Sermon Outline

It’s truly a privilege to be here with you today, together with my wife—my “lady”—and our two kids, who are still sleeping! We’re grateful to be among you and this beautiful church family. It’s a great honor—and a serious responsibility—to share the Word of God with you. I’ve asked the Holy Spirit to guide me, not only in delivering His message but also in helping with my English. I hope you can understand me as well as I’ve tried to understand your Spanish!

Just yesterday, my wife and I realized that it has been exactly 20 years since I first came to this area—Michigan. That first trip was in 2005. I came to visit Tom McCarthy, who had just returned from serving for five years at Casa Bernabé in Guatemala as a house parent and maintenance leader. After he came back, I came to visit him and another church. And here we are again, two decades later, sharing in fellowship.

Thank you for opening not only the doors of this church but also the doors of your hearts and your homes. A special thanks to the Beaker family for hosting us. Just a friendly warning to you: when my wife committed to serving one year at Casa Bernabé, that “one year” turned into 22 years—and she’s still there! She's originally from Kansas City, Missouri—home of the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. I was hoping for a Super Bowl match-up between Mahomes and Jared Goff and the Lions, but that dream didn’t come true. Both teams let us down!

I'm from Guatemala—100% Guatemalan. Many of you have been to our country. In fact, your church has been the most faithful partner we’ve had. You’ve sent teams down every year for the past 20 years. What a beautiful way to begin and end each year—together.

Guatemala is a beautiful country, but it's also deeply affected by poverty. About 70% of our people live in poverty, and half of that group live in extreme poverty. Only about 20% belong to the middle class, and just 10% are considered wealthy. That huge disparity creates all sorts of societal problems—corruption, gangs, drugs, prostitution, and broken families. Many children grow up in extremely dysfunctional environments, and that’s why ministries like Casa Bernabé are so important.

Now, I’d like to begin with some good news: we’ve all been adopted. I’m adopted. You’re adopted. We have been adopted into God’s family through Jesus Christ—and that’s the greatest news I’ve ever heard.

At Casa Bernabé, we care for a little over 100 children. About 40% of them are eligible for adoption. The other 60% have families, but due to various circumstances—abuse, neglect, poverty—they cannot live with them. Still, their greatest desire is to be reunited with their families. Even if the environment is harmful, they long to return to their mother, grandmother, or aunt. Why? Because God designed every human being to belong to a family. That longing exists in all of us—regardless of belief or background.

When we ask our children about their biggest dream, the answer is always the same: to be part of a family. Not to own a car. Not to have a big house. Simply to belong.

For those of us who already have families, we might dream of other things. But for our kids, that desire to belong is everything. And that’s what we’re trying to meet—not just through earthly families but through the eternal family of God.

I grew up in an orphanage. My mother became a widow when I was just 11 days old. She had no choice but to place us in an orphanage, and eventually, I moved to Casa Bernabé when I was five. I, too, had that same deep longing: to be part of a family. I prayed, “Father, please give me a wife, give me children, let me experience a family of my own.” And God answered that prayer. He gave me my beautiful wife, Sarah, and our children.

And when I became a father, I began to understand in a deeper way what it means that God is our Father. For many of our children, the concept of a “father” is distorted or nonexistent. So when we teach them that God is a good Father, it’s difficult for them to grasp. But once I became a father myself, I understood more fully how our heavenly Father loves and sees us. Galatians 4:4–7(NLT) 4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

What a beautiful exchange this is: from slavery to freedom, from orphanhood to sonship, from death to life. That’s the message we share with our children: you may feel like an orphan now, but there’s a forever family waiting for you through Jesus.

Even if we succeed in reuniting children with their biological families or finding adoptive parents, we always remind them—that family is temporary. Only God's family is eternal.

Before children leave Casa Bernabé, we give them a gift: a puzzle piece inside a glass jar. It represents their life. We tell them, “This piece belongs to a much bigger picture.” On its own, it may seem random or incomplete—but it’s essential. It fits. It matters. It belongs.

We tell them: “If you accept Jesus Christ into your heart, your piece will connect with mine—and with many others—in God’s eternal puzzle. You’ll never be alone. You’ll always belong.”

Only one child has left without accepting Christ. Every other child has made that decision before leaving. And we tell them: “Put that jar by your bed. When life feels colorless or confusing, remember—you are loved, you are chosen, and you are part of something eternal.”

It’s our final opportunity to tell them: this is more important than your education, your training, or the food and shelter we’ve provided. Jesus is the most important thing we can give you.

Now, our children also know that adoption becomes less likely the older they get—or if they have special needs—or if they’re part of a sibling group. The statistics are hard. But what if our Father had treated us the same way? What if He had looked at us and said, “Too old. Too broken. Too messy.” But He didn’t. He adopted us exactly as we were—no conditions.

He didn’t just rescue us—He adopted us and made us co-heirs with Christ. Everything that belongs to Jesus is now ours. What a Father! What a gift!

That’s what we want every child to understand—that even if they never find an earthly family, they can still have a forever family in Christ.

So, what is your greatest desire?

Ours is to bring more children, more families, more people into the eternal family of God. Not just in Guatemala. Everywhere. Because the same need exists in every heart—rich or poor, young, or old. Everyone needs a Savior. Everyone needs a Father.

So wherever God has placed you—at work, at school, in your neighborhood—share the gift of adoption. Remind others of what you’ve received. We’ve all been adopted. And that is the greatest gift of all.

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