who we are
Tomatoes. Tomatoes. Tomatoes. During a recent visit to Illinois, I was overwhelmed by the over abundance of my parents’ Midwestern August garden. At any given time, the eight tomato plants were heavy with over a hundred healthy bright red, juicy tomatoes. I would walk out to the garden to pick a tomato or two for our evening meal and I couldn’t stop picking. My mom would ask, “What took so long?” and I would respond sheepishly with a smile on my face as I revealed the 20 tomatoes in my bucket yet I was still thinking about the other ripe tomatoes hanging on the vine waiting to be harvested. Friends and neighbors would regularly stop by, pop their head in the house and say, “Hey Gary and Brenda, I came by to pick some tomatoes!” My parents would happily oblige and found great joy in sharing the harvest.
The process began about three months prior. I remember it well from my childhood. The soil was prepared, the starter plants were carefully and strategically planted, and cage supports were put in place. With the right amount of sunlight, a bit of weeding, a sufficient amount of water, and a bit of daily maintenance and care, the plants pretty much do what they are created to do, they grow.
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Change. Some fear it. Some love it. Some embrace it with apprehension. Change is an unavoidable, inevitable reality. At Casa Chirilagua, a few seasons have come and gone and I pray we will celebrate together that which was and is and will come.
First, Julio Hernandez has stepped down from his role as Kids Club Director at Casa Chirilagua in order to spend more time with his family. We are grateful for his year of service and ministry at Kids Club and celebrate the many contributions he made in strengthening and deepening relationships with parents and our students. We also celebrate the hiring of our new Kids Club Director, Elizabeth Moraff (former intern and Kids Club Assistant Director). Elizabeth’s heart for the Lord, love of our students/families and commitment to the Chirilagua community were evident throughout her interview with the Kids Club parent committee. The parent committee unanimously voted to hire Elizabeth as the new Kids Club Director on the spot. The president of the parent committee looked Elizabeth in the eye and stated, “We have seen the way you love our children. We are excited for you to lead Kids Club and whatever support you need, let us know. We are ready to work alongside you!” (more…)
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Do you love working with youth? Are you passionate about Casa Chirilagua’s mission? Are you looking for a part-time (20 hours per week) position?
If so, please consider applying for our part-time Teens Club Director position. We are actively seeking someone who is passionate about working with middle school (6th-8th grade) students and speaks Spanish to fill this position.
Download the job description here. If interested in applying, send your resume to Dawnielle Miller (Executive Director): dawnielle@casachirilagua.org
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It was a little over five years ago when a mentor sat Emily and I down and said, “You need a 5 year vision with 5 goals so you can communicate your calling to the outside world and help others understand.” We prayed about it and then we sat down together to write a 5 year vision complete with 5 goals, to eventually post on the upcoming (at the time) Casa Chirilagua website (click here to see the original 5 year vision). We based those goals on conversations from the neighborhood and how we felt the Lord leading us to move forward. We recently noted, that 4 of the 5 goals (with the exception of a multi-use community center), have been accomplished!
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