MST is an all-girls orphanage in Guatemala with girls aged 4-22.

Cornerstone has been blessed to partner with MST since 2010.
In 2018, Cornerstone also partnered with MST to open a Transition Home on the campus of the orphanage.

With the exception of COVID, we have been regularly sending two mission teams a year to work with 4 primary mission field groups:
1)   MST home
2)   Transition Home (young adults)
3)   In-country Missionaries (Julio & Jemima)
4)   Alums (those 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, Omar and Paul 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 into 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 as opposed to the prior long-term placements that could last many years.

Cornerstone’s ministry focus was on long-term relationship-building with goals to reintegrate the girls into their communities and to encourage them to own their faith.
Consequently, Cornerstone’s ministry focus is no longer possible in this new and changing short-term environment.

In addition, Cornerstone identified concerns at the MST orphanage that resulted in Cornerstone leadership losing confidence in the ministry partnership.

Therefore, over multiple months in 2024, the MST Ministry Team at Cornerstone spent significant time praying, re-evaluating the current ministry plan, and eventually concluded that a shift in ministry focus was necessary.
In May, Cornerstone Leadership decided the time had arrived to end the ministry partnership with MST.

Paul, Sarah, and Kathy were sent out as a Leadership Team to first meet with Carol (MST Director) to debrief the ending 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 opportunity to pray 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 through this partnership!

The Alums are girls who have aged out of MST since 2010 (when Cornerstone's partnership with MST began).
This group has grown to become 30+ young women scattered throughout Guatemala.

Cornerstone partnered with Julio & Jemima (Guatemala Missionaries) to develop a new Ministry Plan focused on continuing our work with the Alums.

This new Ministry Plan maintained our interest to continue support for Julio & Jemima as our missionaries and to continue sending Mission Teams to Guatemala City with this new focus.

The new plan sets out to "end well" over the next three years with the Alums, with whom Cornerstone has had ongoing relationship over, in some cases, more than a decade. This plan aims to leave the Alums in the capable hands of others, as Cornerstone transitions out of ministry with the Alums in Guatemala.

The MST Ministry Team has shifted to the Guatemala Ministry Team which includes: Natalie, Noah, Trevor, Stu, Omar, Sarah, Rob and Kathy.

As of September 2024, a trip is in the process of being planned, with future trips to be determined as the Guatemala Ministry shifts focus.

Our missionaries will launch the Guatemala Ministry (GM) this October, and the Mission Team will be the first team under the new ministry.