La Casa Grande, a Christian home and school for vulnerable children, has a Spanish name, but when Barb and Maria Thuma arrived at the campus in Allada, Benin two months ago as Mennonite Mission Network international volunteers, they found themselves surrounded by people speaking in French, a language neither of them spoke. Yet, over the next six weeks, the sisters-in-law became surrogate grandmothers to the children who live and study at La Casa Grande, bridging language barriers with love and creativity.
“Although I don’t speak French,” said Maria, a retired elementary school teacher living in Archbold, Ohio, who is fluent in English and Spanish, “I feel I can relate to the people at La Casa Grande because of their love, kindness, and friendly disposition. It’s just a display of God’s love.”
La Casa Grande was founded in 2000 as a collaborative effort between the Burgos (Spain) Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Board of Missions, a predecessor agency of Mennonite Mission Network. The organization was established to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children in need, reflecting the spirit of its name, “The Big House,” which signifies an open-door policy: there is always room for one more child who requires care.
La Casa Grande is currently a home to 24 children, ages one to 18, and a school educating over 250 students from kindergarten to secondary school.
Barb, a retired 4-H youth extension educator living in Fort Wayne, Indiana, first volunteered in the fall of 2023 after seeing a call for help in Mission Network’s monthly newsletter, Prayer Vine. She took leave from her part-time job at an antique shop to teach English at La Casa Grande. Over seven weeks, she not only taught but also played games and crafted with the children.
While there, some of the students expressed interest in learning Spanish to better connect with the Spanish volunteers who often visit. Barb said she didn’t speak Spanish, but she knew someone who did — her sister-in-law and close friend, Maria.
Before leaving Benin, Barb wrote Maria a heartfelt letter, encouraging her to consider volunteering at the orphanage. A year later, they returned together for six and a half weeks.
This wasn’t their first international adventure together. In spring 2023, they walked the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela a pilgrimage in Spain, an experience that strengthened their already strong bond. “Barb is my sister-in-law,” Maria said, “and also one of my best friends.”
At La Casa Grande, Barb and Maria assisted with English classes in the school. On Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons, they organized crafts and played games with the children who live there. Flexibility was key: some days, five children would join in; other days, sixteen. “We would just go with the flow,” Barb said.
Maria said one of her favorite tasks was serving meals to the preschool children. She found joy in small moments, like teaching the preschoolers to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” For a week afterward, the children sang the tune at every opportunity.
Maria and Barb taught English and Spanish to anyone who was interested. In exchange, they received help with their French.
For Maria, the language barrier was a new experience. Fluent in English and Spanish, she spent over 30 years teaching at international schools in Honduras (her country of origin) and in the United States and served as a translator for preachers and medical teams on mission trips in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. She now volunteers at Care & Share Gift & Thrift in Archbold.
Barb and Maria both said that communicating in a new language was a challenge, but one they were eager to take on. “I learned some phrases that the students patiently taught me,” Maria said. “I also managed to communicate non-verbally, in Spanish, or in English – whatever worked at the moment. I’m a very social person and needed to talk with everyone.”
Barb and Maria embraced their roles as “grandmothers” to the children of La Casa Grande. When asked about returning for a third time, Barb’s response was enthusiastic: “Yes, it’s definitely a possibility.”
Related Links
Children’s faith deepens mission workers’ relationship to God
Love Across Four Continents – The Ministry of La Casa Grande
Make a donation to support La Casa Grande and other Mission Network partners.
