Support That Comes from Understanding, and Paying it Forward

When Cheri Farley first encountered Orphan Care Alliance, she was navigating the early days of parenting her youngest son, who had just joined their family from China. At the time, he is nearly 12 years old and carrying the weight of past experiences and trauma.

“OCA understood me and the trauma that our son had experienced,” Cheri recalls. “I learned how to connect and parent with an understanding of trauma. That changed everything for us.”

That experience gave her a passion for ensuring other families could access the same resources. Before long, Cheri was facilitating an OCA Connect group at her church to encourage and educate other foster and adoptive parents.

Cheri knows that the journey of adoption doesn’t end when the paperwork is complete – it is often just beginning. “The first few days, weeks, and months can be so hard,” she explains. “Adoptive families need the support of friends, family, and church; offering help in the form of a meal, word of encouragement, or childcare can be a much-needed lifeline.”

Hope and Healing Comes from Jesus, OCA Can Provide Support

Today, Cheri’s role as Development Coordinator centers on securing the resources needed to keep OCA’s programs thriving.  On any given day, you might find her drafting a grant proposal, organizing an event, or penning a heartfelt thank-you note to a supporter. Each task has one goal: to connect more children and families with hope and healing.

“My favorite part of the job,” she says, “is hearing from youth and families who benefit from OCA. Our services are provided at no cost for our clients, but they do cost. When I hear how God uses the gifts and grants which we receive to help and heal families, it makes all the work worthwhile.”

How can you pray for Cheri? She points out that she needs God to give her the right words to communicate OCA’s mission. She wants to grow in encouraging others to join in supporting vulnerable children and families.