WRITTEN BY: EMILY TUTTLE

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Psalm 118:1

As we enter a season of thanksgiving here in the United States, we want to share a special glimpse into our own celebration of gratitude at Casa Bernabé. Thanks to your prayers and support, our Día de Gracias celebration was a day overflowing with joy, beauty, and heartfelt worship.

Every year, Casa Bernabé holds a “Guatemalan Thanksgiving” just before our staff heads out for their year-end break. This timing allows our entire staff, their families, and all the children to gather as one big family. For many practical reasons this year—including the recent mudslides—we chose to keep the event more intimate and limited our celebration to our internal community. Even so, the atmosphere was full and festive, and God’s presence was felt in every moment.

The girls woke up bright and early to begin hair and makeup. Our little nail salon on campus had been fully booked the entire week before! Our party decorating Vocational Program team worked tirelessly to make the event space beautiful and festive.

Everyone searched for the perfect outfit. This is one of our most formal events of the year, and finding dresses for all of our girls and teens was a fun (and lengthy) process. Marleigh spent the week before sorting through all the dresses that have been donated to find a perfect fit for each girl. The boys, of course, needed only about 20 minutes to get ready…most of which was spent making sure their hair was gelled just right.

The celebration began outside on the cancha (basketball court), where a stage was set for the ceremony. Our time of worship was led by Dennise, Leonel, Danny, Yesenia, and Gladys, joined by the girls who practice praise dancing with Libny. They offered each step, song, and movement as a gift of thanks to the Lord.

Songs like Dios ha sido bueno (God has been good), La bondad de Dios (The goodness of God), and Tu fidelidad (Your faithfulness) filled the air, reminding us of God’s steady presence through every high and low.

Two of our girls boldly shared Scriptures they had memorized. Edgar and Evelyn offered heartfelt words of gratitude, lifting up all the ways God has provided for our campus this year—through protection, healing, wisdom, and the faithful generosity of people like you. A guest pastor then continued the theme of thanksgiving, inviting our entire community to pause and remember God’s abundant grace.

One of the most emotional part of Día de Gracias is the moment we honor the children and young adults who have reached major milestones this year: all the girls who turned 15 and all the young adults who turned 18.

Each one was called by name, walked down the aisle (some with their house parents, others with biological siblings), and received a special gift. After each teen had been recognized, Edgar prayed over them, asking the Lord to lead and bless their next steps.

This time of blessing is always a reminder that God is shaping futures at Casa Bernabé—healing, restoring, and preparing young men and women to walk into adulthood with courage and hope.

Another special part of this year's celebration was a visit from Casa Bernabé's founder. Wally and Mary Sharp moved to Guatemala more than 40 years ago and started Casa Bernabé. They served as Directors for six years before moving back the US. Mary passed away in 2024 at the age of 90 after nearly 69 years of marriage.

The incredible legacy the Sharps left is still felt today, and it was a blessing for our staff and kids to get to meet Wally and his daughter, Rosa. Wally prayed with our staff members, and we also welcomed back several former staff and kids who grew up at Casa Bernabé who wanted to reunite with Wally while he was here.

After the ceremony, everyone headed inside for a special meal:

Chicken and home-grown pork
Mashed potatoes
Rice
Salad
Freshly baked rolls
And of course—apple and pumpkin pies, lovingly baked by Tony

Each house sat together upstairs, while the rest of the staff and their families gathered downstairs.

As many of you know, life at Casa Bernabé is wonderfully full—school days, medical needs, counseling sessions, vocational training, soccer games, house chores, discipleship, and everything in between. It’s easy to get swept up in the busyness of caring for so many children and families.

But this day gave us a sacred pause. A chance to reflect together on how God has shown up again and again in both big and small ways for us. It was a moment to breathe, to celebrate, to enjoy one another.