meet the doughertys

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye"

Psalm 32:8

Our Calling

In our courtship, Shane told Melissa he felt God was calling him to serve as a missionary - and that he didn’t have a clear calling yet, but felt drawn to Thailand because of the children in danger there, and due to the lack of access to the Gospel. As newlyweds, we began researching and making tentative plans to move to Thailand and work at a children’s home there.

In July, 2011 God spoke to Melissa in a dream. Two angels appeared and intercepted us as we were leaving for the airport to move to Thailand - they showed us a map, and touched Colomba. “Where is Colomba?” Melissa asked, and the word Guatemala was highlighted right before the dream ended. God confirmed this calling in various ways as we sought Him for direction.

God never clearly told us WHAT we would do in Colomba, we just knew we were called to this place. We arrived in August 2016, and spent the early years just surviving! We took any opportunity to build relationships and be a blessing to those around us. Over 9 years, this has grown into a variety of ministry focuses, but the main vision has remained the same - be a blessing to those around us, show them the love of Jesus, and share the Gospel. 

God has blessed us thus far with seven children: Jonathan (14), Ecclesia (12), Natalie (12), Selah (10), Cyrus (8), Noah (6) and Philip (3). We consider them to be our primary ministry - ministering to the people of Colomba flows out of a healthy family life. We pray that our children grow to walk with Jesus on their own and learn by our example to use their time and resources to bring glory to God.

thank you to everyone who has helped us along the way!

Our Affiliates and Collaborations

The Dougherty family works closely with local churches, community leaders, and international sponsors to support Colomba’s growth. These partnerships enable ongoing projects in education, health, and spiritual development, creating a network of care and resources for the community.