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Pure Religion in Action: Serving Orphans & Widows Together
9 Plays1 day ago
In this episode of the Pause & Think Podcast, Jackie and Aixa share their powerful experience at the ACH Summit in Guatemala City—a gathering of leaders, churches, and families from 13 countries across Latin America, united to live out James 1:27 by serving orphans, widows, and vulnerable children.
From its small beginnings in 2010 to becoming a Latin American movement, the ACH Summit is transforming how the church responds to adoption, foster care, and child protection. Jackie and Aixa reflect on:
✨ The origins of ACH as the Latin American counterpart to CAFO
✨ How adoption and foster care stories are shaping new generations
✨ The launch of support groups for adult adoptees (Group 139, based on Psalm 139)
✨ The beauty of God’s design in building sustainable, Christ-centered movements
💡 If you’re passionate about orphan care, adoption, or simply want to be encouraged by how God is moving in Latin America, this conversation is for you.
👉 Next year’s ACH Summit will be held in the Dominican Republic—join us for powerful teaching, fellowship, and a vision to impact vulnerable lives.
🔔 Subscribe to Pause & Think Podcast for more stories of faith, family, and transformation.
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Transcript
Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
We all have a story, and at times we feel we're walking it out alone. Let's pause and think. Join us for honest conversations about adoption and parenting as we lament, encourage, give hope, and explore our true identity and worth in Christ.
Hosts' Introduction and Location
00:00:23
Speaker
Hi, welcome to our podcast, Pause and Think. And my name is Jackie. And and I'm Aisha. And we're in Guatemala City. Yes, we are. And here we are in the office where we generally record the podcast.
ACH Summit Overview and Aisha's Involvement
00:00:38
Speaker
But today, it's just us.
00:00:41
Speaker
Yes, it's us. And we're recapping a very special event. This is like my second Christmas, Jackie. Like in the during the the year, probably my second like event that I look forward to is the ACH Summit.
00:00:58
Speaker
Yes. And I am so excited to talk about the ACH Summit. I had the privilege of being a part, a small part of the conference, but I would like for you, Aisha, to explain what the ACH Summit is all about here in
Origins and Growth of ACH Summit
00:01:16
Speaker
Latin America. Yes.
00:01:17
Speaker
Yeah. So if you're familiar with CAFO, Christian Alliance for Orphans, so we're like the Latin American counterpart. I wasn't there when he was born. it was actually a group of Guatemalans that traveled to the CAFO conference way back, like in the U.S. And so they started like talking about why don't we do something like that for Guatemala? Yeah.
00:01:41
Speaker
And they just said, how about we call it exactly the same? That's what we are called. Why reinvent anything? so we are Capo Lions for orphans as well. But in Spanish, that's what ACH stands for.
00:01:58
Speaker
And so it started a movement and it was very ah organic and slow. And a lot of local organizations gathered around this idea of serving the vulnerable children of our communities and doing it well.
00:02:15
Speaker
And since it started, it has transformed. And a lot of those original members have um pulled away. And not that they stopped doing the work, they're doing their home their own thing. And now it's a very much a Latin American thing.
00:02:34
Speaker
So I joined 11 years ago when I became an adoptive mom because I, and I actually just very informally just volunteered.
Recent ACH Summit Highlights and Themes
00:02:44
Speaker
We um participated, our family participated in one of the first summits that they did in Cayala.
00:02:51
Speaker
um And it was a smaller conference. It was held in one room. We had panels and speakers and it was a one day thing.
00:03:03
Speaker
um And I felt like the pull, just I felt the calling from the Lord to, you know, they were there were a lot of ladies that could lead stuff at the church with women's ministry and children's ministry.
00:03:17
Speaker
There was so many ah talented, willing women at the church. but very few voices in Latin America there that were willing to share their story, ah you know, involving adoption, whether you're an adoptive mom or ah adopted child.
00:03:36
Speaker
I didn't know any Latin American voices that were outspoken and Christ-centered and evidence-based, and I wanted to learn.
00:03:47
Speaker
So I entered more as a needy mom and then lending my voice. We had somewhat of a platform and the Lord has been using that. And so ever since that started, we have grown. And now the conference that just happened in August in Guatemala City It was 13 countries came together. Wow, that's amazing. 13. So you started 11 years ago out of need. That's yeah generally how God gets us, you know throws out the bait because we're in need of him, of something, knowledge, something. And so you started 11 years ago with Christian Alliance for the Orphans. yeah And i know that –
00:04:35
Speaker
The verse, the verses, James 127, and just waking up the church to live out James 127. And that's ah the theme. Yes. We are actually shifting like the the identity of the whole summit, and it's going to be Pure religion summit from now on.
Caring for Orphans and Widows: A Biblical Perspective
00:04:58
Speaker
Like that's going to be our thing. Even if we do a theme each year, the underlying biblical, you know, foundation is going to be James 1.27, which is that pure immaculate religion. And what is pure religion is? it It's tending, visiting, living with, and loving the orphan and the widowed.
00:05:25
Speaker
um The vulnerable. The vulnerable. That, you know, in scripture, the widow and the orphan are by far the most vulnerable. A widowed woman was unprotected and in every way possible, like socially, financially.
00:05:43
Speaker
um You were outcast, basically. And if you didn't have a a male son, your name was basically erased from earth And so the distinct, the distinctiveness of the people of God was that he commanded and he took care of those who didn't have any power in society. A widow. The fatherless. The fatherless, like.
00:06:09
Speaker
Husbandless. Exactly. All, all the women and all the children that were left out on their own, if they were surrounded by the people of God, they were
Building Sustainable Movements Post-Pandemic
00:06:19
Speaker
protected.
00:06:19
Speaker
Right. if they had mu charnity exactly if they had a church around them, they were you know looked after. They were loved. They were taught.
00:06:30
Speaker
They were provided for. And so that looks like so many different things. And we highlight that during the the conference. So if you, you know, Jackie, you've been part of the summit in one way or another.
00:06:44
Speaker
You know, I don't know how far back we go, but I think it was 2018. two thousand eighteen Or 19, 18, I think it was. When you had the very, well, it was like 16 when you had the summit.
00:06:58
Speaker
and Yes. The very first, 2016, when you had the first summit here. So the the very first bigger summit was 2016. the cool thing is...
00:07:10
Speaker
We had a very like a closed um circle moment this year because that's the same local church that opened their doors that first time. Yes.
00:07:21
Speaker
Iglesia Vida Real. Iglesia Vida Real. We are so thankful for you. um And so ah to come back and see what the Lord has faithfully done, very slow and organic, and is what i love like I love those stories that I get to hear of it's not an event. so Exactly. If you're feeling that the Lord is calling you to something, don't aim at doing stuff that is just showy and loud and, in you know,
00:07:57
Speaker
it Everything has a place in the Lord's you know plan. I'm thinking about if you're a performing artist and you do a concert, it's going to be showy and it's going to be loud and it's not bad.
00:08:09
Speaker
But long term for life, this is children's lives, family's lives, aim at but sustaining a movement through relationships, through training through sustainable models that are organic in the community. So we have seen the Lord at work in Latin America and most, you know, amazing things have happened since the pandemic.
00:08:39
Speaker
So 2020, we went virtual. We thought we didn't have a chance at doing ah a conference. Everyone was learning the Zoom thing. This whole podcast thing was not even in our radar.
00:08:52
Speaker
um ah virtually, prior to the pandemic, you met in person. You had meetings and trainings and workshops in person. We didn't do this. Right. so ah But TTC actually stepped in and and facilitated an amazing virtual conference for us.
00:09:13
Speaker
And it was like a it was amazing. So we did workshops and we noticed that certain countries doing stuff and we really started to pray and dream about when this is over, we're going to travel and we're going to meet the people and we're going to see with our ah own eyes and we're going to hug the families and when to we're going to just see what the Lord is doing.
00:09:35
Speaker
And the Lord has allowed us to do events in Chile and in peru in dominican republic um and costa rica and now we're going back to dominican republic next year so we are you know we didn't even dream about being able to do that and the lord has um brought us outside of guatemala and that's why it's a latin american movement And so somebody from the outside, i see CAFO, whether it's in the United States or whether it's here in Latin America, it's...
00:10:11
Speaker
The church coming together, the church body coming together, leaders, families, um workers, organizations, nonprofits, whether they represent orphanages, therapy, any kind of support system, but the as the body of Christ passionately coming together And living out James 127 and being there for the for the vulnerable children. And that's the that's the focus on is the vulnerable children, whether foster care, orphanage care, or in actually adopted families. And so one thing i
00:10:53
Speaker
just was so excited to see this year um at the summit was just the growth and the passion.
Support for Adult Adoptees
00:11:02
Speaker
And like you said, ah the all the different countries that that were represented and the churches um coming together, being united, and having a heart, just being passionately active, and For the Lord, we're doing this for the Lord, but being a voice for those who don't have a voice, the vulnerable kids. And so I was super blessed um to just be a part of it this year a small part of it. Oh, man. And um explain um how how this all started during the pandemic. yeah um
00:11:41
Speaker
I know God put something in your heart. ah regarding a support group for adult adoptees. So maybe explain a little about that. Well, as an ah adoptive mom, i see i saw early on how my children would need a lot of outside support to process their story.
00:12:03
Speaker
even though I've really made it a point, but i'm I've been intentional in providing a safe space for them to process. Some things need outside support.
00:12:16
Speaker
And that's why my little one is so close to you because I recognize that need. And there's a, there's a cultural fact. There's a phenomenon in Guatemala, especially, but I think it's the region.
00:12:31
Speaker
Well, there's two aspects here. Uh, like historically, um, it It was a very known fact that Guatemala was one of the leading countries in which foreigners adopted children.
00:12:46
Speaker
So Americans, Europeans came to Guatemala. It was It was cost effective. It was close. um They had access to healthy children.
00:12:58
Speaker
And it's a very poor country. And so there was a tremendous amount, 5,000 adoptions a year Oh, wow. Yes, when it was like at the top. ah top um And so it lent itself to a lot of abuse and human trafficking, and that was a whole messy ordeal.
00:13:21
Speaker
And it got shut down
Challenges of Secrecy in Adoption
00:13:23
Speaker
2007. two thousand and seven So what came out of that is a lot of loss during that time and a lot of um children that got left behind, but a lot of need, like domestically got, you know,
00:13:45
Speaker
pulled to the surface. And so we started slowly, slowly seeing ah domestic adoption take off. um The amount of children available for adoption dropped, which is that something, you know, to look into, I guess.
00:14:03
Speaker
I'm not even going to go into that. But the fact is, we are now seeing 20-year-olds, you know, 30-year-olds come back to ask about their origins.
00:14:15
Speaker
People are now available to, you know, they are um willing to investigate their own stories. They want to process they their stories. And so a lot of of young people are coming back, asking questions.
00:14:31
Speaker
And I see a lot of young people. I saw some young people in our community who didn't even know their parents the truth about their story. And I was very saddened about that.
00:14:43
Speaker
And a lot of folks that knew their adoption took place didn't really felt like, freedom to talk about their their experience.
00:14:54
Speaker
They should be happy. They should be grateful. And they shouldn't bring it up because it makes everyone uncomfortable. And that was like the rule.
00:15:05
Speaker
Like even if it was a domestic adoption, you don't talk about it. Even in a church setting, which is so sad to me because we are the people of the truth and of the light we're supposed to be.
00:15:17
Speaker
And so felt burdened. And when you, I remember we were at the gym at the church that we held the summit in that year, and we were commenting on a case, like specific And you were perplexed. Like I told you, this young lady doesn't know about their you know her story.
00:15:40
Speaker
And I feel awful about it. And you asked some questions and it's and we were both like, yeah, this is bad. And we need a safe place for the young people to... process And not so young because we have now come to know- Over 18, 18 and older. Yes. eighteen And we you've had like people in their 60s come to you and said and say, I found out when I was at my mom's funeral role whatever- I was shocked. I was shocked.
00:16:10
Speaker
i was shocked I know. It is absolutely incredible to listen to the stories. But, you know, we started the virtual support group um via Zoom.
00:16:22
Speaker
In 2020. And we started off, you know, David McCormick, our executive director director and you and me, and we opened it and we launched like the invitation in you know. And there was 12 the very first time. there was 12. And I was thinking 12, that's an interesting number. Exactly.
00:16:43
Speaker
and And so, you know, little by little, when it's established, we pulled back, David and I pulled back and we let you guys just lead everything. And it has been probably one of my favorite endeavors with ACH. I would like for you to tell about the whole, you know, transformation and and especially the girls' lives because- Some guys have come but haven't stayed, and then there's some very faithful girls that have yes lingered.
Healing Through Sharing Adoption Stories
00:17:14
Speaker
Well, it started five years ago. Yep. Five years we've been doing this. um i I can't believe it's five years. But I have seen personally and heard some very, very heart-wrenching stories of adult women who were adopted.
00:17:36
Speaker
Uh, but didn't know the truth at the beginning of their stories. Um, found out the truth and everybody's story a little different, but it it has been a long and grueling process.
00:17:50
Speaker
And, A lot of times, you know, when things, when we're walking through trauma or difficult situations, it's just easier to not confront it and hope that it'll go away.
00:18:05
Speaker
But you and I both know things don't go away. We can bury things, but... It just doesn't go away. And you know the Bible says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
00:18:19
Speaker
The truth is knowing the Lord Jesus, but also talking the truth and processing the truth and allowing it to come up, even though it doesn't feel good, it's hard work.
00:18:33
Speaker
But we have seen time and time and again, when we walk through that process, That the Lord meets us and he brings that healing. And so at this year's ACH Summit, and um you guys dreamed about some things, how you wanted to have things. yeah And we've seen...
00:18:55
Speaker
We have seen and experienced at the CAFO Summit in the United States. They have a specific workshop, Voices of Adult Adoptees.
00:19:05
Speaker
And again, why reinvent some? Let's just copy some things that we've seen have worked and have been important and valuable. So we took those ideas and with this group.
00:19:17
Speaker
Yep. The support group, group 139, Psalm 139, we have um just put it put it into action at this year's summit, just which was just a couple weeks ago, and invited three of the women from that group, if they were willing And they all three were, they felt like as hard as it was going to be, that God was giving them the opportunity to take another huge step in going public with their stories.
Fostering Real Relationships and Spiritual Community
00:19:50
Speaker
And so you invited us, ah the four of us, to share on the first day of the summit in the afternoon um on stage. And I was so proud
00:20:02
Speaker
Listening to these women share their stories yeah um from foster care, orphanage, adoption, and all three stories were very different. Different. Very different. And each of them in different stages of life as well.
00:20:22
Speaker
Yes. Yes. So... I just sat there so proud because I know how hard it is to just open your your wounded heart and and share these vulnerable moments going back to when they were little girls, but now they're adult women, and share about brokenness, but also beauty.
00:20:52
Speaker
And the beauty comes in because... of coming to know their heavenly father amen and understanding Psalms 139, that God's eyes were on them. he knew from the from before they were even formed in their mother's womb and during those days and how All the days of their lives were already written in his book.
00:21:15
Speaker
And just to see and be a part of just another day at the ACH Summit yeah and giving these women an opportunity to share what God truly has done in their hearts and lives was incredible.
00:21:33
Speaker
An incredible gift. Incredible. One of my favorite things. um Sometimes the Lord gives us a glimpse of the fruit.
00:21:44
Speaker
um And that was very much what that felt felt like like to me. It was like we we we persevere, we do the work. And this is what I mean when I say we're not doing an event.
00:21:58
Speaker
We are like the event is like a catalyst and it's like a bonfire and we come together and there's this heat in life and dynamic.
00:22:09
Speaker
And then we go again to do our own little thing we can't keep going. But this is like a very strong, um I think it it it energizes all of us to keep on doing what we do on a daily basis to see this James 127 vision.
Global and Multicultural Nature of ACH Movement
00:22:28
Speaker
carried on ah in our own little spaces. um And so you guys have a real relationship. You guys have real bonds. you you know We have real friends and real spiritual family that comes out of being in in in unison with with scripture in this sense, in this calling. And so it's just a beautiful thing. Yeah, and just something happens, I think, spiritually when we come together. physically. When we come together physically as the body of Christ, as his kids, his family, encouraging and just giving hope one to another because not every day that we're living this James 127 fun.
00:23:15
Speaker
um it's hard work yeah in our own personal lives and just in ministry, but we're coming together and encouraging one another and just walking it out together. yeah And so...
00:23:32
Speaker
Yeah, as we're recording, we know that today, October 1st, I know we're pre-recording, but on October 1st is going to be the first day of KFO Summit in the United States, and we're both going to be there. Yes, we are. We're going to there participating on U.S. side. Mm-hmm.
00:23:55
Speaker
um which to me, it's just so beautiful seeing it all happen in Latin America. Absolutely. um And then also being able to participate in the United States and seeing the church, the the big C church in the United States coming together.
00:24:12
Speaker
And just living out James 127 and bringing in people from around the world. Around the world. Yeah. It's, you know, if if anything, yeah if you're listening to this and you're you feel isolated and you feel like – There's nobody around you doing what you were dreaming up of doing.
00:24:33
Speaker
Yes, we are. We're scattered around the globe and we're seeing the Lord work and do miracles and sustaining and providing and bringing us together.
Invitation to Future ACH Summits
00:24:44
Speaker
And we're talking about what's going on in Latin America because we think it's very encouraging for you.
00:24:49
Speaker
And also, we are a bilingual ministry. Nosotros somos bilingües. Somos sabor, chapín, and American flavors. So... We do um enjoy that part. We see a wider ah array of what the Lord is doing, and it is exciting. Yes. It's exciting.
00:25:09
Speaker
um We see the world go up in flames in so many ways, and it's... Sometimes it's heartening, but coming together and reminding each other of this mission that is very much alive and the Lord is, you know, propelling forward is is an encouragement for any believer.
00:25:30
Speaker
Yeah. And so we just want to encourage you as you're listening um Whether you're in need of just being together with other fellow believers and the body of Christ coming together and living out James 127, ministering to the vulnerable lives, whether it's in Latin America or in the United States this year, it's going to be ah in Houston. And so we're super excited to be in Texas.
00:25:57
Speaker
yeah um But there are two major summits, whether it's in the U.S. or if you're in Latin America, um to come and be a part of. And I encourage you to be a part, whether you go attend, whether you're a partner in the ministry financially, whether you are a prayer partner every area to be involved matters because you know one person can't do it alone.
00:26:29
Speaker
No. But it it takes a village. It takes a community. That's kind of the new saying now. It takes a village. And we've seen the village in action. Yes.
00:26:40
Speaker
And so we just want to encourage you to be a part. um There is... Other people, there are other people who you can relate with, who you will be able to identify with, but you need to step out and come and be a part, whether in the United States or whether in Latin America. So thank you for joining us. Yes, yes, yes. We really appreciate you guys being here.
00:27:06
Speaker
If you know somebody that's probably a missionary in Latin America, plan to join the ACH Summit next year in August in Dominican Republic. So we're going to the DR. We're going to go have good meals, good friends, good chats, and a wonderful conference at Evo Church.
00:27:28
Speaker
And so if you want more information, ah text us or look for our webpage, and yeah, we will try to respond. And praise the Lord for everything he's doing.
00:27:42
Speaker
Yeah. See you next time.
00:27:45
Speaker
Thanks for joining us for this episode of Pause and Think. For more resources and information, go to whosami.org.