Casa Hogar

Deep in the heart of Chiapas, Mexico, lies a home. A place of safety, restoration, and the opportunity God intends for every child. Casa Hogar Alegre, meaning "Cheerful Children's Home," is a Christian orphanage that cares for over 100 children, many of whom have been removed from devastating, broken environments.

Journey School has had the opportunity to work and live at this campus for the past month. Calling Casa Hogar Alegre home has been such a blessing to our group! The property is located in the mountains of Chiapas, a safe haven just outside the capital city. The young girls live on one side of the property and the young boys on the other, connected by a green bridge crossing over a public road. 

This orphanage was founded by “Mama Liz” 33 years ago. What started as one small building has grown into a sprawling campus that houses over 100 children, activity areas, and facilities. Mama Liz has had the same clear goal for every child through the years—that not one of them would ever end up on the street. Each child's story is different, and through Casa Hogar Alegre, new chapters are being written. Each child is being equipped with practical life skills: learning to cook, clean, bake, and even develop a trade. All while being raised in a Christian home. 

Life at the Orphanage

Everyone plays a role in making this place run smoothly. Some of the girls are assigned to opening the large gate whenever the doorbell rings, while others sweep and mop the hallways. Even the youngest babies know to clean up their toys after playtime. This orphanage truly runs like a well-oiled machine! 

The boys cook all of their meals for one another—and sometimes they even make treats for us. A few weeks ago, they surprised us with a big box of taquitos! They were delicious, especially the tortillas. Everything on the menu for these students is made by the teenage boys, including the tortillas themselves.

The Garden

All of those tortillas add up quickly. As anyone with a few children knows… feeding 100 children isn’t going to be cheap! Thankfully, on the boys’ side of the property, there is a garden—or at least the potential for one. When we got here, the garden was in rough shape. Concrete beds were filled with poor soil and weeds. The pig pens sat empty and still do, while the chicken coops needed renovating.

But there is space—and eager hands hard at work. For the past month, our team has been working to transform this garden- not just into something beautiful, but into something practical. The long-term dream is for the orphanage to be self-sustainable. This garden holds the potential to make that dream a reality. Casa Hogar Alegre could raise pigs and more chickens, grow fruits and vegetables, and teach kids yet another valuable trade. 

The Vision

Our mission is to restore and transform the garden, and we have already begun. We are praising God because our goal to raise $3,000 has been met!

 With this budget, we can:

• Clean and restore the garden landscape. 

• Build roosts and laying boxes in the chicken coops.

• Restore the garden beds with nutrient-rich soil.

• Plant the first crop of fruits and vegetables

• Install irrigation systems to minimize work and increase efficiency. 

• Paint murals on the garden walls to brighten the space.

This project is about more than a garden—it’s about equipping these children with skills, resources, and hope for their futures. It’s also about providing food and resources for this incredible ministry! We hope to start a sustainable garden that will impact Casa Hogar Allegre for years to come. Please consider partnering with Journey School in prayer and, if led, in additional financial support as we make this dream a reality!