First posting from the 2016 El Hogar Service Team!


It is that time of year - our 2016 team has been formed and we are now busy into producing gingerbread churches to raise money for our next trip to Honduras which will take place April 23 - 30, 2016.  These funds will go toward the $2,500US project fee for our time there and the work that we will end up doing there.  Last year we figured that we put in over 400 hours to produce about 150 churches and this year will be the same.  It is vital that everyone pitch in at the task, but in addition we also get some alumni and others joining us which is very helpful.   
The process starts with the baking of hundreds of church parts, and then on to the fun part of  constructing and decorating..

 All this contributes to team building, sometimes a little Spanish practice thrown in and sometimes friendly competition takes place in the decorating part of it. 








 "I can't wait to taste this delicious gingerbread!  It smells soooooo good!"

 But they all come out unique and different and worthy to make many happy at Christmas time.
They were on sale at the Christmas Market and almost all sold. 

 This year, we also sold chocolate bark as well
which flew off the table - a popular item.  No doubt for a lot of Christmas stockings! 

And we are so very grateful to Marilyn for her beautiful paintings and note cards that she donates each year to raise funds for El Hogar.  When the Gingerbread and chocolate bark run out, there are always Marilyn's cards.  Always for sale and you can contact one of the team members to purchase any. 



On October 24th, the Toronto churches planned "Rally for Hope" - a Car Scavenger Hunt followed by dinner and a live and silent auction.  It was a successful, wonderful fun day, though non of our teams came anywhere close to winning!

This year we helped the fundraising  by contributing our Mosaic of Art.  As you may remember, we had the children paint canvases when we were in Honduras in April.  We brought them home and along with some beautifully done canvases by some of our local artists, we mounted 92 paintings in an impressive mosaic.  

Those  interested then purchased a ticket for one of the paintings and at the end of the evening, everyone was able to take home a wonderful painting knowing that they were supporting the children.

We were also fortunate to have a painting donated by John Keith who was inspired to paint a scene taken from one of our photos off our blog last year taken at Santa Lucia, a beautiful setting for the location of the teen girls campus who have graduated from the primary school in Tegucigalpa.   The painting was in the silent auction and taken home by a couple who have deep roots at El Hogar and were delighted that they got the painting having stood numerous times at this very spot at the side of the mountain looking into this valley.  Thanks John for the time you have given to us in this painting.