God etched your name on our hearts...

Going deeper!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 19:36:00 +0000

We are so excited about all that God is doing in our ministry. With the CCC staff having spent two years training with Dan, he was able to hand over the day-to-day of that program to very capable hands and shift his focus. Our hearts have always been to train up nationals so this was truly a joy to be able to do, knowing we are still very much involved in the lives of the children.

We spent much of January and February developing and implementing a new spiritual development program at each ministry location focused on, you guessed it... going deeper! The program is based on the ABCs of God with each letter representing a different attribute of God. Due to the vast differences in each ministry site, Dan spent and continues to spend a great deal of time tweaking the curriculum for each specific population and preparing lessons that are relevant to them.

It is such a joy to be able to have this time with each child discipling them and helping them walk more closely with the Lord. There really is no greater privilege.

This group of 4 brothers is in a unique situation at the orphanage they live at so Dan and our co-worker, Andre, are able to spend time with them each week in a discipleship program. They also have some interest in working with their hands so Dan has been able to incorporate some carpentry into their time as well.

Many of you were able to see our photos and videos on social media of the Night to Shine event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, that we were blessed to be a part of. This event took a ton of planning, but God provided each step of the way. We were able to pull off the event for 80 young adults with various special needs, most of whom are part of our program at the Down Syndrome School we serve at. What a joy to spend this time with the kids, showing them and teaching them about how God sees each of them as kings and queens in His eyes. There wasn't a dry eye in the place!

We have also been spending time on our sponsorship program where we get to be with each child at each ministry site individually. It's really incredible to watch them all grow, not just physically, but in their relationship with Jesus as well as how they are maturing. To see the fruits of your labor right in front of your eyes sharing with you their hopes and dreams for the future, when they previously had none, makes the hard days so worth it.

On the homefront:

Christi is having less pain each day and her physical therapy program is really helping her improve. Please keep praying for a full recovery.

Malakai, Finley, and Titus are all in the same school this year which has been a blessing for the whole family. Their Spanish is incredible and they are learning more and more about what living their lives for Jesus looks like each day. Isaías is a content little 3-year old. He loves being with mama all the time! :)

We will be traveling to the US mid-April thanks to the generosity of many. We will be in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Texas while we are there. We are excited to get the trauma training we've been hoping to get, visit our church partners, and of course get time with family. The kiddos are super excited!

We thank you for who you are and for how you continue to walk this journey with us!

spring TEES!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 02:21:00 +0000

Looking for some SPRING tees?!?!?!?!!?

We ask you to join us in prayer for an opportunity that we have to attend Trauma Competent Care training in Dallas this May. This is a training that is crucial to the work we do here! Each year we seek to understand deeper the hurt the children and families have experienced that we have the pleasure of serving. This training would take our ministry to them to the next level, help us as we mentor them spiritually, and allow us to pass this training on to others as well. Due to the short timing and expenses of travel, we are launching these GREAT tees thanks to Truth Ink Apparel!!

Details? Here ya go!

Sizes available S-3XL
Price $30 (2XL-3XL $32)

Option 1: Love Came Down, pink with GOLD!!!! Yes, its SHINY!!
Option 2: Chosen and Loved, navy with pink
Option 3: Chosen and Loved, navy with white (for our hunks)

Sales close January 29th at midnight. Shirts will be dropped in the mail 3ish weeks after the 29th (time for the vendor to produce after we submit the order) so this is a PRE-SALE.

How to order? Email us at ucherek1@hotmail.com. Must pay via PayPal before sale closes.

We hope you love these as much as we do! OH, and they are buttery soft like the last tee we sold (gray with cross)!!

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 02:20:00 +0000

Dear friends,
We are writing to express our gratitude for the way you all stepped up to help our family! We are blown away by all the prayers, notes of encouragement, Christmas gifts for our children, one time donations, and new monthly supporters. We know God has us here but to see you all being called by Him to be a part of our team brings us to our knees in worship and gratitude! We are forever grateful!

We are so close to our monthly need, but even though we aren’t exactly there, the Lord provided many one-time gifts to fill that gap for a few months! He is just so good to us, always providing miracle after miracle, even in our weakness and doubts!

Again, our words don’t seem enough, but thank you!!

Humbled to serve on the same team,
Dan & Christi

Merry Christmas from the Uchereks!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 05:01:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to you!

As we look back on 2017 and all that the Lord has brought us through, we are over-filled with joy. This past year brought many unknowns and some very scary times, but most of all it was a year of God showing us over and over His faithfulness and sovereignty! We just can't say enough how our Savior, who came in the form of a baby, born in an unexpected place, cares for every need, knows the desires of our hearts, and meets us exactly where we are. He knows the depths of our souls, our insecurities, and our fears... yet He loves us anyway.

May you and yours focus on Jesus in the coming days. May we honor those who have already gone to be with Him that we miss so deeply, cherish those we get the privilege of spending this Christmas with, and show His love to everyone around us!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! We are honored to serve our Savior in Guatemala and honored that you have joined us in this journey. While we wish we could hug you all individually, for now this cute photo of our pride and joy will have to do!

Peace and joy,
Dan, Christi, Malakai, Finley, Titus, and Isaías Ucherek

Funding Update:
We have had several people ask for an update that have been praying for the Lord to meet our monthly funding gap. We are thankful for so many stepping up to help meet this need. As of today, we are just $500 a month shy of our goal. That's just 17 people at $30 a month. Please keep praying! If you are interested, click here.

As she placed the ring on her finger...

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 01:39:00 +0000

Celebrating life, giving hope.

As Aurora placed a ring on her 15-year-old daughter, Monica's hand, tears streamed down her face. For the families that work in the garbage dump, whom we are privileged to serve and walk life with, there are not "extras".

These families spend their days walking over an hour to get to the garbage dump, then working long, laborous hours, only to turn around and walk back home with next to nothing in their pockets. Many times, not even enough to put dinner on the table. In reality, there is not even a real table.

Serving the children of these families in our Comprehensive Care Center has provided us with many opportunities to share the Gospel, walk alongside these children, and give them HOPE for the first time in their lives. Many of the kids have come to know Jesus and are walking with Him in their daily lives.

For the parents, workshops are offered and we continue to build relationships with them. Many of the parents are coming to know Jesus through the time they spend in our program. Some have even come to know Jesus through their children sharing with them!

Thanks to the generous donations of several people, a dream became a reality last month in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Three girls that are in our program had the honor of celebrating their quinceaños, a traditional celebration for girls turning 15 years old. It is a time where the family reflects on the ways God has blessed their daughter as well as a time to speak life into them and challenge them for the years ahead.

As we set up and prepared to celebrate these 3 precious lives, the moms were continually in tears. Aurora (pictured above), shared with us how she never was able to have a celebration for her own 15th birthday nor host one for her older daughter. The joy in this mothers eyes was so evident. A dream she had for years, became a reality.

For us, it's so much more than just a one day celebration though. It is one more way for us to show these families that they are not alone. One more way for us to walk life with them. One more way for us to show them Unconditional love, through Jesus alone.

It was a beautiful day where the Word was preached! Many shared their favorite stories of the girls, the girls were able to escape their reality of extreme poverty for a day, we ate, celebrated, and rejoiced, giving thanks to God for all He has done.

If you are interested in partnering with our family, so we can continue to minister to families like this so they can stay together, we would love to have you on our team. We are still asking the Lord to bless us with new partners at $30 per month.

Thank you for loving us, allowing us to be here, and have the privilege of seeing the hope on Aurora's face. We are blessed indeed!

Questions? Let us know.
Prayer? Always welcome.
Financial partnership? Click here.

Mentoring & Transitional Care

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 01:46:00 +0000

The future for a teen aging out of an orphanage is often filled with thoughts of fear. In many places, once you turn 18 you are shown the front door with only the clothes on your back... maybe a small sack of personal belongings, if you have any.

This is not the case where Orphan Outreach is present. The teens we serve have plans for the future, transition into adulthood with mentors in their lives, and no longer have to live in fear. Check out the video above for a glimpse into our hearts to serve this underserved population!

Also, a quick update... we have been blessed with THREE new monthly supporters, praise God! We are still looking for 27 more people at $30 a month to join our team and be a part of what God is doing in Guatemala. Please prayerfully consider, send this email to other like-minded individuals, and pray, pray, pray. This is absolutely essential (before year end) in order to keep our family on the field.

Blessings to you all!
Dan & Christi

Questions? Let us know.
Prayer? Always welcome.
Financial partnership? Click here.

What is orphan care?

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:00:00 +0000

How do children continue in school when no one in their family knows how to read or write in order to help them with their homework?

How do we help families stay together when it's a healthy situation?

Let's take a look at what an orphan is, at what a social orphan is, and how we provide a safe place for children to thrive and grow.

If you'd like to partner with our family, we would be so grateful. We are still working towards our goal of 30 new partners at $30 a month.

Questions? Let us know.
Prayer? Always welcome.
Financial partnership? Click here.

Everyday Life

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 17:43:00 +0000

What is life like there?
How do cultural differences come into play?

I can't tell you how many times people have been surprised to hear that our kids struggle and throw fits just like theirs do... that we struggle to balance ministry, life, children, and still make our marriage a priority. There's this odd perception that just because we are blessed with the opportunity to serve on a daily basis or wear the term "missionary" that our lives are extra-super or something.

Learn a little about our everyday life in Guatemala...

If you'd like to partner with our family, we would be so grateful. We are still working towards our goal of 30 new partners at $30 a month. Most people can spare $30 a month if we just make simple sacrifices.

Questions? Let us know.
Prayer? Always welcome.
Financial partnership. Click here.

Our Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 21:36:00 +0000

We receive a lot of questions about what we do, how we got here, and what we have on the horizon. We put together a short video series to answer some of those questions. This is the first video in the series, so be on the lookout for others coming soon. Please consider sharing this with others in your circle that may be interested in partnering with our family as we seek to spread the name of Jesus!

Questions? Let us know.
Prayer? Always welcome.
Financial partnership? Click here.

Are you ready for November?

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Who is ready for November...
✔️ National Adoption Month
✔️ World Adoption Day
✔️ Orphan Sunday

We sold these T-shirts once several weeks ago and some of y’all didn’t get your order in... and asked for them again.... so, here we go!

T-shirt details:
▪️Sizes S - 3XL unisex adult, kids S (4/6), med (8/10), and lg (12/14)
▪️$36 each (includes shipping)
▪️I will send you a PayPal invoice that must be paid in order to get the order in.
▪️Sale will close Tuesday, 10/10
▪️Orders will be shipped out 2-3 weeks later

🔹A friend said, “THIS IS THE SOFTEST, MOST WORLD CHANGING, ADOPTED CHILD OF GOD, T-SHIRT I OWN”... yes, in all caps... cause they are THAT GOOD!
🔹I’m not normally a t-shirt girl, but I love this one! 😍

HOW DO YOU ORDER?
▪️Just email us ucherek1AThotmailDOTcom with your size(s) and email address for the invoice!

❤️❤️❤️BONUS: If you sign up to be a new monthly supporter, you can get a T-shirt or a bag of Guatemalan coffee for FREE!! (1 year commitment, $30 p/mo minimum)

The Difference a Year Can Make

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 02:00:00 +0000

"I can't believe the difference one year of therapy has made in my son!"

Partnering with one of the only schools for children with Down Syndrome in this country is truly a joy! Recently while spending time with the children that are under school age (1 month - 5 years) and their parents during their therapy sessions, the mothers were expressing to Dan what a difference the program has already made in their lives.

One of the moms expressed the fears and unknowns that came with the diagnosis she learned of after her child was born. She didn't have access to great medical care and was doing the best she could, already scared for how to provide. Then, she received life-changing news and wasn't sure what she would do. Soon after, she learned of the Down Syndrome School and the services they provide even before children are of school age.

The difference being made in these children's lives starting with an early-intervention program and then a school that serves them well into their 20's and even 30's sometimes is truly incredible. Without this school, the love provided to the children (and their families), and the therapy program, these children would spend the rest of their lives begging on the streets. There's no sugar-coating it, services for anyone with special needs just aren't available here.

These children need this help. These families need this program just like we need each of you. It's not fun to ask for help, but friends and family, we need it. We are facing a large monthly deficit that HAS to be met in order for our family to continue to serve children and families like these. Would you please consider partnering with us?

Click here to partner with us.

Believing God will provide,

coffee!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 14:13:00 +0000

As you saw in our last update (here) we are looking for financial partners to make up a large deficit we currently have. We would LOVE for you to connect us with the mission committee at your church to see if they would want to partner in any way as well as for you to pray that God would send churches and individuals to partner with us in this way.

In the meantime, since our timeframe for making up this deficit is short, and many of you have been asking for coffee, we've decided to do a coffee fundraiser to help in the short-term. Plus, I mean, you all are going crazy for pumpkin everything on social media, so we just have to ;)

All proceeds to help our family serve in Guatemala!

Open through October 5th at midnight!

Bags are 16 ounces, $18 each plus shipping. You will be sent a PayPal invoice AFTER the coffee has shipped (approximately 1 week after the sale ends). Please help us to keep this option available and shipping costs low by paying your invoice timely.

To order: Send an email to ucherek1@hotmail.com with your order information. Please include flavor, roast, mailing address, and email addressed used for paypal invoicing.

Flavors available:
-Medium roast (ground and whole bean)
-Dark roast (ground and whole bean)
-PUMPKIN SPICE (ground and whole bean)
-Decaf (available in all flavors, ground and whole bean)
-Butterscotch Brownie (ground and whole bean)
-Jamaican Me Crazy (ground and whole bean)
-Cookie Doodle (ground and whole bean)
-Dolce Amaretto (ground and whole bean)
-French Vanilla (ground and whole bean)
-Blueberry Cinnamon Crumble (ground and whole bean)
-Walnut Fudge (ground and whole bean)
-Southern Pecan (ground and whole bean)

Thank you all!!

IL area friends!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 16:31:00 +0000

IL area friends - I (Christi) will be in the area for a quick medical trip with Titus late October. We are in real need of new partners... would you consider introducing us to your church, small group, or friends? I will try my best to make time to meet with them! Thanks in advance!

*And to all of you who so faithfully pray for and support our family and have stopped up to the call to care for missionaries, THANK YOU!

It's all about connection

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 00:38:00 +0000

*Pictures have been removed and names changed to protect those that we serve*

Have you ever wondered what happens when a person has someone else in their corner cheering them on? What happens when someone walks life with you?

Meet Sally and Susie.

Through the relationships and reputation we’ve developed in the community of Chimaltenango serving families that make a living digging through trash in the local garbage dump, we were approached by Sally. She heard of our community program through some neighbors. One day Sally showed up at the program and shared with Dan and one of our co-workers about her past. Sally had formerly been in prostitution and was reaching out for help. At this time, she was still struggling with alcoholism but the Lord gave her the strength to reach out. Sally knew that she needed God, He was pursuing her. She had recently committed her life to Christ and wanted to be sure that her daughters did not follow the path she had been on. She asked for her youngest daughter, Susie to be enrolled in the program and because of God’s sovereignty, we had a space just for her. From day one, there was something really special about Susie. She is a very sweet, kind-hearted girl that loves God with all of her heart. Because of not having an earthly father in her life, she has struggled with who God is and what that relationship looks like. We continually reinforce that God is her Heavenly Father who will never forsake her. Over time, she has begun to trust Him more and also see Dan as a strong male role model in her life. Susie comes each day to our after-school program where she is discipled, receives nutritious food, gets help with homework, and has mentors in her life. She is truly thriving and is an example to others in the program.

We’ve had the opportunity to walk alongside Sally as the Lord has transformed her heart and life. She’s been a part of our workshops that we’ve offered learning several life skills to help her find employment and change her future. Sally was blessed to have an organic (raised bed) garden installed at her home recently and has been using it to nourish her family as well as selling some of the produce to help provide for them financially. Sally recently told Dan that she has completely been able to stop drinking because of the love and hope she feels as we walk life with her and her family. Because of the work Jesus is doing in her heart and being able to see His hands and feet through our staff, she is truly transforming from the inside out.

Because of people like you, who sacrificially give to support our family, we are able to be the connectors here in Guatemala. It’s all about connection. We’ve learned in our time being here that just like Jesus did with His disciples, the real impact made is when we are doing life with people, walking alongside them. Through that, God uses us to transform peoples lives and show them Jesus in the flesh.

As you’ve seen in our recent update, we are facing a very large monthly deficit and trusting God to provide for our needs. If you feel led to give one-time or on a monthly basis, you can do so here.

Blessed and Humbled!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 03:37:00 +0000

September 2017 Update

It seems that months go by between our email updates and many times we aren't even sure where to begin. Our hearts are to keep you all updated as much as we can, but as you know, time just slips by and in the ministry we are a part of, there are always urgent matters pulling our attention elsewhere. We pray that you all understand and thank you for being gracious with us!

We are humbled... we are coming to you asking you for prayer, once again. We know that the Lord calls us to bear each others burdens and to come to fellow believers when in need of prayer and we feel convicted to do so. It doesn't come easily and quite honestly, we don't want to share this. However, we have to! An extremely dear partner to us contacted us this week to inform us that the Lord has called them to shift their international giving to local ministry for now. We know that they are walking in obedience for their body of believers in making this decision. In doing so, we know that the Lord will provide for the deficit this leaves our family with. We are asking you to pray that the Lord would send us new partners, whether churches or individuals to fill this large gap... like only God can do. As most of you know, we live completely off donations so this can be really scary for us at times! Thank you, in advance, for bringing this to our Jehovah Jireh!

Updates from Guatemala:
-We have been gearing up for the Christian Alliance for Orphans (Latin America) conference happening this coming weekend. We have been blessed with the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing and invite many local churches here, which has been amazing! We are praying for God to move in the hearts of believers in Guatemala to head the call to care for orphaned and vulnerable children. We are also seeing more interest in adoption and have the opportunity to help equip and walk this journey with many families! Praise Jesus! (below is a photo of the conference last year)

-We ask for prayer for all of the children in our programs as we head into the final weeks of the school year. Please pray for endurance and focus for each of them. Many of the children we serve had little to no support at home so the results of their school year impact their parents decisions for the next year.

-Praise God for a summer full of impact! With the blessing of the groups that came to serve alongside us and their willing hearts, we were able to accomplish many things at the orphanages, schools, and community center. Just a few of these highlights were: a new therapy/sensory room for children preparing to be adopted into loving families, a family visiting room for these families to get to know their new children, gardening beds to improve nutrition and provide an income stream for families working in the garbage dump, efficient stoves and water filters, sharing the Gospel in public schools that opened their doors to us, and the list goes on! God is so gracious and good!

-Having people we know come and serve with us has been one of the biggest sources of encouragement for our family! This summer Christ Community Church from Gridley, IL (one of our faithful supporters and dear friends) came to serve with us and it was an amazing week where we saw God move mountains. We are also looking forward to Pontiac Bible Church coming in December to celebrate Christmas with all of the children and families that we serve!

-As the ministry of Orphan Outreach has grown over the last several years, we have had the opportunity to grow in many ways. The past two years Dan has been overseeing the community program in Chimaltenango. Now that he has trained up the local staff to run this program day-to-day, we can now shift some of our time to some other areas that we feel God calling us to. One of these being the spiritual development of the children in the orphanages where we serve. We are thrilled for this new challenge and love that we can spend more time on discipleship!

-We are also excited for a training opportunity that has been presented to us for next May. We would have the opportunity to receive training and certification through Back2Back ministries in Trauma Competent Care. This is crucial for our staff and caregivers here and would give us the opportunity to help them learn new skills in this area as well. We pray that we are able to attend!

We pray that you and yours continue walking with the Lord and see His hand in your lives. May you continue to serve Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank you for loving us so well. We miss you all greatly and can't wait to hug you again, hopefully soon!

In Christ,
Dan & Christi

If you feel led to support our family financially, you can do so here.

When Passion Becomes a Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 12:48:00 +0000

"Do not expect to walk into a new place and be automatically accepted into the culture and people's homes. Relationships and trust are built and earned over time."

Five years. That's how long we've been here. In some ways it seems like we just packed our bags yet sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago. We've learned a lot. We've grown a lot. We've failed a lot. If there's anything we are sure of, it's that the Steadfast Love of our Heavenly Father has been made more and more real to us each day we are here.

We would love for you to read this article just published about our family -

We don't forget for a moment that the same God that called us to live here is the same God that has used each of YOU to pray, to support, to encourage, to give, and to love our family. We are humbled and grateful!!!

Coffee Fundraiser (Medical Expenses)

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 16:25:00 +0000

Hey everyone -
Thank you all so much for your response to pray for the situation with our medical insurance on behalf of Titus. We greatly appreciate so many praying on our behalf. After spending hours on the phone trying to get it straighten out, I called Dan to update him and we both knew that we needed to call on our prayer warriors during this time!

We are going to do a coffee fundraiser to help with medical expenses as well. The same, amazing, organic, fair-grade, Guatemalan coffee that we've sold many times. It's amazing and everyone loves it!

Here are the options: -Medium Roast (ground or whole bean)-Bold Roast (ground or whole bean)-Decaf (available in ALL flavors, ground and whole bean)-Butterscotch Brownie (ground or whole bean)-Jamaican Me Crazy (ground or whole bean)-Cookiedoodle (ground or whole bean)-Dolce Amaretto (ground or whole bean)-French Vanilla (ground or whole bean)-Pumpkin Spice (ground or whole bean)-Blueberry Cinnamon Crumble (ground or whole bean) - Sold Out (for now, but there may be more available next week)-Walnut Fudge (ground or whole bean) - limited quantities -Southern Pecan (ground or whole bean) - limited quantities
Bags are 16 OUNCES and $18 each plus shipping.
To order: Send us an email (ucherek1 AT hotmail.com) with your order information, including mailing address and email address for paypal billing. You will be billed via paypal once items are shipped (approximately 1 week after the sale ends). On sale now through April 5th.

Medical Update

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 17:59:00 +0000

Please pray!

Friends and family,
We are writing today asking for prayer. As you know, we had Titus at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital in November. Prior to that time, we had been approved by insurance that they would cover 80% of his medical bills, we also received 75% financial aid from the hospital, and you all had graciously given to help cover the rest of his bills. As you know, these things take time to go through all these channels. Well, that time has come and we are very overwhelmed that the insurance is not holding to their word. The situation has been escalated to a supervisor and we are waiting on a call back. As you can imagine, we are stressed and overwhelmed by this. Living outside the US means that insurance companies do not have the same laws as insurance companies in the US. We know that God led us to these doctors, we know that Titus needs this medical care, and that in just a few short days with them in November, they uncovered more than any other doctor has in the 3+ years that Titus has been in our family. Since this time, they have also uncovered some chromosomal abnormalities so Titus is scheduled to see a pediatric geneticist along with this peds and neurologist the week of April 10th. I, Christi, will be taking him back for 1 week to get all of these appointments in and learn as much as we can from the geneticist as well. Getting this bill yesterday know that we are facing more bills in 2 weeks is extremely overwhelming. While we try to keep our children's medical information fairly private to protect them, we know that we need to call on you all to pray. Pray for favor with the insurance company. Pray for peace in our hearts. Pray for rest as this weighs on us. We trust the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and put this all in His hands!

We love you all!
Dan & Christi

PS - we are raffling off a beautiful sign on Facebook as well as selling coffee to help with medical bills if anyone is interested! Just shoot us an email and we'll get you the info you need!

Live for today!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 02:14:00 +0000

Sssoooo excited! We are working out the details for a coffee fundraiser (you ask, we deliver) and in the meantime the AMAZING Philosophy Designs whipped up this sign for us to raffle off! WOW! Isn't it gorgeous!

1 wide plank, measures 19"W x 7"H, valued at $50!!

How it works?

$5 per entry, send to ucherek1 AT hotmail.com via PayPal and shoot us a note.

Winner will be drawn Friday, March 31st at 9pm Mountain Time.

ALL funds go towards medical expenses for our son. He is seeing the dev Peds and neurologist he saw before as well as a pediatric geneticist.

*we would love to send some traffic to Hilary Helms at Philosophy Designs! Be sure to like her page and check out her amazing work!

CCC - your chance to make an impact!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 21:02:00 +0000

Our ministry is in desperate need of sponsors for our Chimaltenango Comprehensive Care Center where we serve children and families living in extreme poverty. Please pray that God would provide for the needs of this program. Here's an amazing video showing how we love and serve these families!

Guatemala Comprehensive Care Center (CCC) -HD from Orphan Outreach on Vimeo.

To find a child that you can bless by sponsoring, click here -- or message us for details!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 18:41:00 +0000

From our family to yours, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May we each take time to remember Jesus, who came to this earth as a baby and died a sacrificial death on a cross, so that we could have eternal life with Him. He is the reason for the season and for that, we are so grateful!

We aren't quite sure how to sum up 2016... the only word that comes to mind is CRAZY! But, in the midst of the crazy, we see God working in our hearts, in our home, and in our ministry. We are so thankful that God called us to serve Him and His people in this way and that we have each of you in this journey with us. You all love, support, pray, and encourage us in more ways than we can possibly recount and we are so grateful to have you in our lives, even if from afar.

We are thrilled to report that Christi will be returning home from the hospital tomorrow and we have witnessed the Lord's hand in healing the infection in her body. Please continue to pray for protection over her body as she continues to recover from home.

If you feel led to support our family through a one-time gift at year end, throughout the year, or as a monthly recurring gift, we would be so grateful. We truly could not be here serving orphaned and vulnerable children without these donations. You can do so here.

Blessings to each of you,
Dan, Christi, Malakai, Finley, Titus, and Isaías Ucherek

Titus

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 20:40:00 +0000

I've stared at these 4 photos from our time in Michigan more times that I can count. As I filled out pages upon pages of medical surveys, background information, and family history questions, it was bittersweet! Bitter not having any of those answers to be able to help medical professionals or to be able to tell Titus as he has more questions the older he gets. Sweet knowing that God called him to our family and we have the opportunity to watch him grow.

You see, Malakai started praying for a little boy we saw in photos to have a mommy and a daddy. Shortly after that time, we knew that God was calling us to be the answer to that prayer and we stepped out in faith to adopt Titus. We had just moved out of the country and had a mere couple hundred dollars to apply to his $30k adoption fees. We had no idea how it would work out, but we knew that God said he was ours! So we took steps in obedience... one by one! As we reviewed all the medical unknowns and the lack of biological family information, we were scared. Very scared. But God kept telling us that fear was not a reason to not bring him into our family. Over time, we've seen miracle after miracle in this boy. We've seen God make him into a compassionate, kind, and sensitive child of God who desires to be loved, like each of us do!

As I stare at these photos, I'm thankful for so many things. I'm thankful that God called us. I'm thankful that I followed the lead of this amazing man, my husband. I'm thankful that he reaches down to help Titus any time he's in need, just like the photos. I'm thankful for the progress that Titus has made. But most of all, I'm thankful that we serve a God that is so much bigger than a medical diagnosis. So much bigger than medicating a 4-year old for the sub-clinical seizures he's having. And so much bigger than the unknown growth and nutritional issues we are seeing.

We know that God is so much bigger. We know that we are facing at least (some tests still outstanding) a $5,000 medical bill for the time we spent in Chicago. And we know that God can wipe that out if He so desires. PLEASE join us in prayer as we seek to do what is best for Titus and continue to learn more and more about how to best parent him and shepherd his precious heart!

If you feel led to pray, share this need, or even give, we would be so grateful!

Please pray {medical update}

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 20:11:00 +0000

Friends - we've been asked and wanted to let you know about an important need. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to have Titus at Comer Children's Hospital in Chicago to discover and find treatment for the seizures he has been having. They are, unfortunately, affecting development and many other things. We are prayerful that the treatment plan the neurologists recommended will help our sweet boy in the areas that he has been struggling in.

Due to the nature of the exams that Titus needed, we are facing a financial deficit to cover a portion that the insurance did not cover. Right now, we are looking at needing at least $5,000 to cover these bills and are trusting the Lord to provide as He had every step of the way!

Please pray and if you feel led, consider giving. Please click here and indicate "Titus Ucherek medical" on any donation. Thank you all!

Keep praying!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 16:58:00 +0000

Friends - please continue to pray for the medical decisions we mentioned before for one of our children. We prayed for favor and our medical insurance has agreed to pay 80% of the exams that our son needs, praise God! We are trusting the Ultimate Provider for the 20% we will be responsible for and would covet your prayers! Thank you!

COFFEE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi) — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:37:00 +0000

Friends and Family,

We are excited for another coffee fundraiser. We always try to do a coffee fundraiser this time of year as it starts getting a little cooler for most of you although we haven't felt that yet here :) All proceeds from our coffee fundraiser each year helps us to be able to pay for medical insurance for our family which allows us to serve another year here in Guatemala. As you know, God has called us here to serve orphaned and vulnerable children which we could not do without the love, support, and prayers of all of you. We rely on the support and donations of churches and individuals to be able to serve here and this is one way to support our mission.

Once again, we are offering the AMAZING Leiva's Coffee that is locally grown here in Guatemala by some dear friends. Their coffee farm isn't just a business, it's a ministry! Fair trade, organic, specialty coffee providing jobs, funding education, and providing a future for children in a remote Guatemalan village is how coffee business should be done! We are blessed to call the Leiva family friends and love how God is using them to minister to so many!

FLAVORS:
-Medium Roast (ground or whole bean)
-Bold Roast (ground or whole bean)
-Decaf (available in ALL flavors, ground and whole bean)
-Butterscotch Brownie (ground or whole bean)
-Jamaican Me Crazy (ground or whole bean)
-Cookiedoodle (ground or whole bean)
-Dolce Amaretto (ground or whole bean)
-French Vanilla (ground or whole bean)
-Pumpkin Spice (ground or whole bean)
-Blueberry Cinnamon Crumble (ground or whole bean)
-NEW: Walnut Fudge (ground or whole bean)
-NEW: Southern Pecan (ground or whole bean)

Bags are 16 OUNCES and $18 each plus shipping.

To order: Send us an email (ucherek1 AT hotmail DOT com) with your order information, including mailing address and email address for paypal billing. You will be billed via paypal once items are shipped (approximately 1 week after the sale ends). On sale now through Sept 18th.

**You can click here to read the descriptions of each flavor of coffee, but PLEASE order directly from us or the Leiva's won't know that the proceeds go towards our fundraiser.