In July 1964, Ted and Wanda Murray took their belongings to México to start a children's home named Casa Hogar de San Juan (also known as Mexican Mountain Mission). After looking for property for two years, they finally purchased twenty acres of farm land at the outskirts of the colonial city of San Luis Potosí, in the central Mexican mountains. While building the current campus, the Murrays lived in converted chicken coops for over a year.
Ted and Wanda began taking in children as soon as they arrived in México, determined to receive only ten children in the first year. By the end of the first week, they already had eleven children—over thirty children by the end of the first year. At one point in the early 1970s, the Casa Hogar had fifty-five children in residence, ranging in age from infancy through college. In fifty years, the Casa Hogar has housed over 250 children, funding the university education of any child who wanted to pursue advanced education.
The Murrays found themselves at a decided disadvantage with Mexican children, given the fact that they spoke no Spanish; they believed that they would be able to function with the help of an interpreter. They soon understood that they would have to devote time to learning Spanish, which they became skilled at over time through everyday contact with the children.
In their almost 40 years in Mexico they helped to found several churches, a church camp, and even a Bible College.
Juan and Selene Murray have been the current directors of the Casa Hogar. At present the Casa Hogar houses approximately 25 children, ranging in age from five to twenty-two, from kindergarten to university.
Juan and Selene bring to their leadership an understanding of what it means to run a children’s home from both sides of the equation. Having been raised as children in the home themselves, they know how their decisions affect the lives and health of the children. In addition, though, they also have firsthand experience of seeing the difficulties that come with running a children’s home by being included, as they matured, in the decision making process. They have a lifetime’s experience.
The mission of the Casa Hogar has always been to receive children in disadvantage and to provide them with a home in an atmosphere of faith. Juan and Selene continue the legacy, begun by their parents, of raising children in need of a home.
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For those of you who can't get down to San Luis Potosi, enjoy this video tour of the Children's Home at Mexican Mountian Mission
Mexican Mountain Mission operates partly on generous United States Tax Deductible gifts.
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A Home for Hope: Capital Campaign
A Home for Hope: Capital Campaign
Casa Hogar is growing! Join us in building a brighter future for Casa Hogar de San Juan, a beacon of hope in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, founded by Ted and Wanda Murray in 1964.
More and more kids from the home are growing up and pursuing college education. Juan and Selene and the board of directors are committed to supporting those kids on their educational journeys; we know how critical education is. It was always Ted’s and Wanda’s goal to provide a home for the children up through college so the children could get a strong start on their future work and ability to provide for a family.
In order to ensure that these young adults continue to have a stable living situation, we plan to break ground this fall on a Student Residence Multipurpose Building. We have a goal of $250,000 to raise in order to complete this project.