About Us
Leadership
Kim Fisher - CEO
Ivy Petallar - Director, Arms of Love Philippines
Javier and Elizabeth Sanchez - Director, Arms of Love Nicaragua
Kim Fisher
CEO
Kim Fisher has been CEO of Arms of Love since January of 2007. Kim has over 25 years experience in profit, non-profit, and educational arenas at the director level in the areas of training, marketing, and business development.
Kim worked with Russian orphans before coming to Arms of Love, and considers it a huge honor to be part of the Arms of Love family. “I love my work and consider it more a calling than a job. I love watching how God takes a fearful child who has been abandoned and feels unloved and gently brings healing and joy back to their lives. I love it when they call me “Mom”: they are truly the children of my heart. I love it when the older kids begin to have dreams, and I especially love being a part of encouraging these kids to pursue their dreams!”
Kim has also been involved in church-based ministry for most of her life. She’s done leadership turns in women’s ministry, Bible study, ministry to young adults, and missions around the world. Her hobbies are cycling, hiking, and reading.
Kim has degrees in Psychology and Business from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and in Bible and Theology from William Jessup University. She has certificates in counseling and coaching. Kim lives in Fort Collins, CO.
Ivy Petallar
Director, Arms of Love Philippines
Ivy joined us in June 2008 and is a Social Worker by profession. She has worked in several different areas of ministry, following God all the way: community development with urban, rural and tribal communities, government projects, academics, church and community finance, drop-in-centers, and, last but not least, church ministry. She worked for both World Vision and Tribal Missions. Ivy was a church planter with her husband Jun from 2003-2008.
Ivy has a bachelor of science in social work from Silliman University in the Philippines. She loves reading, baking, cooking, singing, playing guitar, natural farming, walking and hiking, swimming, playing badminton, training, and counseling.
Ivy says she likes working for Arms of Love because the Lord is honored here. “My heart for these children is to see them receive healing from the Lord for their past hurts just as I have. The children arrived here with wounded and broken hearts and they leave Arms of Love with restoration and healing. They pass on blessings to others also.”
Javier and Elizabeth Sanchez
Director, Arms of Love Nicaragua
Javier and Elizabeth came to Arms of Love in May of 2008, having helped start the first Vineyard church in Nicaragua, where Javier served as worship pastor and youth leader. The two bring a great deal of experience to their roles as directors of the Nicaragua home. The Sanchezes worked for eight years at the Casa Benabe orphanage in Managua, where they cared for children and teenagers from a wide range of backgrounds. They also spent a year working in a rehabilitation program for teens addicted to sniffing glue, a common problem for kids on the street.
Javier and Elizabeth were drawn to Arms of Love’s vision to help each specific child overcome their unique challenges and realize their full potential. Elizabeth says, “We want every teenager to go out into society with clear goals, well-defined values, and strong self-esteem, fully equipped to achieve their personal dreams in this life.”
The Sanchezes lean on God for help with the tasks they face: Javier points to the verse, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builder’s labor in vain.” He adds, “It’s very important that we seek God’s guidance in every work that we engage in ... especially when dealing with the lives of these children. He asks us to do it like we are doing it for him.”
Javier and Elizabeth have been married since 1983, have 3 sons and one grandson.