Orphan Outreach News
"Where can we help?" - Amy Norton (#ShareYourStOOry)As Orphan Outreach enters into their second decade of service, Amy Norton has spent time reflecting on the organization’s journey and accomplishments. This time of reflection has served as a reminder of God’s goodness and faithfulness and provided her a deep conviction and comfort that He will continue to provide and lead their way.
Like most of you, I spent Thanksgiving reflecting on everything I am thankful for; my family, friends and the opportunity to be a part of Orphan Outreach’s work around the world. It’s Giving Tuesday and after we have all spent the last weekend with plenty of food and the ability to start shopping and planning for Christmas, I think it is the perfect time to reflect on how your generous support is helping us to impact the lives of children.
Social Media has become completely integrated into our daily lives. Millions of people around the world scroll through endless feeds that allow insight into a small piece of each others' lives. There are numerous arguments that question the positivity that this brings into the world. Is social media changing our lives for the better? Can it make a difference?
Our 2018-2019 annual report is far more than a financial impact statement.
Rugged individualism is deeply prized in western culture, but for Ronne Rock, there is more value in community, in family. In fact, should you spend much time at all with Ronne, you will surely hear her reminder that, “We’re all in this together.” It is this reminder, this commitment to care for the forgotten, that led Ronne to Orphan Outreach nearly ten years ago.
The sound of water trickles playfully throughout the courtyard at the Community Care Center (CCC) in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. A colorful rock sits quietly at its base, proudly displaying the word “Paz” in a child’s careful print.
On June 10th, 2019, the Early Childhood Education Center (ECD) opened its doors for the first time in La Paz, Honduras. This program has been a long-held dream meant to further expand the NiCo program, providing educational interventions for pre-school aged children. While the program has only been in operation for a few months, its impact has been overwhelmingly positive and it has the entire community buzzing with hope.
We are honored to count Ronnie Mosley—a humanitarian photographer with a heart for the vulnerable and a passion for story—as a friend. He has traveled to almost every country we serve, gathering images and heartfelt moments. His website, CapturingGrace.org, is where you'll find inspiration upon inspiration. We're sharing part two of his two-part series today—the story of hope found in brokenness in a former naval port. You can read part one here!
Over the years we have become convinced that we can accomplish more for the cause of the fatherless together than by ourselves. What does this have to do with you? Very simple. God’s best for you, His plan for your life, and the changes required to see that plan come into fruition are going to come about as you connect to a community committed to grow in Christ and engage in orphan care.
When our souls feel restless and our hearts long for more, it is natural to want to find a way to quiet the unrest, or at least, to ignore it. But Shannon Batson has learned to lean into the discomfort. In her experience, it is precisely this searching, this “holy discontent”, that has led to some of her greatest adventures.
Diana, the sponsorship coordinator for Orphan Outreach, had spent 11 years teaching in the American school system. Her years in the classroom were scattered with pencils that had been sharpened and used—and stepped on, abandoned, broken, and forgotten. She didn't think much about the power of a pencil. That is, until Kenya. It was in a small room in a school in Mathare Slum that Diana first felt the actual weight of a pencil- not the 0.28oz of the average pencil but rather the significance that it held for each of the children that had just opened up the now personalized canvas tote bags to find new pens, pencils, and a sharpener tucked inside. The weight could be felt in the cheers that rang out, it could be felt in the tears that came to her eyes as she realized that the longing they had for such a small thing was only a small reflection of the longing for education they had.
For more than a decade, Orphan Outreach has been known for its commitment to financial transparency and accountability. Now, the global ministry has earned a 2019 Gold Seal from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. Not only is financial information available through GuideStar, but donors and supporters will also find in-depth insight into Orphan Outreach’s goals and strategies, programs, and accomplishments.
Thank you to Austin South, our Regional Director for Latin America, for sharing this month's Shine Brightest devotional.
A cross-country move is often met with a jumble of feelings including excitement, reluctance, and a great deal of anxiety. For Diane Thompson, moving from Chicago, Illinois to Plano, Texas was all of that and more.
We are honored to count Ronnie Mosley—a humanitarian photographer with a heart for the vulnerable and a passion for story—as a friend. He has traveled to almost every country we serve, gathering up images and heartfelt moments. His website, CapturingGrace.org, is where you'll find inspiration upon inspiration. We're sharing part one of his two-part series today—the story of hope found in brokenness in a former Soviet naval port. Part two publishes soon!
Nestled in the Honduran mountains, sits a small white chapel with a stained-glass cross. Its humble walls hold the heartfelt praise and quiet prayers of seventeen children and their surrogate parents, Mike and Kim Miller. Together they are building community and a family through their organization, Hope of Jesus Children’s Home.
No one can argue against the fact that the world we live in is full of brokenness and despair, and outside of Christ, it can easily seem hopeless. It is also consumed with self-indulgence and self-promotion, often at the expense of those around us. As Christians, we are called to not conform to the ways of this world (Romans 12:2); we are to live in the world but not of the world.
At an age when most people are looking forward to retirement, Mike Douris found himself looking forward to a new career.
As the month of August begins, teachers and families around the world begin making preparations for the coming school year. For many children, the beginning of school is an exciting season, full of possibilities. Few things capture the promise of a new year like the purchase of new school supplies.
As a child, Callie Troyer imagined God's “peace which surpasses all understanding” would feel like a warm, fuzzy blanket. However, as she and her husband traveled along the difficult road of international adoption, she came to know that peace personally. Better than a blanket, it was a deep, guttural assurance that they were exactly where God wanted them to be.
What does it mean to serve orphans well? For the staff at Orphan Outreach, this is the question ever before them as they plan new initiatives and evaluate current ones. For Rey Diaz, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Orphan Outreach, the answer is simple:
When life is dark, a light will shine for those who live rightly—those who are merciful, compassionate, and strive for justice. Psalm 112:4-5 VOICE
• • • • • • • • • •"Bless the work of our hands..." Bryan Larson (#ShareYourStOOry)
What would convince a Canadian to move to the States? Well, water-skiing, of course! At least, that is what brought Bryan Larson to Arkansas, over twenty years ago.
• • • • • • • • • •"When God calls, you respond..." (#ShareYourStOOry)
“Why wait?”
• • • • • • • • • •"A natural fit for me..." Christy Engvall (#ShareYourStOOry)
Whether it is holding little ones in Guatemala or encouraging young adults as they age out of the orphan care system in Russian, middle school science teacher, Christy Engvall, wants to be used by God to serve His children.
• • • • • • • • • •What Does It Mean to Show Up?
Isaiah 58:6-8 Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
• • • • • • • • • •"How God works in the midst of hardship..." Luis Argote (#ShareYourStory)
Growing up in Colombia and Venezuela, Luis Argote is no stranger to poverty. He has seen the pain and suffering caused by corrupt governments and a lack of resources. He has also seen incredible resilience and optimism even in the darkest of neighborhoods. It is these glimpses of hope that inspire him and why he feels the work of Orphan Outreach is so critical.
• • • • • • • • • •"Our church has traveled every year..." Angie Pearson (#ShareYourStOOry)
Angie Pearson has been leading short-term missions trips to Latin America for twenty-five years, but she hasn’t always been so adventurous. In fact, before 1994, Angie had never been out of the country.
• • • • • • • • • •"We're going to give 100%..." Blair Pogue (#ShareYourStOOry)
God has a way of meeting us in unlikely places and speaking life into yet unknown passions. This is certainly true for Blair Pogue, who in 2005, was serving as a reluctant missions director for his Sunday school class.
• • • • • • • • • •Their future depends on your present. Give the gift of education.
For the past twelve years, Orphan Outreach has made it their mission to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children on the planet. An essential part of Orphan Outreach’s approach has been partnering with local schools and creating educational support systems to meet the children’s educational needs. These efforts have been so successful that Orphan Outreach is now facing a new problem: determining how best to support a child ready for higher education.
• • • • • • • • • •Together for Children Launches in Ukraine
It has been nearly 30 years since Ukraine gained their independence from Russia with the fall of the Soviet Union. Since that time, the Ukrainian people have attempted to rebuild their country, despite rising tensions, a faltering economy, and an ongoing war between Russia and Eastern Ukraine.
• • • • • • • • • •She Prayed for a Forever Family - God Answered in a Unexpected Way (#ShareYourStOOry)
Can one person truly make a difference? This is the question we so often ask ourselves, especially when it comes to orphan care and short-term missions. The number of orphans in the world is staggeringly overwhelming and we often ask ourselves, “What can one person really do?”
• • • • • • • • • •"You just have to go." Cobi Porter (#ShareYourStOOry)
The invitation to travel with Orphan Outreach came in the midst of a very hard season for Cobi Porter. The spring of 2009 was one of loss and hardship; but according to Cobi, saying yes to that trip gave her hope God was not done with her yet.
• • • • • • • • • •A Night to Shine Brightest - the 2019 Children's Hope Dinner
The sixth annual Children’s Hope Dinner benefiting Orphan Outreach was an evening of inspiration for the nearly 600 guests in attendance. The event raised more than $400,000 to support ministry efforts in Central America, Asia, Africa, eastern Europe, and the U.S.
• • • • • • • • • •He collected coins for kids just like him — and joined a movement of hope
The orphan crisis can seem overwhelming.
• • • • • • • • • •Moving from Betterment to Development
Watch the ministry being done a CadaNIño in Guatemala City, and you'll see the heart of its founder, Timothy Martiny. We've been honored to work alongside Timothy for years and are overjoyed to now include CadaNIño as part of our Orphan Outreach family of ministries. Timothy's words are compelling and a great challenge to each of us as many of us prepare to serve internationally on mission trips. We thank him for allowing us to share them here.
• • • • • • • • • •Created to Shine Bright
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 MSG
• • • • • • • • • •"...and most of all, hope." Trey Velvin (#ShareYourStOOry)
Many people spend their lives seeking the one place their passions, interests, and skills intersect. Trey Velvin found that place ten years ago, in Orphan Outreach.
• • • • • • • • • •Newest Ministry Partner in Guatemala focuses on "Every Child"
They’re called “red zones” in Guatemala: communities plagued by violence, gangs, and extortion. Those living in the neighborhoods receive little support and encouragement, and opportunities are limited. But in Guatemala City’s Colona Santa Fe, elementary and middle school students and their families believe long-term change is possible—thanks to the work of Orphan Outreach’s newest family preservation ministry partner, Cada Niño.
• • • • • • • • • •Love to Serve, Serve to Love
Ten years ago, a group of women and their daughters were changed forever by a mission trip to Guatemala. When they returned to the United States, the middle-schoolers asked one question: “What are we going to do now for the children we met?”
• • • • • • • • • •God Shines Bright
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
• • • • • • • • • •"We cannot forget our calling..." Esther Rogers (#ShareYourStOOry)
As the team left the orphanage just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia, Esther Rogers turned around for one last look. Her eyes were met with dozens of smiling faces, peering through the windows, waving goodbye. She quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. She later posted it with the caption, “So we don't ever forget. There will be orphans in the world until Christ returns. We cannot forget our calling to take care of them.”
• • • • • • • • • •A Gift Exchange and Lives Changed (#ShareYourStOOry)
What's in a gift? For our #ShareYourStOOry guest Jack Koetje, a simple gift exchange became a life-changing moment. We're honored to share his story today.
• • • • • • • • • •Why? (#ShareYourStOOry)
Renae Niebergall has journeyed to India for a decade, and her heart has found its home in the remote community of Aizawl, where you'll find Gan Sabra HIV Home. She shares a most personal purpose in returning year after year - a purpose that shines brightest.
• • • • • • • • • •New Hope for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Honduras
Hope of Jesus, a children’s home near San Pedro Sula, Honduras, has joined Orphan Outreach as its newest partner ministry. The partnership was an easy decision led by the Lord, says Katherine Cheng, director of programs in Latin America.
• • • • • • • • • •It's Time to Shine
One of the things we probably all take for granted is light. Most of us have light available at the flick of a switch, touch of a finger, or clap of our hands. Our homes, neighborhoods, streets, offices, schools all have light. In fact it’s probably very difficult to go somewhere where it’s truly dark. While living in Honduras, I was shocked by how dark it could get outside the city. In our neighborhood on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, the power was constantly going out. Whenever the power did go out, there were a few minutes before people lit their candles, turned on their flashlights, or started their bonfire, the entire place would be pitch black. Complete darkness. But eventually, the darkness would give way to the light.
• • • • • • • • • •"You've been on holy ground..." Cindy Easley (#ShareYourStOOry)
At the Community Care Center in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, a young girl fell to her knees in worship, with her arms raised and her tear-streaked face upturned. Cindy Easley had been married to a pastor for thirty-eight years and had spent her life serving and attending church. But on that day in Guatemala, she felt sure she had never seen worship like that before.
• • • • • • • • • •2019 - The Year to Shine Brightest
As we end 2018 and begin 2019, we are thankful for all the ways the Lord has provided and used Orphan Outreach for His glory. Our prayer has always been to be in the center of His will both as individual servants and as a ministry in light of Ephesians 2:10
• • • • • • • • • •What Will You Do? (#OurFather)
In Matthew 7, Jesus finishes his famous Sermon on the Mount -- love one another, don’t judge, don’t worry, walk the extra mile, turn the other cheek, and on and on. ?He concludes with the parable of the wise and foolish builder. ?Read Matthew 7:24-29, then return here.
• • • • • • • • • •"There are people around the world who love..." - Bob Beams (#ShareYourStOOry)
With minutes left before his crew began their return trip home, Bob Beams flipped the switch on a brand new washing machine. Cheers were heard around the room as water began to flow into the drum. Beams hugged Lourdes and Teresa Murguia, the owners of Little House of Refuge, as tears ran down his face.
• • • • • • • • • •WOW - The Legacy Lives On!
No one imagined back in 2009, when a group of moms and their 13-year-old daughters forever changed by a mission trip to Guatemala created a volunteer-led auxiliary for Orphan Outreach that—10-years later—the group would raise more than $1 million dollars for the comprehensive care of hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children and families living in extreme poverty.
• • • • • • • • • •Restoration in the Heart of a Honduran Community
In the small town of La Paz, Honduras, two brave-hearted women looked around their community and saw a need. The children of La Paz, specifically from a small neighborhood known as “the invasion,” were severely lacking in educational support. In 2010, Other women in the community joined them, and the group began tutoring a handful of children. Their desks were mats, and the classroom was a small house they were able to rent in the neighborhood.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father's Heart (#OurFatherDevotional)
This year, we're sharing ways in which our God is truly Father to the fatherless in our special #OurFather devotional series. This month, Orphan Outreach Executive Director Rey Diaz gets at the heart of where our hearts should be.
• • • • • • • • • •"Serving others helps your servant's heart..." - Joyce Rogge (#ShareYourStOOry)
Eleven years ago, Joyce Rogge stepped down from her position as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines and stepped into a new chapter of her life. Desiring to spend more time with her children during the essential middle school years, Joyce chose to retire from a career she had grown and loved.
• • • • • • • • • •Loving the Outcasts: Gan Sabra's Response to HIV
Patient zero: It’s the term used by epidemiologists to describe the first carrier of a disease. So what do we call the person who decreases its transmissions and betters the lives of its victims?
• • • • • • • • • •A Legacy of Partnership - Orphan Outreach 2017-18 Annual Report
• • • • • • • • • •WOW Celebrates 10 Years of Service
Ten years ago, a group of moms and their middle-school daughters went on a mission trip to Guatemala where they worked with vulnerable children and orphans. The girls were so impacted by their experience, that they knew they had to do something more.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Connects (#OurFatherDevotional)
This year, we're sharing ways in which our God is truly Father to the fatherless in our special #OurFather devotional series. This month, Ronne Rock tells the story of seeing Jesus in those around us.
• • • • • • • • • •"Don't stand on the sidelines." Stephen Spencer (#ShareYourStOOry)
Having a heart to serve others can take you all over the world. It has certainly done so for Stephen Spencer, founding board member of Orphan Outreach.
• • • • • • • • • •What Hope Sounds Like (#ShareYourStOOry)
Thank you, Kaylei Ward, for sharing your heart after traveling with us to India to serve at Dar-Ul-Fazl. Yes, we love the sound of hope too.
• • • • • • • • • •Care to Make It Through the Days
Word has gotten out in the small corner of a northeast India village that Zamawii is receiving a special gift. The 70-year old grandmother lives in a two-room shanty carefully perched on stilts, resting against the side of a cliff. There are two benches, a small bed, and a makeshift kitchen with a hot plate and little else. Today, one more thing will be added, and it’s causing a curious stir in the community.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Advocates (#OurFatherDevotional)
This year, we're sharing ways in which our God is truly Father to the fatherless in our special #OurFather devotional series. This month, we're honored to share the wisdom of Morgan Scott.
• • • • • • • • • •Love Pours Down (#ShareYourStOOry)
To get to House of Grace in Manali, India, you’ll need to take a long drive up the Himalayas, winding around steep mountains and narrow curves. The end of the path is on foot, where you’ll be greeted by snow-capped mountains that shine like a glittery backdrop around the children's home.
• • • • • • • • • •Hope Springs to Life with Water Well in Kenya
From the comfort of our American homes, the roar of a drill coming to life thousands of miles away doesn’t sound like much. But to the students attending the ACK Madeleine Centre in Mechimeru, Kenya, that drill’s rhythmic hum is the sound of new life. It is a sound that will impact their community for years to come as it marks a blow in the battle against drought and disease.
• • • • • • • • • •Be Part of Night to Shine!
The Orphan Outreach mission team gathered in the empty ballroom in Guatemala City and listened intently as the vision was cast for what the room would become in just a few short hours.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Provides (#OurFatherDevotional)
This year, we're sharing ways in which our God is truly Father to the fatherless in our special #OurFather devotional series. This month, Orphan Outreach board member Cindy Easley encourages us to consider the great and gracious love of the Father.
• • • • • • • • • •Hope at Blue Heaven
Siba’s family started Blue Heaven Academy decades ago, as a way to honor the Lord for all He had given them. The school is perched on a hill in far northeast India, in the town of Aizawl—a town considered one of the most peaceful places in the country.
• • • • • • • • • •Ministry Programs in Guatemala Impact the Lives of Young Filmmakers
It’s five in the morning, and sisters Emily and Hannah Puder are sipping on warm cups of coffee, preparing to shoot the sunrise over Antigua, Guatemala. They are two of the eleven students who were chosen to participate in the first trip of its kind for Regent University and Orphan Outreach. Together, these students and their professors, Vince Williams and Peggy Southerland, were ready to find the stories of those served by Orphan Outreach — but they weren’t prepared to have their own stories impacted forever.
• • • • • • • • • •The Bridges We Need to Connect Our World (#ShareYourStOOry)
She would much rather be behind the stage than on it. Leadership comes naturally for Jimmy Westcott, recipient of the 2018 Children’s Hope Award, and that leadership has always been laser-focused on elevating others to meet philanthropic need. Finding herself standing before a sell-out crowd as they honored her work was humbling. And so, Jimmy did what she loves to do – she transformed an acceptance speech into a personal testimony to elevate the cause of orphans around the world.
• • • • • • • • • •The Dynamic Duo - Kelsey Storm & Breann Schwasinger
Within the past year, Orphan Outreach has welcomed two new team members to their home offices in Plano, Texas. Kelsey Storm and Breann Schwasinger joined Orphan Outreach in late 2017 and early 2018, respectively, and according to Ronne Rock, “they have quickly become known for their hearts for service and always-gracious attitudes.”
• • • • • • • • • •Prepared for the Work - Brenda Rivera
Since the beginning of her career, God was preparing Brenda Rivera for her role as Executive Director of ANIFU (Associación Niñez con Futuro), Orphan Outreach’s partner NGO in Guatemala.
• • • • • • • • • •Meet the First Orphan Outreach Agent for Change! (#ShareYourStOOry)
This is a story of an incredible, faith-filled leader, finishing well. It is the story of a leader who is making an impact across the world even in retirement.
• • • • • • • • • •Job Skills Training Offers Hope to Victims of Sexual Abuse
It’s easy for an educated, middle-American to take basic job-skills knowledge for granted.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Hears (#OurFather Devotional)
This year, we're sharing ways in which our God is truly Father to the fatherless in our special #OurFather devotional series. This month, philanthropist and orphan care advocate Amy Simmons writes about her personal testimony with "Our Father Hears." Our Father's sovereign eye has been on the lives of orphans and vulnerable children, and He responds with a powerful answer.
• • • • • • • • • •Casseroles for Christ (#ShareYourStOOry)
Sometimes, all you need to see a tremendous work of God is a little obedience.
• • • • • • • • • •An Opportunity to See God Move (#ShareYourStOOry)
It is rare to realize we are on the precipice of life change, as it often comes in small, unexpected ways. This was certainly true for Kelly Liston, who had no idea the pamphlet she was given by her son’s teacher, would lead her on an eight-year journey of service, faith, and growth.
• • • • • • • • • •Obedience Brings Unexpected Blessings for new Honduras NGO Hire
A few years ago, if you’d asked Irene Zavala whether she liked children, she would have told you no. She’s come a long way.
• • • • • • • • • •Serving for a Lifetime
Tim Martiny and his family continue to inspire us as they #ServeOrphansWell in Guatemala. Today, Tim writes about our call to serve for a lifetime.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Responds (#OurFather Devotional)
"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:17-18
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Outreach Adopts Family Support Center in Russia
There are few services available to help adoptive and foster families in Russia. Sometimes children end up back in an orphanage or foster care due to that lack of support.
• • • • • • • • • •The Woman at the Heart of the Children's Hope Dinner
The Children's Hope Dinner benefiting Orphan Outreach was born on a gray afternoon in St. Petersburg, Russia. Jimmy Westcott sat on the bus that had transported her and a small vision team to orphanages in the city and in neighboring towns - orphanages where she had invested in the lives of children and talked about the challenges of providing quality care with leaders. She asked Mike Douris and others on the Orphan Outreach team how she might help support the ongoing needs of the children and their caregivers - and then said she had an idea.
• • • • • • • • • •New Heights of Hope Celebrated at the Children's Hope Dinner
The fifth annual Children’s Hope Dinner benefiting Orphan Outreach, held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, welcomed close to 600 attendees and raised $450,000 for ministry programs in Latin America, Europe, Russia, Africa, and Asia.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father to the Fatherless (#OurFatherDevotional)
Psalm 68:5-6 - A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing.
• • • • • • • • • •Baby Classes Added to Latvian Family Support Center Miera Osta
In the Karosta neighborhood of Liepaja, Latvia, new hope is being offered to single moms and their little ones. The Family Support Center Miera Osta provides holistic care for families and children residing in Karosta and the neighboring communities of Tosmare and Lauma.
• • • • • • • • • •Seven Great Ideas to Help Make Adoption Debt-Free
It is possible to adopt without going into debt. Sometimes all it takes is finding the courage to put yourself out there and do some fundraising!
• • • • • • • • • •Sponsorship Leads to Friendship in Guatemala
As soon as Sarah Winfree stepped foot in the Down Syndrome School in Guatemala City, all she could think about was meeting her sponsor child.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Adopts (#OurFatherDevotional)
(Thank you to Dr. Robert Sloan, theologian and president of Houston Baptist University, for joining us in the development of the #OurFather devotional).
• • • • • • • • • •Adoption into God's Family - The Power of Sponsorship (#ShareYourStOOry)
Mindy Van Andel’s passion to serve orphans and vulnerable children began in high school. At 17, she traveled to Africa for three months. “When I was there, it was such a life-changing experience for me as a teenager that I began to pray that, if I ever had children, God would allow me the opportunity to go on mission trips with my kids.”
• • • • • • • • • •Making Adoption Costs Manageable
Covering adoption fees without going into debt isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
• • • • • • • • • •From the Mountains of Nepal Comes Orphan Outreach's Newest Ministry Partner
Nepal is considered one of the world’s poorest countries, with almost a third of the population living below the poverty line. Many regions in the country are lacking in basic education, nutrition, and medical care. Devastating earthquakes in Kathmandu in 2015 pushed 1 million people into severe poverty due to lack of aid, and restoration within communities has been extremely slow. Many family members are forced to travel to other countries to find work, and trafficking is not uncommon. With few jobs available and a desperate need for money for the basics of life, the buying and selling of individuals for both labor and sex trade is a huge problem.
• • • • • • • • • •Our Father Loves (#OurFather Devotional)
Matthew 6:9 - This then is how you should pray, “Our Father who is in heaven…”
• • • • • • • • • •Dreams Come True for HIV+ Orphans
When he was 10, a shy boy named Aarav* was surrendered to Gan Sabra, an orphanage for HIV+ children in India.
• • • • • • • • • •Sponsors Urgently Needed as Gan Sabra Community Program Loses Funding
n Gan Sabra, India, there are many HIV positive parents who spend what little energy they have laboring to give their children the best life possible.
• • • • • • • • • •Child's Death Spurs New Program to Equip Families, Improve Parenting
In July of 2017, five-year old Ivans Berladins got on a bus alone. He rode for a while and got out at the wrong stop. He was 13 miles from his hometown in the Naval Port of Liepaja, Latvia. And he was lost.
• • • • • • • • • •A Legacy of Love - the Paula Hayes Dining Hall and Community Center
She fell in love with Bungoma, Kenya, and the children of Madeleine School years ago. And now the legacy of Paula Hayes love will live on at the school which serves more than 250 children and their families.
• • • • • • • • • •Two Simple Words - OUR Father (#OurFatherLoves)
Our Father - with two simple words, Jesus changed our understanding of God. Shocked the Pharisees. Humbled the crowds. Still staggers us years later.
• • • • • • • • • •2018: A Global Overview
2018 is here - a time for fresh perspective and big dreams for the upcoming year. 2017 was a powerful year for Orphan Outreach and global orphan care, even in the midst of significant challenges. In countries around the world, government resources for care of orphans and vulnerable children grew even more limited due to political unrest and corruption. Anti-evangelism laws passed in parts of Asia and Eastern Europe have led to some ministries closing down entirely. There is more scrutiny than ever on what defines an orphan, what quality orphan care should be, and who should be charged with providing that care.
• • • • • • • • • •"Everyone should experience a mission trip once in their life." (#ShareYourStOOry)
We're honored to share the Orphan Outreach story of Elissa Cohen. Now a freshman at Texas Tech, Elissa traveled to Guatemala with friends in the summer of 2017. She says, "Guatemala changed my life."
• • • • • • • • • •God's Favorite Children (#ServeOrphansWell)
In the mid 20th century a Peruvian priest lived in a “continent in which more than 60% of the population lives in a state of poverty, and 82% of those find themselves in extreme poverty.” Gustavo Gutierrez was in the middle of developing liberation theology, that would be controversial at best and Marxist at worst. Yet it originated as a call to all Christians to examine carefully the biblical commitment to the poor, and it has had a lasting effect on the development of social ministries in the evangelical church.
• • • • • • • • • •Remain in Me (#GrowDeep)
I’ve always wondered how the eleven disciples felt about Judas. Once the news reached them, of his tragic fall from grace, of his betrayal, how did the disciples respond? Did they weep? Did they feel guilty? Did they feel overwhelmed? He was at best a friend and at worst a coworker who they had spent about three years with walking, eating, boating, and doing life with. They had all experienced the miraculous and supernatural. They had witnessed forgiveness and grace. They talked face to face with the embodiment of love and compassion. They had tangible proof that hope was real, that faith was empowering and that love could not be crucified. Yet one of their own walked away from all that. Why?
• • • • • • • • • •Ninth Annual WOW Luncheon Celebrates Love for Guatemalan Children
The ninth annual Women for Orphans Worldwide (WOW) Inspire Hope Luncheon is not just the auxiliary’s biggest fundraiser of the year, it is a celebration of lives impacted in Guatemala and of the Guatemalan children who Orphan Outreach staff, donors, missionaries and volunteers love so very much.
• • • • • • • • • •Dreams from the Dump
Every morning, Aurora wakes up and walks one hour to the bus. After a 45-minute ride, she steps into the Ravine, a Chimaltenango city dump, where she begins her daily search for pieces of trash that can be collected and either used for her family or re-sold.
• • • • • • • • • •Pilot Foster Care Program in Honduras Draws Closer to Launch
Honduras’ most vulnerable population may benefit from new options of care in a family after a new foster care program for children is launched. In a first-of-its-kind agreement, Orphan Outreach’s partner NGO, Asociación Manos Extendidas (AME) and DINAF, the child protection social services division in Honduras, have agreed to design licensing standards and procedures for the national foster care system, followed by the development of a pilot privatized foster care program that will place children in safe and nurturing homes.
• • • • • • • • • •Surrounded by Need. Full of Compassion (#GrowDeep)
Everyone has hit that point before, at one time or another - the point of total exhaustion, where you have given and given and given, and have no more to give. You’re overwhelmed. You’re peering into the chasm on the edge of burn out. Your emotional, physical and spiritual tank is beyond empty.
• • • • • • • • • •"God knows when they need us - and when we need them." (Amy Norton)
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. What a powerful way to close out the year than with Amy Norton, our director of programs for Eastern Europe, Africa, and India. Amy's story is our "why." Her heart reflects our mission and vision. We pray you are inspired and challenged to serve orphans well after reading her words.
• • • • • • • • • •"They've taught me about joy..." (#ShareYourStOOry)
She’s quiet and thoughtful, and will quickly tell you that she’d rather you go on a mission trip than to hear her talk about hers. For Gina Blough, life has been transformed by saying “yes” to short-term missions – a decision that began with a longing to travel to Africa.
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Outreach Builds Medical Clinic to Serve Kenyan Community
Mechimeru,a rural town in Bungoma County in northwest Kenya, is home to families facing extreme poverty and, in many cases, children who live with extended family due to losing parents to AIDS. For the last few years, Orphan Outreach has partnered with ACK Madeleine School, which serves 272 children in the area. The ministry partnership includes a school social worker, clinical professional, an agricultural program, urgent needs, and monthly sponsorships for students that provide quality education, two nutritious meals a day, and more.
• • • • • • • • • •He Gave Her a New Name
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. Tiffany Taylor Wines is one of the founders of the nonprofit, and her passion is a family affair. Little did we know that talking to her would reveal a secret - her name really isn't Tiffany!
• • • • • • • • • •2018-2019 Orphan Outreach Annual Report
Our 2018-2019 Annual Report is the story of YOUR impact on the lives of children around the world. No matter how you became part of our global Orphan Outreach family, you are transforming lives and transforming the landscape of orphan care. Thank you.
• • • • • • • • • •Where Do We See God? (#GrowDeep)
No one has ever seen God. Or have they?
• • • • • • • • • •Residential Care and What's In the Best Interest of a Child
When it comes to providing a full continuum of support for orphans and vulnerable children, the topic of residential care has been a lightning rod for more than a century. Opinions are often polarizing, and those who long to serve orphans often find themselves in the crossfire of heated arguments.
• • • • • • • • • •Someone in Her Corner (#ShareYourStOOry)
We are honored to work alongside amazing, faith-filled friends in every country we serve. They are our "boots on the ground" brothers and sisters in Christ who work with orphans, vulnerable children, families daily, and they advocate to community and church leaders, and government officials. They are the ones first to hear the stories of pain - and the stories of hope. Dan and Christi Ucherek are full-time missionaries serving in Guatemala. She manages our sponsorship program there, and he oversees the Community Care Center in Chimaltenango. Their latest testimony gives a peek into the transformative work happening there.
• • • • • • • • • •Mission Trip to Honduras • October 12-19, 2019
Join us in building relationships with the children in the La Paz community through service at the NiCo community outrea
• • • • • • • • • •Camp connects children in Texas with children in Guatemala
Faith Explosion Kid’s Camp may be small in scale but its impact spreads far beyond its facility in Lone Star, Texas. The camp evangelizes children in third to sixth grades providing them with a fun and safe place to worship and grow in their faith. This summer, the children learned about the opportunity to touch the lives of children in rural Guatemala and immediately sprung to action.
• • • • • • • • • •Holding On to My Hand (#GrowDeep)
On a recent mission trip, we took the children of San Jose Orphanage to the Caves of Taulabe.
• • • • • • • • • •"They want your time and love..." (#ShareYourStOOry)
In 2011, Kim and Joel heard an Orphan Outreach commercial on their local Christian radio station, WCSG, inviting people to travel to Russia. With attachments to the country through their adoptive children, Anastasia (14) and Joshua (13), the Blounts concluded the trip was the right way for them to serve other children in the country. So, Kim and Joel packed their bags and joined 30 others from greater Grand Rapids on a journey of a lifetime.
• • • • • • • • • •"Guatemala has changed us..." (#ShareYourStOOry)
In her home state of Texas, you'll find Dr. Suzanne Odum focusing on cognitive behavioral treatment for children, adolescents, and adults. Today, she shares her Orphan Outreach story - of how a passion for serving others has become a family affair. Suzanne and her family not only travel together on mission trips, but they also have become family to a young mother in Guatemala through sponsorship. Through their compassionate involvement in her life, the teen's self-esteem and faith are growing, and self-harming behaviors are a thing of the past. The Odums are a testament to the power of Christ-centered connection and care.
• • • • • • • • • •Miles in their Shoes (#ShareYourStOOry)
For 39 of 40 years of marriage, Will and Candace Stark have lived in Candace’s hometown of Lancaster, Texas, where they raised their two now-adult children, Julia and Joel, among the rolling farms and pop-up produce stands that linger long into pumpkin season. Their lives have been as rich as the Lone Star State soil. Will recently retired as a dentist, and Candace, a social worker (lmsw), continues as a program director for Child Protective Services, where she has worked for the past 33 years. But an entirely different corner of the world has captured their hearts over the years—drawing them to come back, summer after summer.
• • • • • • • • • •"You see them as your daughters." (#ShareYourStOOry)
If Moses Peña, a friend and fellow youth ministry leader, hadn’t convinced Ricky Cotto to travel to India five summers ago, his life would’ve been completely different. Today, Ricky, an associate pastor at North Community Church in Fort Worth, has traveled to India five times and plans to go on his sixth mission trip in 2018.
• • • • • • • • • •When They Leave Our Story (#GrowDeep)
Of all the girls in our ministry, Salome* had the most potential. Despite all the trauma in her life, she had risen above and not just survived, but thrived.
• • • • • • • • • •"All He Asks of Us is to Be Obedient." (#GrowDeep)
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. Katherine Cheng's commitment to orphan care began long before we opened our doors, and her passion for the marginalized is as strong in the United States as it is in India or Guatemala. Get to know her today!
• • • • • • • • • •Gardens Give Guatemalan Families a Fresh Start
Recently planted raised gardens at the homes of some of the families of Chimaltenango could give a fresh start to not only the families but their community. The gardens include an assortment of vegetables such as spinach, celery, cilantro, lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, radishes, broccoli and beets. The pilot project was made possible by Orphan Outreach and its auxiliary organization Women for Orphans Worldwide team.
• • • • • • • • • •"I'm not trying to change the world."
Caitlin Moynihan remembers the first time she was told about Orphan Outreach. A freshman in high school, she hadn’t considered serving the vulnerable in a developing country. But a bible study leader she had known since childhood challenged her to prayerfully consider going on a short-term mission trip.
• • • • • • • • • •The True Love Test (#GrowDeep)
I’m not sure you notice this, but we all have some blind spots in our lives were we overestimate ourselves. The social sciences have developed a theory called Illusory Superiority - a cognitive bias whereby individuals overestimate their own qualities and abilities, relative to others. (Dunning-Kruger). Various studies have been done and the results are very clear – we all have a tendency to overestimate ourselves. For example, 836,000 high school students were asked “are you below or above average in your ability to relate to others,” and 100% said they were above average. In a similar study for professors, they were asked “are you above average or below average as a professor,” and 94% said they were above average. Finally, 100% of drivers put themselves in the top 25% of drivers - even those who had been hospitalized multiple times for driving accidents.
• • • • • • • • • •Blessed to Be Part of the Team (#GrowDeep)
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. Jennifer Burke is a behind-the-scenes dynamo who always has a smile on her face, no matter the event or project. As Marketing and Development Coordinator, caring for donors and partners is her passion - and Orphan Outreach's mission is a perfect purpose.
• • • • • • • • • •Building Homes - and Lasting Relationships - in Guatemala
Separated by more than 3,600 miles, time zone differences and two spoken languages, it seems unlikely that a church congregation in Washington State could forge such strong bonds with the people of Santiago and the rural village of Cerro de Oro in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala. But that is indeed what has happened, beginning with Orphan Outreach and High Pointe Community Church’s first mission trip to the village in 2009 and continuing to this day. Today, the congregation has helped build more than 20 homes for villagers, provide medical assistance as needed, help strengthen the village’s women ministry, and transform lives - including their own.
• • • • • • • • • •Finding Love in Latvia (#ShareYourStOOry)
We love hearing your stories - stories of hope, stories of encouragement, stories of community and care. That's why we ask you to Share Your StOOry with us on Facebook, Instagram, and right here on our website. We're thankful today for Caro lMalson, a faithful friend who has served with us on a short-term mission trip in Latvia. Her story is a reminder that love doesn't end when we return home.
• • • • • • • • • •A Simple Embrace (#GrowDeep)
Since 1999, after I read “Return of the Prodigal Son” by Henri Nouwen, Rembrandt’s painting has been my favorite. I’ve read dozens of books and articles that analyze his famous painting. In the painting Rembrandt captures the moment of embrace;
• • • • • • • • • •Good Enough is Not Good Enough (#GrowDeep)
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. When Mike Douris welcomed Rey Diaz as Executive Director of the ministry, it didn't take long to understand why he had chosen the former pastor and missionary. Rey's commitment to orphan care, coupled with his genuine passion to see everyone engaged in service, energizes all who are around him.
• • • • • • • • • •When Passion Becomes a Calling (#ServeOrphansWell)
Christi and Dan Ucherek never imagined they would willingly leave their families, jobs, and friends in Illinois in favor of re-settling in Guatemala, where they juggle raising four children with full-time mission work for Orphan Outreach. Despite all the unique challenges that come with the lifestyle, the Uchereks wouldn’t have it any other way. However, they caution anyone considering missionary work to prayerfully weigh the pros and cons before making the life-altering decision.
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Outreach Helps Launch Pilot Foster Care Program in Honduras
Honduras, one of the most economically insecure countries in Latin America, is home to an estimated 170,000 orphans according to UNICEF. These children are oftentimes subjected to a lifetime of poverty and lack of opportunity for advancement. But government officials recently entered into an agreement with Orphan Outreach and other NGOs to launch a pilot foster care program aimed at finding homes for displaced children that could have profound effects on the future of the country’s youth.
• • • • • • • • • •In No Time at All - Joseph's DreamCoat family, the Speas
The distance between Ohio and China is 7,110 miles, or more than 14 hours in flight. Yet when Adam and Johanna Speas met their daughter, Jenna Mei, in Xuzhou, it took no time at all for them to fall in love.
• • • • • • • • • •The Best is Yet to Come (#GrowDeep)
The people of Israel were surrounded by an enemy army. Cut off from supplies with imminent death approaching. People were dying of hunger.
• • • • • • • • • •The Power of Relationship in Sponsorship (#BeTheONE)
Jennifer King of Westport Church has been an Orphan Outreach sponsor since 2008. When their church was introduced to Gan Sabra HIV Home in Aizawl, India, Jennifer and the global missions team knew it was time to get others involved in the power of sponsorship. They rallied the congregation, with the goal of sponsoring every child before their first mission trip to the home tucked away in the hills of Northeast India. Jennifer shares what it means to “Be the ONE” – when an entire church chooses to say “yes” to caring for orphans and vulnerable children.
• • • • • • • • • •A Record-Setting Night of Hope for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
“From the bottom of my heart, there are no words to express my gratitude for what you have done to care for orphans and vulnerable children.”
• • • • • • • • • •God's Heart Precedes God's Mission (#GrowDeep)
Where was Orphan Outreach's passion for the orphan born? In the heart of God.
• • • • • • • • • •Living Her Dream (#Grow Deep)
Orphan Outreach is celebrating a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, and we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. This is the official anniversary month of the founding of the ministry, so what better person to share than one of the ministry's founders, Amy Seale, our Director of Web and Technology.
• • • • • • • • • •Ravine Community Program Helps Guatemalans become Better Parents
Located in the central highlands of Guatemala, the city of Chimaltenango serves as a market center and transportation hub for residents of surrounding rural villages. Most people work as farmers, artisans or merchants. Families spend long days and sometimes as many as 14 hours picking up garbage in the trash dump to make just a few dollars a day. Many times young mothers will carry their infant children on their backs all day because they have nowhere to leave them during the day, exposing them to potentially dangerous toxins.
• • • • • • • • • •Apologetics and Adventure (#GrowDeep)
As Orphan Outreach celebrates a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. This month, you'll get to know Missions Coordinator Sarah Herbek, an orphan care advocate with a love for apologetics and adventure.
• • • • • • • • • •The Story I Tell Myself (#GrowDeep)
(Special thanks to Elise Diaz for her contributions to this #GrowDeep devotional!)
• • • • • • • • • •From Heartbreak, A Call for Lasting Change in Guatemala (Part Two)
(In part one of this interview with Orphan Outreach President Mike Douris, insight is provided on what led to the tragedy at a Guatemalan government orphanage and what is needed now for lasting change to take place in caring for orphans and vulnerable children. Both parts of the interview are also being broadcast by Mission Network News on Christian radio stations around the world. We are thankful to them for their commitment to sharing this important story).
• • • • • • • • • •From Heartbreak, A Call for Lasting Change in Guatemala (Part One)
(We are grateful that this article is also being shared by Mission Network News with Christian radio stations around the world).
• • • • • • • • • •The Growing Hope for Orphan Care in Honduras
The afternoon rains have not yet begun in La Paz, Honduras, where Austin South is serving with a team of missionaries from the United States. As the Director for Asociacion Manos Extendidas, the Honduran NGO partner of Orphan Outreach, South has seen the country he calls home struggling to provide care for orphans and vulnerable children.
• • • • • • • • • •Big Faith - Part Two (#GrowDeep)
To read "Big Faith - Part One," click here.
• • • • • • • • • •Big Faith - Part One (#GrowDeep)
If you’re anything like me, your faith journey is a roller coaster ride. Some days are better than others. Some days I feel like I have absolute confidence God is with me, for me, and working through me. Other days, I feel God is absent, silent and I’m all alone. I wish, pray for, and honestly yearn for a deep, unwavering, and steadfast faith in God no matter the circumstances. But so often the life creeps in and skews my view of God.
• • • • • • • • • •It Began with Folding Chairs (#GrowDeep)
As Orphan Outreach celebrates a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. This month, our President and Founder Mike Douris takes us back to the beginning - and shares his vision for the future.
• • • • • • • • • •Former Foster Children Serve in Guatemala
The children look up at the young adults and smile. They may not speak the same language and they may not look like them, but the children feel safe and loved. The young adults were once foster children and feel a connection to the orphaned children that needs no spoken words. For a moment, they all forget about their trials and tribulations and allow themselves to feel the warmth and joy of the Christmas spirit.
• • • • • • • • • •Stepping Away from Comfort (#ServeOrphansWell)
In 2017, 52 teams will travel with Orphan Outreach on short-term mission trips. Of those, 36 will work in Central America. The remaining teams will travel to India, Kenya, and Eastern Europe to serve orphans, orphan graduates, and vulnerable children. While the number of teams serving in these regions is growing, they are locations that some believe are simply too remote, too costly, or too dangerous.
• • • • • • • • • •Seeds or Sequoias? (#GrowDeep)
Col 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
• • • • • • • • • •Where Her Heart Finds Its Beat (#GrowDeep)
As Orphan Outreach celebrates a decade of care for orphans and vulnerable children, we're inviting our US-based staff to share their thoughts about the ministry and its mission - and we're giving a sneak peek into their lives and loves. First up is Ronne Rock. She manages feature stories and social media for Orphan Outreach, and she's been leading mission trips since 2009.
• • • • • • • • • •Firmly Rooted, Growing Deeper, Making a Real Difference
She sits in the small suite of offices now filled to the brim with co-workers, supplies, maps, calendars, and photographs of the faces representing thousands of children supported by Orphan Outreach ministry partners and donors. Tiffany Taylor Wines, Director of Marketing & Development, was there when a small band of passionate people first met together to launch the global ministry 10 years ago. The original team had all worked in orphan care ministries, and all felt a similar call to serve in a rich and meaningful way.
• • • • • • • • • •Caring for Kids in the Community
Marcela and her friends run, laughing, down the rutted dirt road and through the gate to the small brightly colored house and the smiling women who welcome them with open arms. Inside, the fragrance of a warm meal fills the room as the children gather to learn a lesson from the Gospel of John. For the third grade girls, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are a welcomed treat.
• • • • • • • • • •The Gift and the Giver
I love Christmas season, but I will confess: I find the whole idea of gift-giving quite challenging. I stare at my shopping list and ask the same questions each year.
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Care for the Long-Haul (#ServeOrphansWell)
He’s traveled to Russia more times than can be counted, and the country continues to hold a special place in his heart. Orphan Outreach President Mike Douris remembers the first conversations with the Department of Education shortly after the Soviet Union fell. Government-run orphanages were filled to capacity with children who not only had been rescued from abuse and neglect, but also who had been placed by parents struggling to survive. “In the early days, we were asked to provide guidance on basic childcare, to share best practices for the orphanages," he reflects.
• • • • • • • • • •The Healing Power of Love (#ServeOrphansWell)
Worldwide, 37 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Two million are children. In fact, the United Nations reports that 400 children contract the virus daily, mostly from mother-to-child transmissions (unaids.org). Yet children under the age of 15 are 50% less likely to receive antiretroviral treatment as people 16 and older.
• • • • • • • • • •Women for Orphans Worldwide Inspire Hope at Annual Luncheon
The tables spilled out from the main ballroom into the sunroom of Brook Hollow Country Club in Dallas on Thursday, December 1st, as the 8th Annual Women for Orphans Worldwide (WOW) luncheon filled the venue with heartfelt laughter, tears, and the hope of Christ-centered care for orphans and vulnerable children.
• • • • • • • • • •Beyond Rescue to Restoration (#ServeOrphansWell)
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4 ESV
• • • • • • • • • •For a Season or For a Lifetime (#ServeOrphansWell)
In Psalm 68, the psalmist calls God “a father to the fatherless,” who “sets the deserted in families” (vv. 5–6 mev). Even before the Incarnate Christ called his first disciple, God had established himself as a family man.
• • • • • • • • • •"What do you want to be?" (#ServeOrphansWell)
One of my favorite things to ask kids as I travel around the world is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
• • • • • • • • • •A Special Prayer
Today, our Executive Director Rey Diaz offers up a special prayer for the United States and its leaders. It is a beautiful reminder of our hope and our purpose - and the beauty of being adopted into the most majestic of forever families.
• • • • • • • • • •Residential Care - Good, Bad, or Complicated? Part One (#ServeOrphansWell)
In 1836, George Mueller and his wife, Mary, opened up a home for orphan girls at 6 Wilson Street in Bristol, England. Soon, they had rented other homes and expanded to 140 children, both boys and girls. The neighbors complained, and George bought land in 1849 in Ashley Downs, Bristol, to build a larger orphanage.
• • • • • • • • • •How Long Should We Care? (#ServeOrphansWell)
Every day after classes at the local technical school, Yana, 18, treads the long dirt road home, careful to place her crutches just so. Born with a neurological disorder, she has never known a different way to walk through the world. Nor has she ever known what it is like to have a family walk alongside her.
• • • • • • • • • •What Does It Mean to Serve Orphans Well?
Each year, around 50 short-term mission teams travel with Orphan Outreach to serve in Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Latvia, and Russia. The teams are as diverse as the countries they visit – traditional churches, individuals from across the country, like-minded groups and organizations. All share a similar passion – to care for orphans and vulnerable children.
• • • • • • • • • •Why Should We Care? (#ServeOrphansWell)
Most volunteers and churches that get involved in orphan care go to bless children with the hope of making a difference in their lives. Understandably, those who serve are rarely thinking, “is what I am seeing best practice in action, is this program in the best interest of the children, where on the continuum of care does this program fit, or is this a program I – or my church - should support?”
• • • • • • • • • •"What are Your Needs?" (#ServeOrphansWell)
The colored pencils and Crayola markers were piled high.
• • • • • • • • • •To the Ends of the Earth (#ServeOrphansWell)
Given the opportunity, would you spend tens of thousands of dollars building a high school—with a swimming pool—in a semi-arid, sub-Saharan African village? Well-meaning Westerners did—and years ago, I taught in that school. Every day, I walked past groups of students talking and laughing, with their feet dangling over the edge of the empty pool. A thin layer of rainfall from the wet season had puddled at the bottom, growing thick with algae and mosquitos. And every day, I wondered what on earth those builders had been thinking.
• • • • • • • • • •The Transforming Power of Time (#ServeOrphansWell)
Imagine your name is Astrid. It’s weighty for a small girl like you. You’re seven, and the name you’ve been given meaning “beautiful goddess” seems far away from working in a dump in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. That’s what your days are made up of; twelve to fourteen hours spent digging through other people’s trash in search of enough something to scavenge that might help your mother bring in a few dollars for the day.
• • • • • • • • • •Mission Trips and Tangible Hope (#ServeOrphansWell)
The tears fall as Maria steps inside the room and sees the stove for the first time. A prayer has been answered. Eleven cinder blocks and galvanized steel mean healthier days ahead. Soot clings to the walls and to her skin, and a grandchild’s constant cough reminds her of why she prayed. She has longed for better days for her community, and this day alone has seen six stoves installed in homes near the Ravine in Chimaltenango.
• • • • • • • • • •That's Why We Go (#ServeOrphansWell)
In the jungles of northeast India, cheers can be heard in the distance as the van slowly winds its way along rutted mountain roads. As it rounds the corner, children begin dancing in front of the old school that’s been transformed into a safe harbor for healing and community. Their welcome is an expression of their gratitude and love for the people who have traveled more than 30 hours to visit for a few precious days. For the children of Gan Sabra HIV Home, family looks a lot like the world.
• • • • • • • • • •Three Hearts. One Hope.
Tucked away from the cheers of the children at the Community Care Center in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, the Harpers sit together and laugh. They have become used to the afternoon rains that darken skies and fill the air with the fragrance of the fields. This is the fourth year for Connie and Joe to be part of the mission team hosted by KVNE, a Christian radio station in East Texas. With their daughter Hali by their side now, the threesome calls Guatemala their second home.
• • • • • • • • • •Bittersweet Praises and Lives of Grace
We'll let you in on a little secret. We celebrate every moment of your journey to care for orphans and vulnerable children and their families. We read your stories and share your photos. Your joy is ours too. And that's why we're sharing two very special things today - a prayer from Benjamin Weaver, and words from Annie Horrocks. Both traveled to Manali, India, with Orphan Outreach to serve at House of Grace.
• • • • • • • • • •Beautiful Jewels
“The Jewel of Western India,” or “The Land of Legends,” Gujurat state stretches for nearly 1000 miles along the Arabian Sea, with its northern edge shouldering Pakistan’s border. It is the birthplace of Mahatma Ghandi, and more than 60 million people call it home. In the village of Anand, 20 girls and their caretakers—Mainesh and Snehlata Parmar—share the Elwyn Parekh Children’s Home.
• • • • • • • • • •Katie and Juana - Amigas por Siempre
We are honored to share the stories of those who serve with us around the world. Katie Schaefer lives in Washington, but her heart has found its home in Guatemala. For the past three years, she has traveled with her church to Cerro de Oro, where she has built homes, taught students, and ministered to the women of the community.
• • • • • • • • • •Tech Company Proves Value of Old-school No. 2 Pencils
According to Huntington Bank’s Annual Backpack Index, the cost of back-to-school supplies has climbed over the last 10 years—up 88% for elementary school students alone. According to the Index, parents can expect to pay per child:
• • • • • • • • • •Meals, Math, & Mentors
Orphan Outreach & Honduran NGO, NICO, have teamed up to give children exactly what they need to thrive
• • • • • • • • • •New Hope for Foster Care in Honduras
"What’s in the best interest of the child?" is a question at the forefront of governments and orphan care ministries around the world. And in Honduras, the two groups are coming together to find the best answers.
• • • • • • • • • •"Your Love Causes Miracles"
Earlier this year, we shared the story of Westport Church in Oregon - and the impact of orphan care ministry on a church and its people. But what is the impact of a church and its people on the ones they serve? A letter from Lucy at Gan Sabra HIV Home in Aizawl, India, says it all.
• • • • • • • • • •The Power of WOW - Women for Orphans Worldwide
In 2009, a group of mothers and daughters traveled to Guatemala for what they thought would be a week of serving the poor. That single short-term mission trip changed the lives of each person on the trip – and the lives of hundreds of others in the United States and around the world.
• • • • • • • • • •Alianza Cristiana para los Huérfanos Gains Strength in Guatemala
Cesar Eguizabal is best known by individuals and churches serving in Guatemala as the Missions Coordinator for Orphan Outreach. He also serves on the board for the Alianza Cristiana para los Huérfanos (ACH) – Guatemala’s Christian Alliance for Orphans. Eguizabal and the alliance are supported by a growing number of churches and NGOs – including Asociación Niñez con Futuro (Orphan Outreach's NGO in the country) – as they work to provide resources and education, and to encourage more Guatemalans to serve orphans through family preservation, foster care and adoption, and by caring for those who have been rescued from abuse and neglect.
• • • • • • • • • •A Mother’s Intuition
With the stamps of numerous countries inking her passport, Lee Hageman anticipated nothing out of the ordinary when she and her husband, Paul, traveled to Kenya with Orphan Outreach in 2013. As the director of donor development at 91.3 WCSG, Cornerstone University Radio, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lee had the chance to take 15 listeners to the East African nation.
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Care Movement Boldly Grows in Latvia
Orphan Outreach has served in Latvia for a number of years, and most of the support has come in the way of mission teams and sponsorships working with their in-country NGO. The ministry efforts have been fruitful, and yet for Dace Rence and other Latvian nationals, something has been missing. “We’ve been trying to meet children in their need, to minister to them, to share the Gospel, but most of all, what we’ve always wanted was to get the local church involved.”
• • • • • • • • • •Hope Shines Bright by Candlelight
It's a special day at Candlelight School in the Matopeni slums of Nairobi. Alice Afwai has welcomed the team from WCSG radio in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and another guest is on his way. Tears fill her eyes when Ellis, the first Candlelight student to attend university, walks through the gates. To her, he represents the dream she and her husband, Fred, have for all 384 students. She believes every child deserves to shine.
• • • • • • • • • •10th Anniversary Trip to Russia • October 20-27, 2017
Join Orphan Outreach founders in St. Petersburg, Russia as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Orphan Outreach. • • • • • • • • • •Reaching Out to the Community Care Center
It all began with fire and water. In the summer of 2015, members of Women for Orphans Worldwide focused their attention on the families of Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Much work had been done to provide education for the children, but more work was needed to keep those families intact. Clean stoves and drip water filtration systems were installed in homes once filled with the choking smoke of open fires, and plans were set in place for a community care program that would provide more extensive support.
• • • • • • • • • •Arrebato. Lo Que Es Mio.
It’s Wednesday, and the afternoon sky looks like cotton candy against crystal blue. Soccer teams blur the fields in practice as workers stoop over land nearby to harvest greens and purples and golds.
• • • • • • • • • •Orphan Graduate Program Gives Hope in Russia
Adoption has been closed to a number of countries, including the United States, since 2013. And while domestic adoption is on the rise, the journey is slow because of the incredible difficulties Russian families face after the adoptions are finalized. Natasha Votyakova of Orphan Outreach's Russian NGO says, “We still don’t have enough preparation, we don’t get enough training before the adoption, and not enough counseling after the adoption.”
• • • • • • • • • •If Failure—or Money—Weren’t an IssueOrphan Outreach adds Joseph’s DreamCoat, an adoption financial assistance ministry, to its services.
Life was running smoothly for Jay and Jennifer Kassing. Both from the Midwest, they had settled in Dallas, Texas—known as “Big D”—and were raising a big family under big open skies. So the thought of making their family any bigger had gone long flown the coop.
• • • • • • • • • •Nashville Attorney Helps Make the Wheels on the Van Go Round and Round
A view of Honduras from factual sources can appear bleak. It has the world's highest murder rate. It is the world's second poorest economy and 65% of it residents live in poverty. But a closer look shows something else entirely.
• • • • • • • • • •An Evening Overflowing with Hope for Children
We would like to extend a very special "Thank you!" to everyone who attended our 3rd annual Children's Hope Dinner. It was truly a most special evening, and because of the overwhelming generosity of so many, more than $100,000 was raised for ministry to orphans and vulnerable children in the countries we serve! Our friends at Lovell PR shared this media release today!
• • • • • • • • • •When Mission Teams Become Family
They consider him a big brother, a trusted friend, a mentor. For the children at Gan Sabra HIV Home in Aizawl, Mizoram, India, Givorgy is a welcome presence. He and the rest of the team at Westport Church in Oregon have become more than visitors to a faraway land.
• • • • • • • • • •Why International Adoptions by Americans Have Hit a 35-Year Low