"We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps."  Proverbs 16:9

We are in the midst of planning.  Sharing with groups of people who might bring a team, or group of friends, to experience a week of orphan ministry in Guatemala.  It's been exciting, following on the heels of our Friday night dinner with friends a couple weeks ago, to get the opportunity to participate in Missions Weekend at Timberline Church.

We were able to share with the kids about Guatemala and how God still performs miracles today... if we have the blessing of needing to rely upon God for everyday needs!  We got to meet and talk with many of you after the services... some who share a similar heart for touching the lives of the Fatherless, others who were a huge encouragement in words, commitments to consistently pray and even gifts to get us started on our journey.  Thanks to each one of you and we hope to see some of you in Guatemala!

We've also had the opportunity to share two weeks in a row at the youth groups of Foundations Church in Loveland, led by the amazing Shannon Arthur. They have hopes of bringing a team or two of youth and adults to Guatemala.  We've even heard from some groups of adults who are considering gathering 6 or 8 of their friends to come South for an adventurous week with us!

All said, we don't know exactly who will be joining us and what exactly our days will look like in Guatemala, but we do know who will determine our path... and we have absolute trust in Him!
In fact, people often ask if we are nervous.  Perhaps a little, but we have had incredible peace about the plans we have made and even more about the One who will direct us.

Sean Cherry

Mikayla's heart on Orphan Ministry

" My first trip to an orphanage was in Haiti last March. Leading up to the trip, I was nervous and wasn't sure what to expect. Some days I would be really excited about going and others I would be really scared. I had heard many heart touching stories about all the orphans that lived at the orphanage. It broke my heart to hear some of the things I heard. Like all the infections the kids had, how little the kids were and how poorly they were being treated. this made me kinda scared of going there. I wasn't afraid of the children; I wasn't sure how I would react to kids being treated like this.

While I was there, I experienced some life changing events. I grew relationships with these kids and I saw a 3rd world country for the first time. Even though I couldn't communicate verbally with them, I was still able to hold and love on them. the part of the trip I have remembered most was this little girl Christaline. She was about 3 years old. She clung to me and I would just hold her. I was not away from her the majority of the time we were at the orphanage. We taught the kids at the orphanage a worship song in English and all of the kids would sing it. It brought tears to my eyes when my favorite little girl Christaline came up to me and started singing it. It amazes me that a 3 year old would remember a song in a different language.

After the trip, it was really hard for me. I realized how lucky we are to actually sleep in beds, to actually eat three meals a day and to have a loving family here for me. I struggled for a while thinking about how we left them nothing and we came home to everything. this trip to Haiti has helped me not take things for granted and realize how fortunate I really am. I will never forget my first trip to an orphanage in Haiti, it was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!"

Alyssa's Heart on Orphan Ministry

"Going to an orphanage in a foreign country, you never know what to expect. I had an amazing experience at the orphanages in Guatemala and in Haiti. When you are there with those kids it is like you are with God because they have nothing but their love for God . It was really hard for me to go to a place where they have nothing and come back to all of my riches at home. I could have just kept going on in life like nothing had happened but I refused to forget about the children who I developed a relationship with so quickly. For days after I had gotten back from Haiti I would cry because of how much I have and how little those kids had. These experiences also made me relize that if I had nothing but God, I would have the best relationship with Him."

Big step in a Big journey

Friday night was amazing!! We had a fundraising dinner for our adventure to Guatemala.  I can not believe all of the love and support we are receiving from friends and family! It was so great to see so many people there and hear their words of encouragement.

 As we are getting rid of everything we own, closing chapters of our life that we have been living for years, it is really easy to second guess our decision. God provides confirmation along the way and it is always right when we need it. Friday night was one of those times.

To see so many people we care so much about, give up their Friday night to come and show their support for us was awesome! To have good friends like Mark and Kari validate us and what we are doing was awesome!


To hear my husband share what all of this means to him, awesome!

To see our beautiful girls (and our beautiful friend Izzy) dance for the Lord and share what this is all about for them, awesome!

This night was a BIG step in a BIG journey and God is using all of our friends and family to help us along the way!