“I am glad I am part of this family”

A few days ago our family was talking about some friends that are just starting the adoption process. Aubryella looked at me and said, “I am glad I am part of this family”, with a smile from ear to ear. Our sweet 6 year old daughter gets it! After a year of working with kids in an orphanage who are longing to have a family that loves them and will care for them, she is happy to have her forever family.

As we head back home to Colorado in a couple weeks, our ministry in Guatemala is not ending. Though we will no longer be living there, we will continue to support Pastor Araceli’s ministries with the Children’s home, Elderly home and Feeding center. We will also continue to support Lilly’s baby home and home for teenage Mom’s who want a chance to keep their baby. Both of these ministries are where we spent most of our year in Guatemala and have grown to love them and the difference they are making!

The orphan dilemma is everywhere around us. In the US there are over 400,000 kids in the foster care system and over 100,000 kids available for adoption. It doesn’t matter where you live, there are kids that didn’t choose to be without parents and deserve to be loved and cared for. It isn’t always easy to be a foster parent or an adoptive parent but both are much needed. What if those of us who aren’t in a position to adopt or be foster parents could support those who are?

I have journeyed with my parents this last year (from afar) who have been foster parents to 3 kids. If you would have told them 2 years ago that they would be foster parents, they would have laughed (especially my Dad) and said you were crazy! But there was a need and they had hearts that said, yes, we will help.  What I noticed most was the need for my parents to have a strong support system around them.  They raised three kids of their own (many years ago) but they could not have done this past year without the support of many people.

  

  Moving back home will not stop us from fighting for kids who deserve a family. I have decided to partner with a Non-Profit organization called Finally Home Foundation (FHF).  Their Mission is: Equipping communities to rally around the heroes who are foster and adoptive families.  Not everyone is able to be Foster Parents or Adoptive Parents but everyone is able to offer a hand to those who are.

For those of you who have supported us or would like to support us, I invite you to jump on board with the Cherry Family and Finally home foundation to start helping care for orphans/children in the US. If you would like to make a donation you can got to http://finallyhomefoundation.net/ (in the Comments note “Cherry Family” ) or you can contact us at timberlineorphanministry@gmail.com to find out the many ways you can be involved in your area.

If you would like to continue supporting Pastor Araceli and all her ministries, please contact me at timberlineorphanministry@gmail.com or you can go to http://www.hopechest.org/community/jesus-cristo/ and sign up to sponsor a child or make a donation

If you would like to continue supporting Lilly’s Baby Home and her ministries, please go to http://www.hopechest.org/  and put GT0204000 in the field that says "Reference Number".

As Father’s Day approaches, I invite you to join us in praying for all the kids who are missing a father in their lives and that they may come to know their Heavenly Father. 

Coming to an end..... A word from the family

Alyssa:

"Our one year journey in Guatemala has been AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have learned to not take anything for granted and to always trust in Jesus, because a lot of the people who live in Guatemala have nothing and they rely on Jesus for everything.

Unfortunately, our one year journey has come to an end, and we will be coming home to Colorado this June. It is going to very hard for me to leave the people who we help, and also my other missionary friends who all have made a big impact on my heart. I know that God has a plan for me and right now I’m kind of wondering where He is going with it, but I will keep strong in my faith in Him and try to believe that this is best for me."

Aubryella:

What has been your favorite part of living in Guatemala? “Going to the village and seeing what the houses look like in Guatemala?”

How does that make you feel? “It’s sad, because they only have that small house”

Are you excited to move back home? “YES! Very much!”

Why? “Because I want to go see our family and our cousins”

What can we do to live for God after we go back home? “We can sponsor kids from the orphanage, I love those kids from the orphanage, they are fun to play with too”

Are you glad we lived here for a year? “Yea”

Why? “cause I like Guatemala, it’s pretty”

Tiffany:

Two more weeks in Guatemala! It seems impossible that we have almost been here for a year. As we begin to wrap things up over these next two weeks, we will have a lot of ‘lasts’. Wednesday morning, Sean and I will meet with our discipleship kids for the last time. Wednesday night, we will gather with youth group for the last time. Sunday, we will say good bye to the children and staff from Jesucristo es mi Casa.Tuesday we say goodbye to all the beautiful girls from Mimi's House. All of these people have impacted our lives significantly and these lasts/goodbyes will be very hard for us.

We don’t know what to expect with the transition back to Colorado but we are excited to see how we will serve Him next. I am so thankful for this year we had together as a family to grow, serve and learn.

Sean:

We came, we loved and were loved in return. We taught a little and learned so much in return.  We’ve been touched by friends who will always remain a little part of us. 

I thank God for the opportunity He has given our family to see His wider Church. I’m thankful for the Body of Christ back home that has so faithfully and generously supported us in prayer and financial gifts.   I’m proud of my three daughters and wife who have loved with abandon and grown through the challenges of living  and serving in another country.

We will forever be indebted to our Guatemalan friends who opened their lives to us and made us feel at home.  We will miss our weekly  Discipleship with students at the missionary school, and especially Youth Group we were privileged to lead on Wednesday nights.  I have no doubt we will see many of these people again, but even “see you laters” to someone you care about can be as tough as a whole lot of goodbyes.   We don’t know all the details of our return to Colorado, but we come with anticipation and a comfort in knowing the One who has good plans laid out before us.

Mikayla:

Living in Guatemala has been an experience like no other. It has helped me learn that I have way more stuff than I actually need. It has helped me realize to take advantage of the fact that I am able to go to school and that I have a room to clean. A lot of the kids we work with don't have the opportunity to go get an education and none of them have a room to themselves.

This year I have also learned to thank God for everything, especially the little things.  I have been inspired to have an even stronger faith. I have made so many great relationships, not only with kids from my school, but also kids from an orphanage. They have all impacted my life so much, more then I could have imagined.

Although I am beyond excited to go home and to see my family and friends, it's going to be hard leaving. Especially these next couple weeks, when I have to say goodbye to everyone. This year has been incredible and if I could I would definitely do it all over!