As we announced last year, Heart's Cry Children's Ministry (HCCM) began our official Foster Care program in Panama as part of our HCCM Family Services project.  Please do not read any further without comprehending just how incredible that is!  To move to a third-world country and expect to be a part of: 

1. Changing the adoption law;

2. Introducing foster care where it did not exist before; and

3. Establish a local agency that facilitates both adoptions and foster care.

All this? Would be unrealistic AT BEST.  Thankfully we serve a God who loves doing the unrealistic and is able to more than we could ever ask or imagine. Praise God!  

We asked you to pray for the details and staff for this program, and God answered in big ways!  By October 31st, we were set with an outstanding team to spearhead our foster care program:

 

Graciela Mauad, who has been on staff with us for 3 years as our attorney, began her new role as Lead Attorney, Family Services.  Her full-time job is now strictly associated with foster care cases and adoption cases.  This is her area of expertise and she has the passion for the work, like no other attorney that we have found in Panama.  We are blessed beyond words to have her leading this team.     

 

Anel Santamaria is our Lead Psychologist for Family Services.  He came to us with 7 years of experience as a Psychologist for the government.  He was the Program Coordinator for the entire Province of Colon for SENNIAF, with a staff of 12 persons.  We are excited about this addition to our team, as his experience is excellent for handling home visits for our families, but also because his experience in the Colon area will be extremely beneficial in the days ahead as we move forward with Casa Providencia (located in the Province of Colon). 

 

Lesbia Cardenas is our Social Worker, who comes to us with 8 years of experience working with the children's protection department at SENNIAF.  She has valuable experience with  finding family alternatives for children and performing evaluations and home visits.   

 

 

Ana Gabriela de la Guardia is our Clinical Psychologist, who is providing weekly therapy to those children we have identified in our program as needing these services.  Ana Gabriela is a  Spirit-filled, wonderful addition to our team and we praise the Lord for the gentle way she provides much-needed therapy to these children from hard places.    

 

 

We are not only grateful for the talent of the staff God has provided, but also how individually they have maintained a good working relationship with SENNIAF.  Thus the work is continuing and moving forward in a cohesive manner, as our program is under the supervision of SENNIAF. 

 

Please pray for this program... the only private foster care program currently in Panama...  That God will raise up the families and equip them to care for those children that He wants in this program.  And that He will show us the best way to run this program.