How quickly we forget

This morning Sean and I went to chapel at the kids school. Every Wednesday they have chapel and then split up by class and gender for discipleship after chapel. Sean leads 9^th grade boys and I help lead 7^th grade girls. Today the speaker in chapel talked about the bible story where Jesus and his disciples were on a boat and a big storm came up. While the disciples were freaking out Jesus was sleeping. They woke him up in a panic. Jesus calmed the storm and said “Why are you so afraid, where is your faith?”  

The speakers message was about how we go through storms in our life, and sometimes it might feel like God is sleeping but His promise is to never leave us and we have to trust Him.

After chapel and discipleship class my friend Jenn and I decided to go have lunch. While we were sitting in the restaurant eating we noticed that we were having an earthquake. Now this happens often in Guatemala, we have felt 4 in the short time we have been here. We looked around the restaurant and noticed other people looking around too. The earth quake kept going and started to get progressively worse. As we looked around, we started to notice fear on everyone’s faces. As it continued to get worse and we heard dishes breaking on the floor, a panic filled the room. People started diving under tables and running out of the restaurant. My friend grabbed my hand and we ran out as fast as we could while the ground was still shaking.

I wish that I could tell you I felt complete peace and completely trusted God in this moment. But that is not true. As soon as the earth quake finished, I was so scared. I was scared to go back in the restaurant, I was shaking terribly and couldn’t even eat my lunch. I sat in the chair worrying about whether or not it would happen again, and what if it was worse this time? Was my family ok? Were they scared?

Just 1 hour before this 7.5 earthquake, we had just heard a message, that when everything was ok, made me feel safe and strong, like I could conquer the world with Jesus by my side. Why is it that when we are in the storm, it is so easy to lose sight of that?

Today everyone woke up after another presidential election. Some people are very happy with the results and others are feeling discouraged and maybe even fearful. For some people, this could feel like a storm. If we can stay focused on the big picture and remember that we serve a God that is a rock for us and will never leave or forsake us,  that should bring us peace and comfort.

 

Tonight I pray that when I am in the storm, I will stand strong and trust His word. I pray that all the people affected by this particular storm and all the storms in the world right now, will find peace in Him.

 

Please pray for this little girl

Today we have heavy eyes, but even heavier hearts. Last night a little girl, 2 1/2 years old was dropped off at Mimi's House. Not for a couple hours, for the rest of her life. Her Mom did not want to care for her anymore. Within a matter of 30 minutes this little girls world was turned upside down.

As we all tried hard to distract her, nothing worked. She continued to cry for "Mama" and point in the direction where she knew she had last seen her Mom. Words can not even describe this moment. The fear in her eyes was indescribable. Eventually she gave up the fight, buried herself in my chest and fell asleep.

As I layed in bed with her, I could not fall asleep. I was so sad for this little precious girl. I tried to come up with every reason in my mind why this happens. Nothing made sense to me. As I began to pray for her and her mother, I started to think about the message we had just heard at Church an hour before she arrived here. We had been going through a series called "When God?" by Andy Stanley for the last three weeks. He tells the story of Lazaras, a man Jesus said was the greatest who ever lived. And yet, even this man struggled with God's inattentiveness.  But the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead offers a picture of hope in the midst of a hopeless situation. If we continue to trust God through our pain or lack of understanding, he will eventually show His glory.

Today, I have seen His glory! As I played a small part in helping this sweet little girl adjust last night, I knew that my role moving forward would be different. As much as I would LOVE to be the person to fill the void in this lovable girls life, I know that I can not commit to being here with her the rest of her life.  But God has given me a front row seat to see an awesome ministry with BEAUTIFUL people who have stepped up for this girl in such a short time with short notice.
 They took her to the Doctor today and determined she was pretty sick with an ear infection, throat infection a fever and a bad cough. She started her medicine and is a different girl this afternoon! They have played with her, hugged her and made her smile.

She was not safe where she was but by the Glory of God, She is safe and with her forever family at Mimi's House!!

Back on track

I haven’t written a blog post for a couple weeks because I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want everyone to know that I was having second thoughts. Second thoughts about why we sold everything and why we moved our family here. I was having second thoughts about helping start this baby home. I kept asking myself “what was I thinking? Who am I to think we could get enough money to help start a baby home? We are not good at fundraising, or asking for money. Why in the world did I think this was a good idea? Surely this all wasn’t from God, right?" This is what the last couple of weeks has consisted of for me.

Then Mimi’s House gets a call, a call from some friends that go to church  here with us.  They know someone, who knows someone, who has a baby boy that is 1 ½ months and his very young mother with a very sad story cannot care for him and there is nowhere to take him, can he come to Mimi’s House?

Baby Sam!

 It all stopped for a moment and became clear to me again……….. I am here for a reason, it was God that gave us the strength to sell everything and leave everyone and everything we know to come here. We could not have done that on our own.  I was right, we can’t do this baby home, without Him but he didn’t ask us to do it alone! He will bring the babies, funding and all the supplies we need. We just have to listen to Him and allow Him to use us.

I got so caught up in the circumstances around me the past two weeks. Aubryella, (our 5 year old) has been crying at school almost every day and struggling with some anxiety and fear.  I allowed my insecurities/fears about asking people to support the baby home financially overcome me. I got scared and I lost focus.

I choose today to get back on the path that God intended me to be on. I know that God is with Aubryella through everything she is going through right now. I know He is growing her through all of this and she will be stronger because of it. I also know that I am not asking for financial support for me, I am asking for support for Samuel and all the other babies like him that God will bring to Mimi’s House. I know that God does not always send the equipped; He equips the one He sends. Today I will find peace in that!

Please pray that we can stay focused here and continue to move in His will!

Please also pray about being a sponsor for the baby home. We need your help!

Our hearts have been touched

Living at the current Mimi's House has given us the opportunity to get to know and grow to love the girls that call Mimi's House their home.

Here they are! All with different stories, different personalities, different gifts and one thing in common...... They are all given a chance here at Mimi's House! A chance to go to school, a chance to become who they want to be! A chance to learn about the

unconditional love of our Heavenly Father.

When asked, the girls will tell you how much they love living at Mimi's House!  I asked what they like best about living here......................................

 Lesly said " the Greene Family because they are very kind & loving."

Deanna said "I like that they help me go to school"

Paola said, "they send me to school and provide me food and everything I need to survive".

Cesia said, "I like to live here because there is a lot of room to play basketball or soccer and Paula and Fontaine are very kind"

Cynthia said, "they help me go to school"

These beautiful girls have dreams of what they want to do when they are done with school!

Lupe wants to go to college in the US and become a teacher

Jullisa has been going to art school and has been encouraged to continue to keep painting.

 

Evelia wants to be a lawyer

The reality is without Mimi's House and without their sponsors these dreams would most likely remain a dream but now they have hope!

 I love that we serve a God that loves all of these girls SO much, that He used this family to help write their story. I love that this family saw a need and stepped out in obedience. I love that each of these girls has a sponsor in the states that is also allowing God to use them through their sponsorship donations.

Their Story

Most of us have a story. A story of where we were born, who our family is and a story of how we got to where we are. These sweet little babies, who recently were abandoned, unknown, without a name, what will their story be? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I think about the issue of babies being abandoned here, and as we work toward opening this Family Style Home for abandoned babies, I pray that God can use all of us to help write their story. I pray this home can be a place that will lead them to a story of life in Him. I pray that God will bring people who want to be a part of their story, to pray for them, care for them and help support them.

 

 

Inviting you to partner with us!

We invite you to help care for the babies of Guatemala who have been abandoned! There are many ways you can partner with us.

Most important, we need you to lift this project up in PRAYER. This is big but we know God is bigger. With your prayer support, we know the paper work (already in progress) will be finished in a timely manner. The upfront costs will pour in as needed and we will overcome the spiritual battle that can sometimes come with a project like this. We also ask you to pray that His will be done, not our own.

We would love for you to send TEAMS that can assist with fixing up the house that we will be renting for the Baby Home. We should have the house by Nov 1st! The teams can bring supplies for the babies. Most of the stuff needed is much cheaper to get in the US. Once we have the babies, the teams can come and share the love of Jesus with them and the staff. The profit from the Guest House will help fund the home.

This project will be requiring FINANCIAL SUPPORT. We are asking people to pray about a monthly faith promise they can commit to the project. We are praying the Guest House will eventually support the home, but to get it going we will need financial supporters. Please see below the approx cost of running this home.

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Rent - $800

Utilities (are very expensive here in Guatemala) - $500

Expenses for Babies - 4 @ $360 each = $1440

Staff - 3 nannies -$1,200

Social Worker - $200 - part time

Psychologist - $200 - part time

Miscellaneous - $110

Total - $4,450

Starting with one baby = $2,670 ( $360 + $50 social worker + $50 psychologist and only 2 nannies ).

To set up your tax deductible monthly donation

Click on the link below. Please make sure to put "Baby Home" in the Designate My Donation box

https://www.justgive.org/basket?acton=donate&ein=26-3624540

If you would like any more information on the home, please email us at cherryfamily@photasministries.com

 We are working to change the way the world cares for orphans and asking you to partner with us. Join us in what God is doing on behalf of the fatherless.

Becoming Dependent

Well, we did it! We got all three girls through their first week of school. Here is a picture of them on their first day. We had our first night of Youth Group Wednesday night. Did I mention Sean was asked by our Pastor here to be the youth group leader? I am so proud of him! The first night of youth group was great! Getting through all of these things might not seem like much but let me tell you, when you are living in a third world country that is new to you, all of the accomplishments are HUGE!

Today as I was driving the kids to school, (I said I would never drive here) I was scared for our lives! It was crazy! Now hear me on this, the path to school is not a bad one (compared to other routes) and it is fairly close the where we live but my goodness, it adds 15 grey hairs to my head every time I drive it! There are lanes here but nobody uses them and there are turn signals but they are optional and I think there might be a speed limit but I have never seen one and I am pretty sure nobody else has either.

Isaiah 41:13
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Last night as I prepared myself for today's drive to school I realized something...... I am becoming very dependent. I am becoming VERY dependent on God! This kind of dependency is new to me. Don't get me wrong, I prayed before we came here and I tried to rely on God but it was different. Living in Colorado, I had everything I needed. It was easy to get to where I needed to go or to get what I needed. It was easy to go to the Dr if we needed. If there was ever a problem we could call 911 and trust all the people that showed up to help us. There was very little need there.

Things are different here. I completely depend on God to get us to and from school or anywhere else we are going. To bring my husband home safely from the airport at 4:00am in the morning. To protect us from getting sick if we eat something that wasn't prepared correctly. To give us strength to deal with the severe poverty that we see all around us. Strength to care for the children we work with at orphanages, some who are sick or some longing for a mommy and daddy. I have become dependent on God bringing me peace when I miss my family and friends or when our family and friends are hurting and we can't be there for them because we are so far away. I have no control here over anything.

To be honest, it is a little scary to not have control but everyday that I can give up a little more and become a little more dependent, I feel a little more peace. It is starting to make sense to me! A good friend reminded me today.......

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.

Without Him, I can truly do nothing!

Thank you for the prayers

One of the craziest things I have seen here is the number of people who drive at nights without their lights on! The streets here aren't well lit, there are a lot of curves in the road and the traffic is usually moving at a very fast pace. It is so scary!! People go flying around a curve with little time to stop and you can not see the cars without lights until you are almost on top of them! There is a reason cars have lights, right?

The other day a friend asked me how we do it. She had googled Guatemala to try and learn more about it and she wondered how we could live hear and not be afraid.

As I thought about this question I realized we don't do it. We are completely dependant on Jesus and prayer. The prayer support that we are getting from friends, family and even people we don't know, is what helps keep us going.

If I really stop and think about where we are, what we are doing, how will we do it, it would be easy to live here in fear. Almost everything we do here could lead us to some level of fear. We all feel peace here. Don't get me wrong, it has not all been easy and there have been moments of fear but for the most part we have chosen faith instead. There have been some nights of little sleep and a lot of prayer but we have been able to wake up to a new day of comfort and peace. It is truly amazing and hard for me to describe.

Luke 18:1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Getting through a day without prayer; would be like driving in the dark, really fast, around curves, without lights. SCARY! Thank you for being 'lights' for us.

So for everyday and everything we do, we will continue to pray.

Psalm 55:17Evening and morning, and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice.