Ten Years Ago Today

Celebrating ten years of God’s work through Cadaniño

Serving children, strengthening families, and transforming communities.

February 9th, 2016, marked our first day of classes at what would become the Cadaniño ministry. But the journey to that moment began years earlier.

For many years, Sharie and I served children in orphanages across Guatemala through Bible classes, tutoring, vocational training, and youth programs. Our desire was always the same: to serve the most vulnerable and help children in need so they could lead a flourishing life. Over time, one truth became impossible to ignore. Most of the children in orphanages actually had families.

That realization shifted our focus from serving orphans to serving vulnerable families and bringing the Gospel to at-risk communities with the hope of redeeming lives and restoring families.

As we wrestled with these questions, Tim began serving at a small school in Colonia Santa Fe, where he met Eduardo, and a new vision began to take shape. In February 2016, we invited families to enroll their children in a simple after-school program. That first group included just 35 students.

From those small beginnings, Cadaniño has grown step by step into the ministry it is today. What follows are the reflections of Eduardo and Lili, who were with us from the beginning.

“We Started With Almost Nothing, But God Was Already at Work”

By Eduardo Lux - Coordinator Santa Fe.

I have been part of Cadaniño for ten years now, since the very beginning. Even before the foundation officially existed, I was already working alongside Timothy in the community. He was serving as a missionary, and I was a teacher at the school where he volunteered. Little by little, we began working together and talking more deeply about the children and the needs we were seeing every day.

Around 2015, we started asking hard questions. So many children in the community were falling behind academically. I saw third-graders who could not read. Others were in fifth grade and did not know their multiplication tables. Math was very difficult for them. Technology was almost nonexistent; there were no computer classes, no equipment, and no vision for preparing children for the future. On top of that, families were carrying many physical and spiritual needs that made their lives hard.

Timothy had a strong desire to form something more structured to serve the community, and because I knew the people and the reality of the area, we decided to take the step together. In 2016, we “jumped into the water” and started an afterschool program, even though we did not really know how it would turn out.

The beginning was very hard.

We did not have resources. The computers were slow, and this made it hard to teach the students. Some parents doubted whether the program would really help their children. There were moments when even I thought, this is not going to work, but I saw that when I didn’t have faith, Timothy did!

But we did not give up.

I painted and decorated the classroom myself with a beautiful mural to inspire the children and tried to make the space look welcoming and intentional so parents could trust the program. There were only a few students who stayed faithful at the beginning, but those students became an example for everyone else.

What kept us going was faith. Faith in God. Faith in the vision He had given us and faith that obedience mattered, even when results were slow.

Looking back now, I can say that Cadaniño is much more than I ever imagined. It has not been easy, and we have faced many struggles, but I can see that God has blessed this work. Today, children are learning math, reading, and technology. Families are receiving the Word of God. Parents know that when their child comes to Cadaniño, they will grow academically and spiritually.

For me, Cadaniño represents sacrifice and perseverance. I see it as a great blessing that God brought to this community, which is having an impact greater than us. What began with old computers and a seed of faith has become something truly beautiful that is changing lives and families.

In 2018 we were offered to take over a small feeding program in San Jose Pinula, and that is what eventually became our second location.

“God Turned This Place Into a Refuge”

By Lili Chete - Coordinator San José Pinula.

My name is Lili Chete, and I have been with Cadaniño for seven years. I joined when the center in San José Pinula began in 2018, and I truly believe it was God who called me here.

Before Cadaniño, I worked for five years at another ministry. When that organization changed leadership and vision, I was given the option to stay in San José Pinula or move on. I prayed and asked God for direction. God was very clear with me that I should stay and serve my own community through Cadaniño.

What motivated me to accept this role was the vision I saw in the founders, their passion for the children, their love for the community, and the confirmation that God was leading this work. I saw that this ministry would impact many children like my own with things they really needed.

When we started in San José Pinula, the needs were very clear. There was a deep spiritual need. There were educational and technological gaps. Many children needed a safe place, a refuge, where they could feel loved, supported, and valued. That is the vision Cadaniño brought to this place, and we continue to live it out.

Over the years, Cadaniño has changed me and how I see people. I have learned to see not only their needs and weaknesses, but also their God-given potential. I have seen how children and families learn to serve, to love, and to give their best, even when they have very little.

One story that has deeply marked my heart is that of a student who came to us after losing her mother to suicide. She arrived carrying pain, fear, and insecurity. Yet Cadaniño became a refuge for her. She received support, open doors, and unconditional love. That experience transformed her life.

For me, that child represents many of our students. They arrive carrying heavy burdens, but here they find hope.

What I see today is real change. Children are coming to know God and taking that faith back into their homes and communities. Parents are being impacted, families are being strengthened, and the Gospel is spreading far beyond our classrooms.

At the end of each day, what is most gratifying for me is seeing our team serve with love and excellence, and knowing that every hour and every minute invested in our students made a difference.

Cadaniño has also transformed my own faith and empowered me to lead. Through devotionals, workshops, and prayer, God has drawn me closer to Him and taught me how to give my best to others.

As I look to the future, I dream of students who grow spiritually and academically, who become professionals with strong Christian values, and who one day serve others as they were served here. I dream of this work expanding to other communities and even other countries.

I have found that if God calls you, then He will also provide everything you need to accomplish His will, and Cadaniño is proof of that.

Today, Cadaniño serves over 250 students and their families through two Community Impact Centers led by a team of 18 local staff members. Through Gospel-centered afterschool programs, children receive academic support, technology training, and spiritual formation, while families are encouraged and strengthened alongside them.

The result is not simply that students stay in school, but that they thrive. Year after year, more than 20 percent of our students make the honor roll. We are seeing students graduate, enter university, and break generational cycles, while parents grow in hope, community, and faith.

What began ten years ago with 35 students, one teacher, and a step of faith has grown into a ministry that brings light and transformation to families and communities. All of this is made possible through God’s faithfulness, the generosity and prayers of partners, and the dedication of a committed local team.

While we are grateful for how far God has brought us, we know there is still much work ahead and we invite you to continue with us on this journey as God writes the next chapter of Cadaniño’s story.

I can’t wait to see what God will do in the next ten years!

Sincerely,

Timothy Martiny

Partner with Cadaniño today and impact lives for eternity!

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