International (MNN) — Short-term trips give believers a chance to partner with on-the-ground Christ-followers worldwide to spread the truth of Christ. Ever considered being a part of one? Orphan’s Heart might have an opportunity for you in 2018.
Andrew Tattrie of Orphan’s Heart says there are plenty of specialized trips planned for the coming year, and chances are one of them is right for you. For example, a father-son trip is headed to the Dominican Republic in June and July to work with other fathers and sons through children’s ministries and sports programs. During the same week, a mother-daughter trip is going to Guatemala, where they’ll be partnering with other mothers and daughters to work at a malnutrition center.
In April, a senior adults trip is headed to Nicaragua to work with a children’s ministry and a nursing home.
And if you’re a medical professional, Tattrie says, “We’re looking for doctors and nurses that will join us to be a part of our medical clinics that we’ve been able to be a part of in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Uganda, and other locations where we serve.”
(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)
Even if none of these trips are for you, Orphan’s Heart has plenty of opportunities, and their staff members help take care of planning for transportation, food, and more so you can concentrate on serving. “We’ve got the logistics covered,” Tattrie says.
And you’re not the only one they’re partnering with. “The other thing that Orphan’s Heart provides is meaningful ministry opportunities while you’re in country, so we have long-term, long-standing partnerships in each of the countries where we serve, Tattrie says. “We don’t just jump around and do different ministries. Instead, we really try to focus in on our partnerships and work on long-term solutions with them.”
Those long-term solutions are changing lives. Just ask Lydia, a young girl from Romania who desperately needed leg surgery.
“We were able to present that need to our constituents, to those who follow us on social media and other places, and we were able to help get donations in to help her receive the surgery that she needed,” Tattrie says. They also set her up for sponsorship, and now, in addition to the surgery fees provided by Orphan’s Heart partners, little Lydia has been set up with a sponsor.
Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart
Last month, a team was sent to Romania to work with the Roma people, and the team members got to meet, pray with, and encourage Lydia firsthand.
That’s because Orphan’s Heart thinks ministry is about more than just taking care of physical needs. “We see that as a bridge to be able to share the Gospel, just to help on the spiritual side through prayer, through encouragement, through evangelism, and through discipleship programs,” Tattrie says.
Want to help? “The philosophy of Orphan’s Heart is to work with disadvantaged children and help them physically and spiritually,” and you can find ways to do both at their website.
