Just outside the small Mexican Puebla of Teopisca, Chiapas about thirty minutes southeast of San Cristobal de Las Casas, is an orphanage.  Its name is Casa Hogar Canaan and it is home for twenty-two of the most outgoing, well adjusted and happy children you have ever met.  The reason is because this orphanage was founded and is run by two of God’s most humble servants, Carlos and Yara Ruiz.

 In 2005 Carlos, a Christian pastor, his wife Yara and their three young children were living in a small rent house on a meager preacher’s salary.  DIF, Mexico’s version of Child Protective Services came to them with six small children in need of a home.  Unable to turn these children away, the Ruiz family opened their home and thus began Casa Hogar Canaan.  In order to feed so many little mouths, Carlos began working as a carpenter in addition to being a full-time pastor and when Yara wasn’t busy being a mother to nine young children, she sold used clothing to the indigenous ladies for a little extra income.  According to Carlos there were many times when they had no more than 50 pesos and no idea how they would all eat.  But, as he says, “God always provided and we never went hungry.”

With the help of an American missionary, the Ruiz family purchased a small tract of land with a dilapidated old farmhouse and began the process of building Casa Canaan a proper home. But, it wasn’t long before DIF was back again with more children in need and the construction process had to be put on hold while more youngsters were being fed and clothed and educated and loved and raised into Godly, wonderful people.

Every child has his or her own story of what life was like before Casa Canaan, and each of them has a dream for their future.  Three-year-old Jaime has Spina bifida and needs an operation to keep him out of a wheelchair.  Llovany, also three suffered a terrible beating by his father leaving him unable to walk or talk.  Although medical care is virtually free for Mexico’s indigenous people, there are costs associated with getting these children to Mexico City where they can be treated.  

Being at Casa Hogar Canaan doesn’t feel at all like being at an orphanage.  It feels like being with one big beautiful family, living on so little, in need of so much, and asking for nothing.

 Please click on Urgent Needs and Support Casa Canaan to see how you can help!

Thank you and God Bless you!

                     Clint and Karen Hough

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows 

in their distress..