Do you ever think about how you got to the place where you are? When did this journey begin? Did God plan it from my mother's womb? This is the path we are on. This journey is our mountain.
God put the Gilmore's in our path, like He has so many others, through our desire to care for orphans in Haiti starting in 2010. In 2012, we traveled to Haiti, where the Gilmore's hosted us at their Christian Friendship Ministries mission house.
The irony keeps coming around...I "sort of" coaxed my husband and children to follow me on this initial trip to Haiti. Reluctant followers of their crazy wife and mom. Now, here we are, my husband's heart bleeding everyday for Haiti. My children's prayers going up every night for their Haitian brothers and sisters.
A month ago, Tanner lost his dear friend to cancer. I've had a hard time putting my thoughts to words. It's sometimes easier to stay busy. I don't process well, especially when things are really hard.
Ericlee died on a Tuesday. Tanner had held him in his arms the previous Sunday. We left the Gilmore's house that Sunday, releasing our friend to God's hands.
Ericlee's mom told us not to be offended by God's decisions. His mom...her only child. A faith that has inspired us and discipled us this year.
How do we take on this huge task of running this huge non-profit?!
Since, that moment, our lives are changed forever. Our days and nights are much longer. We both work full time and in the middle of life and running kids to practices and making dinner and packing lunches, we run this non-profit.
I often see the office light on at 3 am, my husband pouring into this nation of Haiti, rising early, so he can still be at work at 5 am.
At night, we hold each other and talk to God. We have been given much responsibility. The burden is big. The reward is eternal.
Would you walk with us?
Would you pray for us?
Would you give what you can?
As we face this mountain of grief and this pile of work, we are encouraged and blessed to know you stand with us.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
As many of you know, our dear friend, Ericlee Gilmore, is battling stage four cancer. Ericlee and his wife have been the U.S. directors of Christian Friendship Ministries for the last five years. Tanner has served on the board of CFM for the last two years.
In an effort to give Ericlee more time with his family and time to heal, Tanner has been appointed the new U.S. Director.
Ericlee and Dorina are taking a one-year sabbatical at this time. They have laid the important groundwork and built up a large network of supporters to help this ministry flourish. It is amazing to see what it has become since Ericlee's grandparents became missionaries there in the 1940s.
Tanner will now be responsible to carry on what the Gilmores have so graciously grown. I will, of course, help him out as much as I can. We have an amazing board of brilliant people, who will be helping in great ways, too.
Our goal for this year is to continue the growth of the ministry, both spiritually and in partnership. We desire to make the Gilmores proud and carry on their amazing efforts.
Tanner and I will be traveling to Haiti this November to meet with the Haitian pastors and leaders as well as to discuss new curriculum for the schools. We will be traveling over Thanksgiving break for approximately eight days. Some of the other board members will most likely join us.
After this initial trip, we will be able to strategically plan the rest of the year. We hope to return again to Haiti in the summer of 2015 with our children for a longer amount of time, possibly 4-6 weeks.
This will allow us to host teams from the states and spend more time understanding the Haitian culture.
This is an emotionally hard time for us as we pray and hope for our friend's healing. We are so humbled to be running this ministry for this year.
Please keeps us in your prayers and if you can help support us financially, please let us know.
We need to raise roughly $30,000 for the year.
Some of this money will be used for our plane tickets for both trips, traveling expenses and other necessary items. Most will be used to help support some upcoming projects we see needs for, such as, curriculum for the schools, Bibles and Hymnals for the churches and work that needs to be completed on the orphanage.
If you can support us financially (either monthly or a one-time gift), please write checks to Christian Friendship Ministries. You can mail them to us at our address or CFM's:
Christian Friendship Ministries
PO Box 27584
Fresno, CA 93729-7584
OR
Use this link to donate via PayPal.
Either way, include a note designating the money to "The Munros"
Thank you for praying with us during this difficult time.
We rely on God, family and great friends for support.
For many years, Ericlee and his wife, Dorina, had been fundraising and dreaming about giving the kids at the Bridge Children's home a place to play. There are many school children who attend Christian Friendship Ministries school who would benefit, too.
Tanner put together another "dream team" of men and off they went. They traveled to Haiti in April 2014 to complete this huge project. Many of our Haitian partners had already prepared the ground and area for the new playground, which was a HUGE help.
The finished product was amazing! Just imagine these kids smiles! They were playing on swings for the first time!
Tanner and his team of men traveled to Haiti in May, 2013 to repair the mission house. It was in dire need of some repairs. They were also able to work on other projects around the mission house and orphanage, and provide showers for the orphanage. It was a great trip filled with many manly things! In the end, they were able to complete their projects and leave money behind for our Haitian partners to complete some other work.
