ANNOUNCEMENT
THE GUATEMALA MINISTRY (GM)
Cornerstone has been blessed to partner with an All GIRLS orphanage with girls ages 4-22 in Guatemala since 2010!
In 2018, Cornerstone also partnered to open a Transition Home on the campus of the orphanage.
We have been regularly sending two mission teams a year -except during COVID-to works with 4 mission field groups:
1-MST home
2-Transition Home young adults
3-In-country Missionaries:Julio+Jemima Galindo
4-Alums- Young adults who have aged out and left MST
In August 2023, the Summer Mission Team reported back shifts and changes in the MST ministry which prompted a Leadership Trip in November 2023. Kathy Bart, Omar De La Torre and Paul Reynolds met with the MST Director and the MST Board of Directors to review Ministry Partnership between Cornerstone and MST.
The government of Guatemala is finally placing children to orphanages and institutions for shorter periods of time as well as utilizing foster care and family re-unification.
THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE GIRLS!
However, the placements at MST are now short term and temporary care- versus the prior long term placements for years and years.
Meanwhile, Cornerstone’s ministry still focuses on long term relationship building to reintegrate the girls into their communities as well as encourage them to own their faith.
Consequently Cornerstone’s ministry focusing on long term relationships is no longer possible in a short term environment.
Therefore, from January to May, 2024, the MST Ministry team at Cornerstone was praying, developing a new ministry plan, and eventually presented the plan to the Session.
In May, MST also made some ministry decisions and as a result, Cornerstone Leadership decided the time had arrived to complete the Ministry Partnership with MST.
A leadership team of Paul Reynolds, Sarah De La Torre, and Kathy Bart was sent down to meet first with MST Director, Carol to debrief the completion of the Ministry partnership after 15 years of working together. There were deep conversations, lessons learned, laughter, tears, and lots of hugs. The team also met with the MST Board of Directors for another 2+hour meeting. Cornerstone was so grateful to have this time for rich review, reminiscing, and a time of prayer together.
Finally, Cornerstone sponsored a farewell luncheon for the girls and staff of MST to celebrate God’s FAITHFULNESS for over a DECADE of His Work together!
Then Cornerstone met with Cornerstone Missionaries, Julio and Jemima for two days to develop a new ministry plan focused on working with the Alums-girls that have aged out since 2010 and approximately a group of 30+ young women.
This new ministry plan also included a request to continue supporting our Guatemala missionaries as well as to continue sending mission teams down to Guatemala City to focus on the Alums.
After reviewing the proposed ministry changes in July and August, the Session decided to encourage the Ministry team to launch the Alums well over the next 3 years —while the Cornerstone Mission’s Committee begins to look for new missional areas to invest in and to send mission teams to.
Subsequently, the MST Ministry team of 8 has shifted to the Guatemala Ministry team which includes: Natalie Filbey, Noah Varner, Trevor Appler, Stu Asp, Sarah and Omar De La Torre, as well as Rob and Kathy Bart.
This September 2024, the Session also approved a mission team of 6-8 people.
Missionaries will launch the Guatemala Ministry (GM) this month, in October and the mission team will be the first team for the GM ministry.
This mission team will be open to all Cornerstone members who have traveled before on a Guatemala trip to apply.
Please text or call Kathy Bart at (240) 298-0390 if you are interested in helping to launch this next chapter of ministry.
Cornerstone has been blessed to partner with an All GIRLS orphanage with girls ages 4-22 in Guatemala since 2010!
In 2018, Cornerstone also partnered to open a Transition Home on the campus of the orphanage.
We have been regularly sending two mission teams a year -except during COVID-to works with 4 mission field groups:
1-MST home
2-Transition Home young adults
3-In-country Missionaries:Julio+Jemima Galindo
4-Alums- Young adults who have aged out and left MST
In August 2023, the Summer Mission Team reported back shifts and changes in the MST ministry which prompted a Leadership Trip in November 2023. Kathy Bart, Omar De La Torre and Paul Reynolds met with the MST Director and the MST Board of Directors to review Ministry Partnership between Cornerstone and MST.
The government of Guatemala is finally placing children to orphanages and institutions for shorter periods of time as well as utilizing foster care and family re-unification.
THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE GIRLS!
However, the placements at MST are now short term and temporary care- versus the prior long term placements for years and years.
Meanwhile, Cornerstone’s ministry still focuses on long term relationship building to reintegrate the girls into their communities as well as encourage them to own their faith.
Consequently Cornerstone’s ministry focusing on long term relationships is no longer possible in a short term environment.
Therefore, from January to May, 2024, the MST Ministry team at Cornerstone was praying, developing a new ministry plan, and eventually presented the plan to the Session.
In May, MST also made some ministry decisions and as a result, Cornerstone Leadership decided the time had arrived to complete the Ministry Partnership with MST.
A leadership team of Paul Reynolds, Sarah De La Torre, and Kathy Bart was sent down to meet first with MST Director, Carol to debrief the completion of the Ministry partnership after 15 years of working together. There were deep conversations, lessons learned, laughter, tears, and lots of hugs. The team also met with the MST Board of Directors for another 2+hour meeting. Cornerstone was so grateful to have this time for rich review, reminiscing, and a time of prayer together.
Finally, Cornerstone sponsored a farewell luncheon for the girls and staff of MST to celebrate God’s FAITHFULNESS for over a DECADE of His Work together!
Then Cornerstone met with Cornerstone Missionaries, Julio and Jemima for two days to develop a new ministry plan focused on working with the Alums-girls that have aged out since 2010 and approximately a group of 30+ young women.
This new ministry plan also included a request to continue supporting our Guatemala missionaries as well as to continue sending mission teams down to Guatemala City to focus on the Alums.
After reviewing the proposed ministry changes in July and August, the Session decided to encourage the Ministry team to launch the Alums well over the next 3 years —while the Cornerstone Mission’s Committee begins to look for new missional areas to invest in and to send mission teams to.
Subsequently, the MST Ministry team of 8 has shifted to the Guatemala Ministry team which includes: Natalie Filbey, Noah Varner, Trevor Appler, Stu Asp, Sarah and Omar De La Torre, as well as Rob and Kathy Bart.
This September 2024, the Session also approved a mission team of 6-8 people.
Missionaries will launch the Guatemala Ministry (GM) this month, in October and the mission team will be the first team for the GM ministry.
This mission team will be open to all Cornerstone members who have traveled before on a Guatemala trip to apply.
Please text or call Kathy Bart at (240) 298-0390 if you are interested in helping to launch this next chapter of ministry.
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Old News
Recovery and Redirection (Jan-March 2023)
The MST Ministry Year from July 2022 to June 2023 mirrors the world after a pandemic. The ministry work developed during this time can succinctly be summarized as Recovery and Redirection.
As the Guatemalan government and programs re-open, there is a new direction and generalized focus to re-integrate children with their family of origin or foster care families versus the previous model of long term placement in private orphanages and public institutions.
This is GREAT NEWS!
As the government implements this shift, ministry work surrounding these populations need to adjust. There is a noticeable impact on MST home and its ministry direction. Specifically, MST’s ministry is slowly shifting to a more temporary placement model versus long term placement model. A meeting during the January 2023 Mission Trip with MST and Cornerstone leadership confirmed this evolution. Simultaneously, the CPC MST ministry team began to recognize the need to develop new programs to aid with recovery and redirection.
First, the Cornerstone team designed a Job Skills Wellness Program (JSWP) to help young adults in the Transition Program and Alum program be able to be marketable for at least a minimum wage job.
Then the first fully funded Mission Team since the pandemic was sent to Guatemala in January 2023 to evaluate the changes at the MST home and Transition Home firsthand.
Next, Cornerstone MST ministry leadership re-designed the MST ministry with 3 main focal groups: MST temporary girls; Transition Home young adults; and the ever growing group of young women leaving MST that Cornerstone is committed to continue discipling -the Alums.
A “Redirection” Program vision over the next 1-3 years evolved as follows:
Finally, in February 2023 CPC MST ministry team launched the first Advanced Education program to enroll 3 students in a 3-5 year college program.
Please pray for these students as they break cycles of oppression and open new doors for young adults leaving orphanages in Guatemala.
The MST Ministry Year from July 2022 to June 2023 mirrors the world after a pandemic. The ministry work developed during this time can succinctly be summarized as Recovery and Redirection.
As the Guatemalan government and programs re-open, there is a new direction and generalized focus to re-integrate children with their family of origin or foster care families versus the previous model of long term placement in private orphanages and public institutions.
This is GREAT NEWS!
As the government implements this shift, ministry work surrounding these populations need to adjust. There is a noticeable impact on MST home and its ministry direction. Specifically, MST’s ministry is slowly shifting to a more temporary placement model versus long term placement model. A meeting during the January 2023 Mission Trip with MST and Cornerstone leadership confirmed this evolution. Simultaneously, the CPC MST ministry team began to recognize the need to develop new programs to aid with recovery and redirection.
First, the Cornerstone team designed a Job Skills Wellness Program (JSWP) to help young adults in the Transition Program and Alum program be able to be marketable for at least a minimum wage job.
Then the first fully funded Mission Team since the pandemic was sent to Guatemala in January 2023 to evaluate the changes at the MST home and Transition Home firsthand.
Next, Cornerstone MST ministry leadership re-designed the MST ministry with 3 main focal groups: MST temporary girls; Transition Home young adults; and the ever growing group of young women leaving MST that Cornerstone is committed to continue discipling -the Alums.
A “Redirection” Program vision over the next 1-3 years evolved as follows:
- For the MST girls in temporary placement (6 girls as of 3/23)
All Hands on Deck Gospel Approach in all activities and events Cornerstone initiates for the short period of time God allows us to disciple with the girls. - For the Transition Home young adults (7 young women as of 3/23)
A new initiative to prepare and launch all 7 women out of the Transition Home program to eventually close this program and redirect our discipleship efforts to groups 1 and 3. - For the growing population of young women leaving MST (18 young women as of 3/23 that will increase to 25 when the Transition Home Launch completes)
Instituting Job Skills and Advanced Education programs to initiate a progressive development plan for financial independence and ownership of faith versus emergency reactions to continuous crises using When Helping Hurts program principles.
Finally, in February 2023 CPC MST ministry team launched the first Advanced Education program to enroll 3 students in a 3-5 year college program.
Please pray for these students as they break cycles of oppression and open new doors for young adults leaving orphanages in Guatemala.
Highway Bypass Update (Nov 2022)
Praise God that due to local pressure, the excavation company was required to reinforce the wall along the highway bypass at the edge of the MST property! This should reduce the risk of a landslide and make the MST property safer to live on.
On the downside, the bypass and landslides forced MST to pull their property line further in which cut away much of the land that used to be a large soccer field.
Praise God that due to local pressure, the excavation company was required to reinforce the wall along the highway bypass at the edge of the MST property! This should reduce the risk of a landslide and make the MST property safer to live on.
On the downside, the bypass and landslides forced MST to pull their property line further in which cut away much of the land that used to be a large soccer field.
Highway Bypass Update (2021)
MST has been experiencing a huge challenge with their property. In January 2020, the Guatemalan government built a highway bypass behind the MST property. The excavation left the MST compound sitting on a 300 ft. cliff overlooking the highway. Unfortunately, the cliff is structurally unsound and erosion has caused three landslides following heavy rains. There is a good probability a portion of the MST compound will fall into the road. In addition, the road construction destroyed the MST water well and they have no water supply!
There has been much prayer and discussion between the MST ministry team members and the leadership of MST how to navigate the above challenges. Please pray for God’s wisdom to open up doors for the possibility of a new property; a new architectural solution to remain on the MST property; a new well; and for peace during these tumultuous times.
MST has been experiencing a huge challenge with their property. In January 2020, the Guatemalan government built a highway bypass behind the MST property. The excavation left the MST compound sitting on a 300 ft. cliff overlooking the highway. Unfortunately, the cliff is structurally unsound and erosion has caused three landslides following heavy rains. There is a good probability a portion of the MST compound will fall into the road. In addition, the road construction destroyed the MST water well and they have no water supply!
There has been much prayer and discussion between the MST ministry team members and the leadership of MST how to navigate the above challenges. Please pray for God’s wisdom to open up doors for the possibility of a new property; a new architectural solution to remain on the MST property; a new well; and for peace during these tumultuous times.
COVID Update (2021)
MST is in the midst of lockdown from the COVID-19 virus. The five teachers, the psychologist / transition home mentor, and the social worker were sent home due to government travel regulations leaving Carol, Vanesa, and Luis as the only caregivers for the MST girls.
MST is in the midst of lockdown from the COVID-19 virus. The five teachers, the psychologist / transition home mentor, and the social worker were sent home due to government travel regulations leaving Carol, Vanesa, and Luis as the only caregivers for the MST girls.