Orphan Outreach

This week I am with KVNE/FUZION Radio in Guatemala City.  This team arrived Saturday and hit the ground running! We drove directly from the airport to San Jose Pinula (a community just outside Guatemala City) to visit the homes of families whose children attend CadaNiño, a partner ministry with Orphan Outreach in Guatemala...   continue

Orphan Outreach has partnered with Mikey’s Place, based in Houston, Texas, to produce custom candles to raise funds for orphaned and vulnerable children around the world, while at the same time creating job opportunities for the young adults in the Mikey’s Place Together program who receive vocational training, dignified work...   continue

Glen Brechner, the executive pastor at Chase Oaks Church, has always been passionate about making a deep and lasting impact on the world. In 2018, he embarked on a life-changing mission trip to “NiCo”, Orphan Outreach’s community outreach center providing Christ-centered care to vulnerable children in the town of La Paz...   continue

Recently, I shared one of my morning devotionals with our international leadership and US Staff because we've been facing a higher-than-usual number of challenges-from specific programmatic difficulties to having to reroute a mission trip because of unforeseen obstacles. With these hindrances on top of our normal workload...   continue

Sandra Doty had traveled to Guatemala numerous times with various organizations prior to 2016 when she traveled there with Orphan Outreach. She distinctly remembers going home and telling her husband that this time, the trip was different.  “I remember being really impressed with how well the trip was organized and...   continue

Wilson Williams has played an important role in Orphan Outreach since its inception in 2007. He and his wife caught the vision the founding president Mike Douris shared with them, and they both felt the Lord’s calling to take part. In 2010, he officially became a board member of Orphan Outreach.For months, Wilson...   continue

Craig DiGiovanni vividly remembers the moment he saw a young girl living in a high-risk, impoverished area of Honduras, wearing his daughter’s dress on one of his first trips with Orphan Outreach.The few seconds left a lasting imprint on his heart, not only because a part of his daughter was being left with the girl, but...   continue

Even the most broken stories hold a seed of hope. When these seeds are placed in the hands of God, they bear the fruit of wholeness and redemption. This is certainly the case for Thomas, whose story begins with abandonment but ends in abundance. “We received Thomas because his mom had been neglecting him,” Gerardo Flores...   continue

It’s a warm, early morning and Elena is sitting in the bow of a small boat. She’s crossing the lake near her home in Guatemala, preparing to meet up with a team of volunteers on one of Orphan Outreach’s short-term mission trips. This is Elena’s second year serving as a translator for Orphan Outreach (not counting the year...   continue

High in the Honduran mountains, there is a home whose walls are covered in pictures. Pictures of families once thought lost, but who have now been found. The hope these pictures impart are a sign of a silent revolution- one that challenges the decades-old standards of orphan care, and one that is changing lives, communities, and...   continue

A few weeks ago, I met a young woman who is part of our aging out program in Russia. She’s now married with two kids and one on the way. I asked her how long she had known the staff that serves her and the rest of orphans who have aged out of traditional care. She smiled and said, “Since the 5th grade.” When she was in the...   continue

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 It’s not often we are allowed to make much of Mike Douris, the founding President of Orphan Outreach—who would prefer to go about his...   continue

What does it mean to prioritize family in an orphan care ministry? In truth, it can mean a great number of things. At its heart, however, it means placing children in the context of family, whenever possible. Why? Because, as God’s design, we believe it is in the best interest of the child. While each of our countries...   continue

At Orphan Outreach, everything we do is with the best interest of the child in mind. This central ethos gives purpose and impact to every part of our ministry, whether it be the programs we choose to partner alongside, the mission teams we send, or the way in which we market our ministry. One area that is particularly driven with...   continue

At Orphan Outreach, our goal is to help each of our supporters respond to whatever it is God has called them to do. For some, that is serving as a prayer partner, and for others it’s participating on a mission trip. For Mrs. Pamela and Dr. Darold Opp, God invited them to sponsor 100 children around the globe. Committing to...   continue

How much impact can a monthly gift of sponsorship truly make? At Orphan Outreach, we believe sponsorship provides an anchor of hope for each child—stabilizing an uncertain future and revealing what is possible by providing a consistent source of food, care, and education. In truth, the full impact of such a gift is not...   continue

On April 29, 2021, the Orphan Outreach Board of Directors unanimously voted to elect Dr. Rey Diaz as President-Elect and for current President, Mike Douris, to begin serving as President Emeritus. The two will work together to finalize this transition, until January 1, 2022, when Rey will officially take over as President and...   continue

The college students’ conversation over a celebratory dinner at a special restaurant in Russia sounds strikingly similar to those of students in any US city or town. Because of COVID’s impact, learning was shifted from classrooms to computers. Entrance exams and campus visits transitioned to virtual experiences. For Andrey...   continue

Navigating life as a child or young adult can be challenging, especially when that life is filled with loss and heartache. Saron’s story was filled with that heartache. Her parents divorced, her father passed away, and the little girl in a remote village in India found herself living with relatives who struggled to provide her...   continue

We are honored to partner with Porter's Stores in West Texas as customers are invited to "round up" their grocery bill to serve the orphaned and vulnerable with Orphan Outreach. In 2019, more than $140,000 was raised with simple pocket change. The funds were used around the world to provide for urgent needs, program expansion, and...   continue

Our need, or lack, often pushes us to be creative—to find new ways to solve existing problems. If 2020 encouraged Bev Berry to do anything, it was to get creative. Having observed the growing hardship around her, Bev was determined to find a way to help others continue to give, even when their budgets were tight. “There are...   continue

Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift. And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great. The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders. His name? His name we’ll know in many ways—He will be...   continue

One thing is certain of ministry: It doesn’t distance itself in the midst of uncertainty. We have all felt the uncertainty of 2020. A global pandemic, economic upheaval, and political turmoil have dominated headlines. Stress is high as we adjust to working remotely, schooling our children at home and juggling life while facing...   continue

At Orphan Outreach, it is often said that sponsorship can be as little or as much as you make it. It may be as simple as sending a monthly check or as much as traveling each year to visit your child. For Amanda Ramsay, it is a powerful opportunity to stand in the gap for a vulnerable teen. It’s a chance to breathe life into...   continue

On August 21, 2020, Jennifer and Jay Kassing learned they had been chosen as “Angels in Adoption” Honorees. This award, presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute(CCAI), seeks to spotlight individuals like the Kassings, who are doing extraordinary work within the world of foster care and adoption. For the...   continue

Promoting family is one of Orphan Outreach's four priorities. Through community outreach programs, aging out initiatives, and investment in preserving the rights of children wherever we serve, our prayer is that all children would have a safe and nurturing place to call home. That dedication and commitment is also a priority of...   continue

In the midst of a global pandemic, it seems not a single life goes unaffected. The greatest impact, however, often falls on the most vulnerable. That is why now, more than ever before, is the time to sponsor a child. “Right now, our world is in chaos. But chaos is made more comfortable when you can afford an education and put...   continue

On March 16, 2020, the Honduran government declared a national shutdown in response to the Coronavirus. Guatemala and the United States followed suit, as did nearly every other country on the globe. While sectors of the United States have since opened up, Guatemala and Honduras are entering into their seventh month in lockdown...   continue

As the spread of COVID-19 began to take its toll on the United States, Tim and Sharie Martiny braced their ministry in Guatemala for a life-altering lockdown, as well. Tim and Sharie are the founders of CadaNiño, an Orphan Outreach ministry partner in Guatemala that serves vulnerable children and families in Colonia Santa Fe and...   continue

The work accomplished through Orphan Outreach wouldn’t exist without the support of our ministry partners and donors. These individuals and churches are the muscles that empower us to be the hands and feet of Christ to children all over the world. One such partner is Oakwood Church in Hartland, Wisconsin. For the past eleven...   continue

For the past couple years, I’ve developed the morning routine of heading to the gym for some cardio to jump start my brain.  The cardio is low impact (cycling, elliptical) which is all I can handle since a back injury sidelined me a few years ago.  I didn’t realize how much I was reliant on that habit until the gym...   continue

While these words may have been written for people returning home from Orphan Outreach mission trips, the devotional penned by Breann Schwasinger holds a newfound meaning in this turbulent season. Our Orphan Outreach family is praying today for you and your family. Together, we restore hope in the lives of the vulnerable, around...   continue

Just as the COVID-19 pandemic was growing in the United States, I was in Guatemala and Honduras spending time with our ministry partners.  I was reminded once again of the many wonderful works the Lord is doing in Guatemala and Honduras through our great on the ground team.  One of several things that happened on that...   continue

When Caitlyn Moynihan was just fifteen years old, she was invited to travel abroad on her first-ever mission trip. The experience captivated her, and she has returned nearly every year for the last ten years. Having just returned from her eighth trip to Guatemala, Caitlyn has been reflecting on the ways in which God has shaped her...   continue

Thank you for your ongoing support of Orphan Outreach and the children we serve together globally. Together, we restore hope for orphaned and vulnerable children. Given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation for no large group meetings for at least the next eight weeks, after much prayer, we have made...   continue

The road to change is long and winding, yet it is not without its milestones. These moments in time are worth recognizing and celebrating. Last month, Orphan Outreach’s Honduran NGO, Asociación Manos Extendidas (AME) shared in the celebration of  a very big milestone indeed: the graduation of the very first cohort of families...   continue

While many stories are told of the names and faces “on the ground,” there is a network of dedicated men and women who serve passionately behind the scenes at Orphan Outreach. Katherine Cheng, a self-proclaimed ‘administrative type,’ is one of those team members. She spends her days dreaming, planning, and supporting her...   continue

It was the summer of 2017 when Julie Treadwell first packed her bags and boarded a plane for Guatemala. “I went with my two daughters who were 13 and 14 at the time,” Julie says.  “We went on a mother daughter trip and we signed up at the last minute primarily for social reasons.  One of my girls was having troubles with...   continue

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...   continue

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. Why India? Why so far away? Why kids with AIDS? Why spend your time...   continue

Hanging on a bulletin board, over a desk overflowing with textbooks, is a colorful drawing of two perfectly imperfect stick figures. It’s a child’s sweet offering to a friend, a mentor, living halfway around the world and her sweet reminder of the eight-day-trip that brought them together. The picture was drawn for Allison...   continue

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. “I moved to the States to teach water-skiing at a summer camp. I loved working with kids and summer camp had been influential for me as a young person. It’s the...   continue

Orphan Outreach radio partner WCSG recently hosted Days of Hope, an on-air drive designed to share the power of sponsorship with their West Michigan listeners. In just two days, EVERY student at Patmos Junior School in Nairobi, Kenya, was sponsored. Each sponsorship provides support for boys and girls who might not otherwise have...   continue

When you sponsor a child through Orphan Outreach, the opportunity to impact that child’s life goes well beyond your financial donation. While many sponsors choose to travel great distances to meet their child, others opt for a more accessible option: letter writing.One such sponsor is Alex Tamayo Wolf. Alex, his wife, Mesla, and...   continue

For many, it is the orphan care crisis that opens their eyes and hearts to adoption. For Tiffany Wines, it was her experience with adoption that truly opened her eyes to the extent of the crisis. “My husband, Brad, and I felt called to form our family solely through adoption,” explained Tiffany. “At the time, we were too...   continue

There is a small classroom lined with shelves in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, each neatly filled with toys and learning tools. Small, wooden tables sit in the center with tiny blue chairs surrounding them. Globes, small enough to be explored by little hands, rest on top of a shelf, next to an overflowing pot of ivy. This simple...   continue

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...   continue

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...   continue

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...   continue

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. Paz means peace. It is a fitting word for the newly transformed space. What was once a stark...   continue

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...   continue

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...   continue

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...   continue

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...   continue

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. “My husband works for Toyota and they were opening a corporate office in Plano, so we moved. This was the ninth...   continue

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...   continue

At an age when most people are looking forward to retirement, Mike Douris found himself looking forward to a new career. “You know, it wasn’t my life‘s plan to start a ministry at the age of 55,” laughed Mike Douris, founder and president of Orphan Outreach. “I was kind of heading in a different direction; but that’s...   continue

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...   continue

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: “One of our core values is to go deep with these kids...   continue