What a year it’s been!
When we started with just one ministry over 20 years ago, we said, “God will provide,” and he did! Never could we have imagined today’s LENAM back then. Thank you for all of your prayers and support over the years. We want to share a bit about our year and what’s to come for LENAM in the coming year.
LENAM
Ranchito: Ranchito has been running for 17 years this December. From Laura, our first child, to Ramon, the youngest currently, Chuy and I have had the privilege of caring for over 100 children. We have been blessed to help and share the love of God with these children. With our growing family in the U.S. and our age, we are no longer taking in new children, however those who are here will stay with us until they are ready to leave. Please join us in prayer for God’s direction for the future of Ranchito.
Children’s Ministry: Even before that first child was placed in our care, outreach to our town of Camichines has been our calling. We love hosting Kids’ Club, and it’s been a special blessing to grow the relationships with the moms who once attended and are now bringing their own children. Along with Kids’ Club, we host our annual VBS with help from volunteers. This year, our volunteer team was led by our son, TJ, and a team from his church. We hope to continue both of these ministries for many years to come.
Community Outreach: Along with our children’s outreach, we strive to support our community in any way possible, which has recently included providing food boxes with fresh produce and pantry staples. In 2026, we are also hoping to start hosting more classes in the classrooms. We’ve offered jewelry and art classes in 2025, and building on the interest and success of these introductory classes, we hope to expand our offerings to include skills-based training in 2026. These will primarily be for children and youth in our community, but we also hope to include adults. A group of volunteers are launching a new program for kids and youth in the community. Their outreach is called Cyber Servants and they teach computer skills. We are very excited to offer these classes to the community in 2026 and have a safe space for children to study.
Mama Merece: This year, we also launched a new outreach ministry, Mama Merece (Mom Deserves), where we support new mothers in our small community by supplying items that are needed but can be hard to find here. It’s been well received and has given us great opportunities to share the love of Jesus with moms who are in a tender season — and need to hear about grace more now than ever.
How can you help in 2026?
Pray. Below is our 2026 prayer card and a digital version you can download or print.
Volunteer. See the section below for the link to our website and who to contact if you’re interested in learning more.
Support. Helping us financially makes what we do possible and we are so thankful for the generosity of our donors. You have impacted so many lives! Below you can find out how to donate through PayPal or through mail.
Pray with us in 2026…
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
- Pray for Chuy and Amy and the staff, as well as those who volunteer to serve with them.
- Pray for the children of Ranchito; for those who are there and those who have moved on.
- Pray for Kids’ Club; that it may continue to reach the hearts of many.
- Pray for our community outreach; to be a light to others and share the love of God with many.
- Pray for the future of Ranchito; for God’s direction and possibly, for God to raise up new leaders to take on the day-to-day operations while Amy & Chuy continue to be a resource and fundraising partner.
Click button below for PDF of our 2026 prayer card:
Volunteer
There are many ways for you to volunteer and help out with all aspects of LENAM ministries. This can be through an internship, a team (this could even be you and your family), or even teaching a virtual class! Virtual classes can be public or even one on one tutoring for the children at Ranchito. Click below to learn how you can make a difference.
You can also email amyacosta@lenamac.org if you have any questions.
Donate
Donate by mail
LENAM INC
LENAM, Inc. is an official 501(c)(3) U.S. corporation established in Indiana on September 23, 2013, to collect contributions for LENAM, AC (RANCHITO CON ESPERANZA) to operate the orphanage as well as community outreach in Camichines, Jalisco, Mexico and support the other ministries of LENAM, AC.
Contributions by donors are tax-deductible.
To make a donation online as a one-time gift or to set up recurring payments, please click on the donation link and you will be guided through the setup process with PayPal.
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS!
Contributions can also be made by mail to:
LENAM
PO BOX 12
McHenry, IL 60050
Contact Information for donations:
treasurer@lenamac.org
Ranchito
The children at Ranchito are all doing very well. School is keeping everyone very busy as well as everyday life.
Pati is 18 and is no longer a government child. She will continue to live at the house while she is studying. She graduated from high school in May. It is very competitive to get into the University that she picked and she was unable to get in for the fall semester. She recently retook the entrance exam and is starting classes for the spring semester this month. She will be studying nursing.
Camila is 17 years old. She is in 11th grade and is thriving at school this year. She has great grades and is always excited to keep learning.
Jacob is 14 years old. He is in 9th grade this year and homeschooling. He really loves arts and continues to make lots of jewelry.
Ramon is 9 years old and has started attending a school in Ameca, about 40 minutes away from us. Unlike a school in the states he goes for a few hours in the afternoon Monday-Friday accompanied by an adult who is his aide while at school. He is doing very well and learning lots.
Lupita is 16 and is in 10th grade- her first year of high school in Mexico. So far this year has been going well and she is learning lots of new things.
Catalina is 14 years old. She is in 9th grade and is completing the government online/at home study program. Next year she will decide if she wants to continue to study from home or go to high school.
Amy and Chuy
2025 was a year filled with extremes! First, the extremely good parts:
Chuy was able to be with his family for his dad’s last days on this side of Glory. It seems odd to count it as a praise, but Chuy’s dad’s final journey had been a long one. Being able to see him and truly be present with his siblings was a blessing that words cannot adequately convey.
In the fall, we got to visit all our kids and grandkids in North Carolina! It’s very rare that we all get to be together. We are grateful for even a day! We celebrated the Baptism of our youngest granddaughter and got non-wedding family photos. This trip also checked a bucket list item off for Chuy: he fulfilled a lifelong dream of going to see the professional bull riding competitions.
At the end of my (Amy’s) travels in the U.S., I broke my ankle, but I was able to get the surgery I needed in Mexico, and I am doing ALL of the physical therapy to get back in grandparenting shape. Recovery has been going great and just in time. Chuy recently found out that he needs a partial knee replacement on both of his knees. He just had surgery this past week and is recovering well.
2025 was also a year filled with challenges and opportunities to grow our relationships with God and with all of you.
After the series of fires at the Ranchito, we are especially grateful for the support that we need to repair and rebuild. It was heartbreaking for Chuy and me to watch what we had spent decades building turn to ashes, but God has been so faithful in this season, often through YOU, and we have seen his hand every day. We are continuing to work on repairs to the house and are so thankful for all of the support and volunteers who have helped us rebuild and continue to help us with rebuilding.
God is so good, all the time. During this season, I have been clinging to this passage:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
