Adoption Blog

Visit Orphans in Distress this Holiday Season

Visiting Orphans is a mission sending agency whose primary goal is to fulfill the biblical mandate given in James 1:27 of "visiting orphans" in their distress. They are seeking bright, passionate Christian men and women with God's heart for the orphan to join them on a mission trip this Fall or Winter. 

Their missions teams go in to serve and to love.  Often times on their trips all you will do for hours on end is hold infants who need the love and attention they deserve. You may find yourself playing hide-n-go-seek with a group of six year old boys or playing soccer for hours with older orphan boys who are desperate for a father figure in their life.  It will truly be a life-changing and unforgettable experience for both you and the children you interact with.

What better way to spend the upcoming Holiday season then sharing the love of Christ with orphans?!

Here are a few of trips they are offering:

Chifeng, China: November 27th to December 6th

El Sunzal, El Salvador: November 14th to November 21st

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: November 11th to November 21st

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia & Jinja, Uganda: December 29th to January 10th, 2010

Limon, Costa Rica: March 3rd - March 10th, 2010

You can find out more about these trips and apply online here.

 

How An Orphan Changed My Life

Warner Brothers new horror movie, "Orphan" proclaims that it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own. Let me tell you about how an orphan changed my life...

When I was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2007 on a Visiting Orphans mission trip to minister to the orphans and widows of Africa, I became ill with the typical stomach flu. I was in my motel room throwing up, with fever, etc... Our mission team had to fly out that morning because we were returning back to the city to visit an orphanage that took in newborns and very young orphans. I was so upset because when I finally got the strength to get out of bed and pack up, I found my suitcase engulfed with thousands of ants. They were all over everything and I barely had the strength to shake them off all of my things and get my suitcase down the stairs to get in a van to the airport. What in the world!!! Could I have had a worse start to my day?!? Needless to say, I made it through the flight and soon began to feel a little better.

Later that afternoon we went to the orphanage. I could barely go in because of the stench. I looked in the infant room and there laid 15-20 crying babies. Many of them were hungry, and many were soiled because there was not enough staff to change them, much less hold them.

Two Boys...Two Lives

Our team had a great, full day which is pretty typical of most Visiting Orphans mission trips.  We started at our America World Transitional Home. There were many children and many babies and each one of them were wonderful.  It warmed our hearts so much to know that our Ethiopia program staff is working diligently to place each child in the arms of their forever family.  I wanted to take a moment to highlight one particular child.  This child, a boy about seven years old, has been on our Waiting Child List for a number of months.  He's smart, well behaved and very artistic and LOVES to laugh!  When all the children sang, "This is the Day, this is the day that the Lord has made..." he smiled the most and sang the loudest.  You can see a picture of him with my husband, Simon on America World’s Ethiopia Waiting Children’s website. I honestly fought back big tears as I took this picture. I pray you will be touched by the story of this little boy and that it will bless you and your family immensely.  There is such a great need for homes for children his age.  If you are interested in information about adopting a waiting child, please contact America World Adoption.

It was awesome to visit the home and meet all of our staff. This program has grown so much, and it was wonderful to see and witness.  We have sixty nannies on staff and four nurses! It was beautiful to see that every crying child was tended to by our staff.  Our Orphan's Ticket Home campaign helps fund some of these needs at the transitional home and we appreciate your generous contributions.  This is SUCH a blessing to see!! 

After the transition home, we went to play soccer with the street kids and tell them about the love of Christ.  We saw two young boys fighting over the glue they were sniffing.   Visiting Orphans has chosen to visit the street kids like this on each trip, but this was the first time I met any boys addicted to glue.  So, with my friend, Ephraim, who has this ministry with the street boys we began telling him and all the other boys and strangers there about Jesus and all he did on the cross to set us free. We then led him in prayer to receive Christ.  We are not sure if it was heartfelt or not, but either way he heard the gospel and so did many others.  After we shared with him, we brought him to the Ethiopia Guest house and let him shower, gave him some new clothes, some food and made sure he had plenty to take home with him.  We then prayed with him again making sure he understood that Christ was the one who provided for him. We told him that Jesus and our team loved him. Ephraim promised to keep ministering to him and to continue to meet with him and the other street kids he mentors.  Please say a prayer for him as he has a big addiction to overcome.  Please also pray for both Ephraim and the street boys that God would work mightily in this ministry.

Tomorrow we will visit one of Mother Theresa’s homes and the AHOPE HIV orphanage.  It will be an even harder day for the team emotionally as both homes have sick babies and children.  We want to leave a lasting hope with them though, so please pray for us.

Thank you,

Amanda Lawrence, Director of Development

**To join our next mission trip to Ethiopia where you can visit and work with the orphans and street kids, please visit www.visitingorphans.org.

Visiting Orphans, El Salvador: Family Testimonies

After this week in El Salvador we feel like we've had an Extreme Makeover - Soul Edition.  We feel grateful that God allowed us to witness what He does in the lives of these kids at Cuidad de los Niños.  One of the blessings they have is a huge yellow school bus they all use for rides to church, the beach, the health clinic and many other places. We were reminded of the chant "Move That Bus!" and we know it was God that moved it as many miles as it had to go without a blow-out. It was in great need of tires and many times it was loaded with triple the capacity it was made for. This is just one example they had of relying on God to provide just enough provisions until further notice. GOD IS GOOD and the children of Cuidad de los Niños acknowledge that every day. Each child has been taught by example by the staff and older children that God provides and is to be praised and glorified.  We would like to remodel our home and life to end up looking more like theirs.

Mark & Robin Watson

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This trip was a real eye-opener. I realized how much we really do have it good here. For instance having air conditioning. All of the children there always lived without it in what seems to be 115 degree weather even if they were sick. But it really amazes me how much they live for Christ. Their entire life is based upon faith in Him. They all live as one big family and help each other out. They are a great example of how to live by faith and by going there and seeing them I hope to become a better follower by their example.

Ashleigh Watson, age 15

Visiting Orphans El Salvador Trip

The first Visiting Orphans team to El Salvador will return home on Friday, June 19th after an amazing week at Cuidad de los Ninos in La Libertad, El Salvador.  We were able to spend 6 days living at the orphanage with the 115 children who call this home.  On Wednesday evening, all of the children and staff gave us a surprise going away party in the chapel.  Two America World families adopting from El Salvador were on the team and were able to meet with Alexis Castro to get current information on the adoption process.

 
If you would like more information about going on a Visiting Orphans mission trip to an orphanage to serve the children and staff, go to www.VisitingOrphans.org for details.

Last Chance!

Hurry! It's the last mission trip opportunity of the Summer.

We are having a great spring at Visiting Orphans.  Several of our teams have already traveled to Honduras and Ethiopia and we are gearing for a busy summer with teams going to China, El Salvador, and Ethiopia.

Most of our trips are full and we only have a few spaces left on our last trip of the summer to Ethiopia.  Here are the details

Dates:  July 25 – August 5
Location:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Cost:  $3,400
Cost includes:
            Int’l Airfare
            Accommodation (Ethiopian Guest Home)
            3 meals a day
            All in-country transportation
            Travel Insurance

This team will be spending time serving the children at Kid’s Care and the America World Transition Home.  We would love to have you join us!

Only a few spots left, apply now at our website, www.visitingorphans.org.

If you are unable to travel with us this summer keep an eye out for our Fall mission trips!

Thanks!

David Rathbone
Executive Director, Visiting Orphans

Upcoming El Salvador Mission Trip

Our “Visiting Orphans” trip to El Salvador is just weeks away and the team is planning activities for the children at Cuidad de Los Ninos in La Libertad.  Approximately 100 children from churches across the nation are making gift bags complete with their photo and a biography, to give to a “pen pal” child in the orphanage.  Our team will bring back a photo and biography from each child at Cuidad de Los Ninos to give to their U.S. “pen pal”.  Each child will know that their new friend will be praying for them every day!

We are also planning to do arts and crafts, skits, have soccer and baseball games and many other activities with the children throughout the week.  Please pray for our team and the children we will meet!  We want be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to each of them and offer them Hope.

If you would like to be a part of a “Visiting Orphans” mission trip, visit www.VisitingOrphans.org for more information about upcoming trips to El Salvador, Ethiopia, China, Honduras and Rwanda.  These mission trips are a great way to introduce your church to needs of orphans worldwide, and allows you give hope to orphans.

In Christ,

Mike Stone
AWAA PR Director

Mission Trips for 2009

While you are waiting to complete your adoption  from China, El Salvador, Ethiopia or another country we do have some exciting opportunities to offer for a mission trip to one of these countries through our sister organization, Visiting Orphans.  Visit their website at www.visitingorphans.org and see what trips are planned for 2009.  This summer there are trips to El Salvador, China, and Ethiopia.  In 2004 I had the privilege to join an America World sponsored Mission Trip to China and those 10 days visiting an orphanage, getting to know the children and staff and touring the country continue to inspire me as I work daily in inter-country adoptions and with our America World families. With the increasing wait times in many countries a Mission trip could be an opportunity to visit the country you desire to adopt from and to give to children who may never have the opportunity of a family.  After visiting the website, please call or email Dave Rathbone with any questions or your application. 

Regards,
Susan Maines
Executive Director of Programs

El Salvador Missions Trip

Dear Families,

America World and our sister organization, Visiting Orphans are pleased to announce a unique opportunity to visit orphans in El Salvador this summer.  I will be leading a group of AW families for an unforgettable week of sharing God’s love with some amazing Salvadorian children.  You can be in the process of adopting or have already adopted.  You can have adopted from China or Ethiopia.  Your whole family can go or it can be just you! 

Trip Details:

Dates:  June 13 – 19, 2009
Location:  Cuidad de los Ninos, El Sunzal, La Libertad, El Salvador           
Cost: approx. $2,000 per person
Cost Includes:  Int’l airfare, accommodation, 3 meals a day, in-country transportation, guide/translator, travel insurance.

Cuidad de los Ninos is home to about 100 lovely boys and girls of varying ages.  Your week will be primarily spent building relationships with the children by playing games, doing arts and crafts, and anything else you can think of!

Learn more about Visiting Orphans at www.visitingorphans.org.  You can also apply for the trip there too.  Hurry spots are filling up quick!

Contact David Rathbone at david.rathbone@visitingorphans.org for more information or with any questions.

God Bless,
Mike Stone

Public Relations Director
America World Adoption

Visiting Orphans

Hi!  My name is David Rathbone and I am the Executive Director of Visiting Orphans.  We are a sister organization to America World and we were actually formed back in 2005 due to the strong desire of America World families and staff to help more orphans around the world.  

Since then we have grown and our mission for helping orphaned children has become more focused.  I am posting here because I want to get the word out to more AW families such as yours about how you can be a part of impacting more orphaned children’s lives.  

I will share a little bit more about what we are doing below but also make sure to check out our website, www.visitingorphans.org for more information.

What we do -
 
Visiting Orphans seeks to fulfill the biblical mandate given in James 1:27 of “visiting orphans” in their distress.  We do this by working with Christian churches and organizations to help orphans experience the blessing of family through: 
 
 Reunification with the biological family
 Transitional Services (group home or foster care)
 Adoption (either domestic or international)

Every child has the right to a loving family.  It is God's true design for the upbringing of children.  Yet currently 148 million children around the world have been denied that right.  At Visiting Orphans we believe that families are the solution to this crisis.  Orphanages serve their purpose, but we can all agree that it is not the best place for a child to grow up.  We want to partner with orphanages to work towards getting orphaned children into a “family”.  The sad reality is that children are stuck in an orphanage until they turn 18 due to barriers outside of their control.  Many times it is simply because they lack the proper legal documentation or their situation has not been properly investigated by a social worker.  Both are processes that may only take a few days by a trained professional but currently do not happen in many orphanages.   We seek to provide such resources to children in addition to making sure they physical and spiritual needs are met.  We want to turn orphanages into in essence temporary homes where children live while they await their opportunity for a family.   We do this by creating partnerships with like-minded orphanages and churches who are committed to these goals. 

We also provide short-term missions trips to visit and work in orphanages.  We want people to know the name of each child in an orphanage.  Many of our trip participants have adopted through America World and have felt God’s calling to do more.  These are the some of the greatest advocates children can have; people  who have seen the true power of adoption and who want to help provide more children with the opportunity for a family. 

How you can be involved -

1. Join us on a mission-trip and bring your family!  Spending a week getting to know orphaned children is surely a life-changing experience.  We send teams of individuals and families year-round to China, Ethiopia, Honduras, and El Salvador.  To learn more click here.

2. Partner with Visiting Orphans to “adopt” an orphanage through your church.  If your church doesn’t have an orphan-care ministry, great!  You can start one!  If it already does consider spearheading a new partnership.  Our long-term goal is to foster mutually beneficial relationships between orphanages abroad and churches in the United States that seek to provide orphaned children with the opportunity for a family.  To learn more about our Church Partnership Programs click here.

3. Pray!  We need all the prayer support we can get!  Please pray that our organization would be walking in God’s will.

4. Consider financially supporting Visiting Orphans in our efforts.

I will be making occasional blog updates here but for more information check out our website, www.visitingorphans.org.  Also, my email is david.rathbone@visitingorphans.org.  I would love to hear from you!

We are so grateful at Visiting Orphans for the work America World is doing.  It is also important note that we are a testament to America World’s devotion to the entire cause of the orphan.  It doesn’t stop at adoptions with these folks.  Every staff person is committed to serving orphans in whatever capacity possible.  And from my experience, the same is true of its families. 

Thanks for reading and have a happy New Year!

David