. She mentored numerous men and women who would later go into ministry. The churches flourished and the ministry grew in numbers. Also, she began a Rehabilitation center for men. The Rehab center has facilitate many men to turn their lives around and has also produced many missionaries and pastors.
One night, Josefina was praying and she felt like God was calling her to start an orphanage. It seemed weird to her because she was still the pastor of her churches. However, God kept tugging at her heart the whole night and by morning she had already told Him that she would do whatever He told her to.
God had showed her this piece of land on the outskirts of Juarez, and with the help of many people, particularly Wes Kelly, they slowly built what would now be Casa Hogar Bethel. Even with no electricity, running water, and sometimes no food in the pantry, God always came through, always making sure His children were taken care of.

Casa Hogar Today -By Anna Franklin

          Every May, the very day after school let out for summer, I would pack up all my things and my mom would drive me to Juarez. I have countless stories about the amazing children I met, the adventures I was a part of, and the many nights where I laid in bed, overwhelmed with utter happiness. We played ridiculously long games of hide and seek. Fun soccer matches that ended with my grandmother making us all take baths because we were covered in dirt, and so many games of marbles that I couldn't begin to count.
          However, the summers were also life changing and eye opening. One summer, there was this little boy, Victor who was like a little brother to me. He was seven years old and a feisty soccer player. His mother had come to the orphanage to visit, but her real intentions became apparent when she asked my grandmother for money (yes, parents actually come and ask the orphanage for money). Her pimp was waiting in the car for her and she had spent all her wages from last night on drugs, so she was desperate. My grandmother told her that she didn't have any extra money to spare but she could give her clothes and food, if she needed it. The woman shrugged it off and started to leave. Victor began screaming, begging her to stay. He trembled and with a shaky voice asked her if she didn't love him anymore. He clutched at her arms, using all his strength to keep her near him. Tears streamed down his face, all he could manage to say now is please, no, please. Finally, when she had almost reached the car, she turned to face Victor. A glimmer of hope flickered across his face and he went to hug her. She raised her arm and balled her hand in a fist and came down hard. I just remember feeling blood splatter on my shirt and seeing it gush from Victor's face. She got in the car and never looked back.
          That wasn't the first time I had seen a beaten up child, for every time the police came to drop one off, they were usually covered in bruises or had swollen faces. However, seeing this happen to Victor was like feeling a ton of bricks falling on me. I felt anger like I had never felt before. I scooped him up in my arms, yelling at some of the other kids to bring me towels. As I cleaned him up, he was silent, I knew that he was still in shock. His lip was busted and I could tell he had a broken nose. I held him in arms, trying to sooth the internal pain more than the physical. We had called the doctor and he would be there in minutes.
          Before bed time, I went into his room to see how he was feeling. He didn't say much, but didn't seem to be in a lot of physical pain. I was about to walk out when I heard his little voice say, "I still love her, you know? Even though she did this, I still love my mommy."
          It's these moments that change your life more than you realize. I sobbed in bed that night,
My good friend once stopped me and asked me why I thought the kids seemed so happy? I was taken by surprise by the question and when I didn't answer, he explained himself. These kids come from the worst backgrounds imaginable, every type of abuse, drug addict and alcoholic parents, prostitute's children, sold into slavery, abandoned by their family members who treat their pets better. Why, then, are they so happy still?
          That was the first time I had ever really thought about it. It was true. If you were to go down there and look at these kids, you would think they were just regular children. They laugh, run, play pranks, and most have a constant smile on their faces. It's not until you look closer that you notice the burn marks and scars left by their sordid past. It's not until you think about the reasons for their need to cuddle with you and hold your hand that you realize these kids are different.
          A pastor once asked my grandmother how soon after the children get there does she try to convert them to Christianity. She looked at him straight in the eye and said, "First, I give them a safe place to live with comforts most have never known, this includes three meals a day, clean clothes, and a warm bed. Then, I hold their hands and hug them as often as possible. I tell them that they are beautiful, wonderful, smart, valuable children and that they are precious in the eyes of God. I let them know that the past is the past and they are new creatures, they have a future and will be educated. I help them learn to forgive their families and actually pray for them. Pastor, I don't try to make them into Christians, I just show them the love of Christ."