In Ukraine, one pastor and his family fled from the Russian invasion, taking refuge in Bulgaria. Eric Mock with the Slavic Gospel Association says, “He has several kids of his own but many more that he’s adopted. There are 11 children in his family. While he was in Bulgaria, neighbors contacted him to let them know that several rockets hit his home. This home for him and his loving kids has been destroyed.”

The pastor continued to minister to Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria. He found himself at a crossroads, with a chance to emigrate to the U.S. or to move to Latvia.

But he chose neither of these options. Mock says, “He turned down two better opportunities to get in his broken-down van, drive to the western part of Zaporizhzhia about 30 minutes from his house (which is no longer usable) to help out at a church that had no Pastor.

“He and his 11 kids chose to get back into the fray, going back into the region and continuing to proclaim Jesus Christ.”

Mock says Ukrainian churches are filling up with people looking for answers. “When we see terrible times, we’re focused on the circumstances, and not on the work of God in those circumstances to transform people’s lives by His grace.”

Ask God to build up a church in Ukraine. You can help equip these local churches through SGA.

Photo credit: The header photo shows Ukrainians receiving aid provided by SGA. (Photo courtesy of the Slavic Gospel Association on Facebook)

“When we founded Orphan Outreach, we really had one goal,” shares Tiffany Taylor Wines, Director of Marketing. “That was to have a ministry that glorified Jesus Christ, a ministry that was rooted in God’s heart for the orphan, a ministry that would live that out in the way we cared for children around the world.”

Firmly Rooted

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

When Wines looks back at the past decade of ministry, she’s humbled. When the first conversations took place in a single-room office with a card table and folding chairs, the team never thought about the number of children that might be served. What mattered was quality care was being provided.

Wines says, “Right now, we’re serving 5,000 children annually through orphan care, through family preservation programs, through foster care, [and] through funding adoptions. All of our programs are firmly rooted in the Word, they are poised to make a huge impact in these children’s lives.”

Orphan Outreach began its work in 2007 in Guatemala and Russia. Soon, ministry efforts had expanded to Latvia, Kenya, Honduras, and India. In 2016, Ukraine was added to the list of countries supported by the Texas-based ministry. Each year, new opportunities arise to expand support to other countries, yet Orphan Outreach stays focused on slow growth and deep investment.

“The needs are overwhelming, all over the world,” reflects Wines. “One huge role Orphan Outreach is playing in the orphan care movement is lending our voice to advocate for the children and also to come alongside people, to help them with their projects because we can’t be everywhere all the time. So advocacy and sharing our knowledge with other ministries is huge for us.”

Growing Deeper

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

The theme for the 10^th anniversary year is ‘Firmly Rooted, Growing Deeper’. Wines says, “Our whole goal of reaching out is to make a real difference. And for us, making a real difference is focusing our efforts to be both grateful for the roots we’ve planted over the past 10 years, but also to continue to invest fully in the ministries we partner with, while looking for ways to expand those ministries. And we want to continue to lend our voice to serve the needs of children all over the world, not just in the countries where we are working.”

Ministry partnerships take time to establish, and the roads aren’t always smooth. Orphan Outreach has maintained its focus on what defines quality partnership, and continues to use the same measures it crafted when the ministry began.

“We always want to see people who want to go deeper, who want to improve their practices, always wanting to do really good orphan care, whatever that looks like — if it’s family preservation, or adoption funding, or foster care. Whatever it is, excellence is expected, transparency is expected, and a willingness to work together to solve the problem is expected. This is about ministries like ours working with churches, working with individuals — lots of individuals — to make a difference.”

National ministry partners range from children’s homes and transitional programs to schools and community care efforts.

Making a Real Difference

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

In the decade Orphan Outreach has been serving orphans and vulnerable children, the ministry has witnessed a wealth of information — and misinformation — shared in books, on websites, and through social media. Foster care and domestic adoptions are increasing in several countries they serve, which is cause for celebration. But efforts to empty orphanages without adequate screening and wraparound care have resulted in many children being returned to unsafe family situations.

“Looking over all the years I’ve been in orphan care — and I was involved even before Orphan Outreach — there are trends that come and go,” reflects Wines. “But I think for Orphan Outreach, it goes back to our mission statement. Everything we do has to be focused on glorifying Jesus Christ while we minister to these children in four different ways: their physical, emotional, spiritual, and educational needs. We have to keep our focus on what our mission statement is and not get off-track, because it’s hard work.

“Part of going deeper is you’ve got to dig, and that digging is hard work sometimes to get deeper in relationships, deeper in Christ. It’s not always easy, but we’ve found by sticking to the hard work, the Lord glorifies that. Like I said, when we started the ministry, we never thought about numbers — and there are huge numbers: 147 million orphans! We know the number is staggering, but what we’re trying to do is, with excellence, work on people’s relationship with Christ by making significant, long-term impact on the lives of children.”

The Need for Partners

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

As Orphan Outreach celebrates a decade of ministry, Wines is thankful for those who have come alongside in offering up their time, talent, and treasure to ensure quality care is provided around the world. But there is need for more individual and church partners.

“We are looking for people that want to make that same personal commitment of having an impact in a child’s life, so sponsorship is a huge way people can continue to come alongside us. Sponsorship provides the critical funds for us to make a difference in the lives of children. We’re looking for people who want to get involved, go on mission trips, sponsor a child, make a long-term commitment to the programs we have so we can go deeper and make a deeper connection to these children.”

When it comes to the most basic of needs, Wines says nutrition is essential. “You can’t educate and provide programs for a child without them eating, and we feed 1,311 children nutritious meals. In order for them to even function, they have to be fed first. It’s like Christ, meeting their needs first. He would heal them or feed them, and then He would explain why He was there. We do a snack in our program in Chimaltenango, and to feed a healthy snack to 42 children is $450 a month. That money has got to come from somewhere, so we are always in urgent need for money for just the basics like that. The governments are not providing any funds.”

And the need doesn’t stop when an orphan ages out of traditional care. Wines’ voice shakes as she recounts the story of one of the orphan graduates Orphan Outreach supports in Russia.

“I can also think about the girl in Russia who has had to leave the orphanage system because now she’s 18-years-old. She has no family, and she’s facing a living condition which is horrendous, like a dump. And if she doesn’t get the $5,000 to renovate her apartment , she’s most likely going to be the statistic — living on the street and dead within a few years of graduating the orphanage. The needs are dramatic on both ends of the scale.

“Every dollar is precious to us. We do everything to operate with the highest integrity, to make sure those funds are used exactly how the donor has designated. The money is going to ministry programs. Our whole focus is on making a difference for these children, so when we say that’s where the money’s going, that’s where it’s going. We try to do as much as we can with as few people as possible. You know, we really can only do that work because God is there with us.”

In addition to partnering with Orphan Outreach through the use of time, talent, and treasure, Wines says the prayers of faithful friends are Orphan Outreach’s lifeblood. As the ministry moves into its next decade of service, she asks that those prayers be focused on the heart of service.

“Pray that we continue to be rooted in Him, that our faith is strengthened, that we grow deeper in relationship with the children, deeper in the communities we’re working in so we’re making a deeper difference in the lives of these children.”

Join Orphan Outreach and serve orphans and vulnerable children by sponsoring a child, joining a mission trip, or partnering with one of their ministry programs.

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart International)

Romania (MNN) — Sometimes changing a life for the better begins with paying attention. That’s essentially what Orphan’s Heart International is doing in Romania — alongside their national ministry partners, they’re paying attention to the needs facing orphaned and vulnerable children and taking the time to address them.

Alison Wilson of Orphan’s Heart says they recognize in order to meet the spiritual needs of these children, you have to meet their physical needs as well.

“Our partner there is fantastic and they have a very holistic outlook on what they do,” She explains.

Wilson says their ministry in Romania can be split into four parts, although all the projects are ultimately integrated.

Hospital care

Orphan’s Heart and their ministry partner have been allowed to work in part of a hospital to address the needs of children who have been abandoned.

“Children who are abandoned by their parents for a variety of reasons are often left at hospitals because families know that’s a safe place to leave your child if that’s the decision they’re making. Although they don’t need medical care, they still need care until they can be put into a foster care home or some sort of situation that’s better for them.”

Sometimes this provision is the difference between life and death, as you’ll see further on.

Foster care

According to Wilson, the orphanage system in Latvia is phasing out. They are more heavily relying on foster homes. This is why Orphan’s Heart is also working to help find children good homes once they leave the hospital.

“By supporting the ministry in Romania, we’re able to help develop Christian foster homes, to recruit those through Church plants our partner has done.”

By finding these children long-term, loving homes, they’re helping give them the best chance these kids have for a good life.

Orphanage

While foster care is more common, there are still some public orphanages. Orphan’s Heart works at a large public orphanage to provide guidance for the kids living there.

Their ministry partner has developed some resource rooms that help the kids see beyond the orphanage walls. They have a life-skills lab, something incredibly important for children growing up in orphanages. They also hold regular Bible studies and have a teen hangout lounge.

“There’s just these safe places where the staff, the national ministry staff can go and they lead regular Bible studies every day for both the children and teen groups, they help to mentor and build relationships with these children who don’t have any other real leaders in their life, often, who are Christians leaders and also who can help them make life decisions.”

The Roma

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart International).

Finally, Orphan’s Heart assists their national partner with two different villages of the Roma people. Wilson says this people group has a totally different language and culture than the rest of Romania. They are also quite impoverished.

“What’s happened in these two communities as there has been an evangelical church plant that started this ministry, and now we’re building a children’s ministry around that church plant.”

They have a local pastor and want to continue supporting the growth of child ministry. They are also doing a feeding program for families that are struggling.

Excitement for the future

Wilson says they’ve only been partnering with their national partner in Romania for about two years. They are excited for the ministry to grow. Right now they’re taking two short-term mission trips a year to Romania, but eventually they want to take four.

They are looking for people to join them — dental and medical professionals, and others with special skills or a passion for children ministry. There is a variety of ways your skills and talents can fit in to the work Orphan’s Heart is doing.

Never been on a mission trip before? Perfect! Wilson says their short-term mission trips are good experiences for first-timers. They do a great job to prepare you, and help you take care of the logistics behind the trip so you can focus on ministry. Check out the trip opportunities here to see where you might fit.

Melvina

Wilson shares a story that exemplifies the kind of impact this ministry has in Romania. This is Melvina’s story.

“When I met her,” Wilson says, “she was on a scooter, racing down the road.”

Melvina is a lively and happy little girl. But about 13 years ago, she almost died.

A ministry partner of Orphan’s Heart was passing through the hospital and saw the baby girl not receiving any care. She had been abandoned at the hospital. Doctors explained that she wouldn’t eat, and they couldn’t use resources on a child that was likely to die.

But the ministry partner wasn’t about to give up on her.

“Eventually they realized, she had a basic acid-reflux issue as an infant, and so she wasn’t taking typical formula. And so they stayed in the hospital and provided care for her until she was able to start gaining weight and gather the right formula and the medication she needed, which was actually very inexpensive but it just took somebody having the attention and time to identify the real problem that was going on and find a solution for her.”

Today Melvina is in Christian foster care with foster parents who love her. She knows Jesus as her Savior and has been baptized. Her reality is the goal Orphan’s Heart has for all the children they help.

“They absolutely consider these children their own. They protect them, they love them, they’re so proud of them. They know their individual interests and things they really excel at and they want to help them reach their potential.”

Child sponsorship

You can sponsor a child in Romania who is in need of a little extra help. For $35 a month, a child will receive adequate medical care, education, food, and have other needs met.

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart International).

“It truly is life-changing for many of them. In some countries it provides opportunities between getting to go to school and not, and having food and not, or having the vaccination they need or not.”

These children are well looked after by national partners who work to counsel and mentor them and make sure they’re doing okay. But, Wilson reminds, it’s important to recognize that it’s best to commit to a sponsored child until they’re 18-years-old.

It’s also possible to meet your sponsored child when you go on a mission trip with Orphan’s Heart! Learn more here. 

Perhaps it’s not feasible for you to go on a mission trip or to sponsor a child. But your prayers are the most important way you can help Orphan’s Heart. Could you pray for the children, the national partners, and for Orphan’s Heart? Ask God to continue to bless them.

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)

Alison Wilson of Orphan’s Heart says, “Orphan’s Heart typically works with orphans and vulnerable children at all of our ministry sites. We don’t mean for the name to be misleading, but often they’re considered a social orphan or a vulnerable child. So they may have at least one parent. That’s not a defining factor for the children we do or don’t work with. They don’t have to be a true double orphan for us to work with them.”

She explains that in Latvia, the orphanages are being phased out and the country relies more heavily on foster care programs. Many of the kids Orphan’s Heart works with in Latvia may have a parent, but their home life isn’t necessarily stable.

This summer program is a rare opportunity for children to enjoy summer camp. And better yet, they get to hear about Jesus — perhaps for the first time.

According to Orphan’s Heart, Latvia society struggles with things like drugs and alcohol. Along with sex-trafficking issues, Latvia houses one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)

“In Latvia, it’s very much a secular culture. For a lot of these children, they’re living in meager home environments, and so otherwise they would never get to experience a camp environment. This is a great way for us to be able to build relationships with these children and share the Gospel with them, first and foremost.”

Wilson says the camp is similar to what we have in the United States. It’s a day camp with games and crafts and sports. A national partner works in-country so these camps are made available to the kids who need it most. They receive a healthy meal each day as they visit. There are multiple opportunities to build into these children’s lives. But the impact isn’t just made in one week.

“We’re trying to connect them with an evangelical Church so that even when we’re not there during the summer, they’ll have a Christian locally in their community that can help continue to work with them and hopefully lead them to Christ one day.”

How you can help children in Latvia

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)

As they plan for the camps, Orphan’s Heart needs people who are interested in making a difference in Latvia. “We’re actually looking to send four interns this year to Latvia for four weeks to work to help us run this summer camp. There’ll be about 25 kids each week, so 100 kids overall for the month of June.”

Each week, they work with about kids aged eight to 12, and the ministry is truly transforming these young lives.

If you are interested in helping out, check it out, here. You have until February 1 to apply, so don’t wait!

In addition, there is a short-term mission trip coming up this summer. Click here to learn more.

Also, consider sponsoring a child through Orphan’s Heart. Sponsorship is available in a seven countries. Each sponsored child will have their specific needs met for only $35 a month.

The ministry efforts have been fruitful–and yet for Program Director 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,” says Rence.

What is happening now in Latvia is the result of years of dedicated prayer. Rence says, “We appreciate what the United States has done in providing care and doing so much work, but it is also important for the Latvian church to take ownership of caring for needs of the orphans, to stand in the gap for them and to serve them. So a couple of years ago, some of us who shared the same passion for orphans came together with the same idea – and so the Latvian Alliance for Orphans was born.”

The alliance has one goal, one purpose – to serve orphans and vulnerable children.

(Image courtesy of CAFO)

The first focus of the alliance was Orphan Sunday. Not only were churches involved in the effort, but local media outlets were quick to share stories raising awareness about foster care and adoption.

Seminars were designed to instruct churches on how to start orphan care ministries. Government officials partnered with orphan care organizations to provide instruction on foster care and adoption, and an orphan care conference was conducted.

What started first in the capital city of Riga has now spread across the country with the help of the Latvian Orphan Alliance.

Rence shares, “We’re a small country, and you know sometimes it can be bad, but in an initiative like this, it’s really our privilege and it is just awesome because all the officials – starting from pastors to bishops to even the president are one or two calls away.

“We’ve had their approval and their acceptance and their signatures and blessings – from main church leaders from all denominations. They’ve all joined and signed an agreement saying that ‘yes, we support this initiative,’ and then they’ve informed their churches and their church members that this is something that we all approve.”

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

Orphan Sunday has been celebrated each November in Latvia for two years. The hope is now to include the special day on official church calendars across denominations.

“The first year we did the main celebration at a Baptist Church. Last year, we approached a Lutheran Church. They took ownership, and did not expect us to tell them how to do it. They came with their own ideas, their own program for the day, and they did more than we could ever imagine,” reflects Rence. “They said, ‘We don’t want this to be just about adults talking about orphans – we want this to be a special day for kids,’ so they opened their church doors and invited children from many orphanages and did a Kids Festival.”

Rence says the hope is that the Catholic Church will be the site of the main celebration in 2016.

Almost everyone on the Latvian Orphan Alliance leadership team has adopted, fostered, or served as legal guardian for a child. Rence sees training as essential for families wanting to become family. “We want to equip them with knowledge and best practices, and we want to walk with them through the journey.

(Image courtesy of Orphan Outreach)

“My dream is that every orphanage would be adopted by a church, with their presence but with prayer support as well – so that every child would have somebody praying for him or her.”

As for how the Church in the United States can continue to support its Latvian sister in the cause of orphans, Rence says the most important thing is prayer. “It is spiritual warfare, and children need that spiritual support.”

Even if you’re far away, you can do so much just by praying for the children, for the staff serving these children daily, and for the people in politics who are making decisions for these children.

“Please pray for the foster parents and adoptive parents who are so often tired and at times ready to give up.” Rence pauses, and then smiles. “And Google us to find out where Latvia is. Be our ambassadors and come visit us. Once you come, you’ll fall in love not only with our country but with our children. Come visit, be their American friend, and provide support for our orphan graduates to help them launch into adulthood.”

Learn about all Orphan Outreach is doing in Latvia here.

(Photo courtesy Orphan Outreach/ Graduate, Katya)

International (MNN) — Orphans are some of the most vulnerable people in the world. They often grow up feeling hopeless, facing abuse and neglect, at risk of sex trafficking, and receiving no life training.

But what comes after life in the system? According to showhope.org, every year more than 23,000 children age out of foster care, leaving them without families of their own. Often times, life after the institution is worse than life in it.

“The statistics in Russia of kids when they leave the orphanage–which usually is at 15–were extremely high,” says Amy Norton of Orphan Outreach, a ministry dedicated to serving vulnerable children around the world. “They end up on the street…victims of drugs and prostitution and crime–and unfortunately an extremely high rate of suicide for these kids.

“They’re not prepared at all for living life independently. They don’t have that safety net. They don’t have that family to support them as they move into adulthood, nor do they have any of the skills to move into adulthood.”

That’s where Orphan Outreach comes in. This ministry has an orphan graduate program in multiple countries, including Russia, Latvia, Kenya, and soon Guatemala. The goal is to give orphans the love, support, and training they need to thrive independently.

“That involves everything from learning how to manage a budget, learning how to apply for a job, helping them with getting into a school, helping them find a place to live, and then of course the emotional and spiritual component of transition and how to manage their behavior, how to work in relationships, but all based on a Christian perspective,” Norton says.”

(Photo courtesy Orphan Outreach/Graduate, Viva)

When looking at the problem as a whole, it may seem impossible to make a real difference. But in the program’s nine years of existence, it’s obvious it’s working. Norton tells the story of one girl, Katya.

“I met her in the orphanage when she was 9. She’s now 26 years old,” Norton says. “She had an incredibly difficult life, had always grown up in the orphanage, had no family to support her, and at one time had left the orphanage, was on the street. I literally thought that I would never see her again.

“She hit rock bottom. She asked for help, and that’s how we ended up getting her into our program. She trusted us and had known me for a long time. We started helping her first with how to find a place to live and where to live, and began helping her with her education…and got her some opportunities for school. We’re so proud of her. [She’s been] very successful. [She] has had a job, is a hard worker. She has gone to college, and she’s now living independently and is very mature and is really one of the leaders in our program.”

Interested in how you can help Orphan Outreach continue giving young adults a chance to thrive? Click here to learn more about the orphan graduate program and how you can help.

Every day, orphans around the world face dangers like prostitution, slavery, or child soldiery.

"We serve children that just come from very desperate situations: abuse, neglect, terrible backgrounds," said Tiffany Taylor with Orphan Outreach.

What can you do about it? According to Taylor, a new partnership with InkRecycling.org provides an easy way to make a tangible difference. Just visit the site to recycle your used ink cartridges and with one click, you can help orphans.

"It's a really easy way to get involved for someone who wants to help orphans," Taylor stated. "100% of the donations will go to Orphan Outreach to our programs overseas, to help children in need."

Orphan Outreach works to improve the lives of orphans and at-risk kids in Guatemala, Honduras, India, Latvia, and Russia through early intervention, quality education, and evangelism. Learn more about their efforts here.

InkRecycling.org even helps you set up a collection program in your community, Taylor added. Click here to see how it works.

"They will send you the shipping labels, the container boxes, the posters–everything to make it really easy for you to collect ink cartridges and turn them into cash for orphans," she explained.

Pray that through this partnership, many orphans would hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"We really want to be an agent for change in their lives by bringing them the Gospel, so just pray for those open doors," Taylor requested.

New Europe Online reported frightening findings from the new European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). The study surveyed several European countries, finding that fifteen of them have significantly higher abuse of inhalants than at the time of the last survey in 2007. The two nations with the largest rises in inhalant use are Croatia and Latvia.

Tiffany Taylor with Orphan Outreach says the epidemic of drug abuse in Latvia is a threat to all students, but one group is particularly at risk: orphan graduates.

"Orphans are so fragile. When they graduate, they have very little life skills, very little money, and they really just want to escape. Drugs are an easy, inexpensive way for them to escape the everyday harshness of their life," says Taylor.

Orphan Outreach partners with the Jelgava orphanage and the Day Center Program in Latvia. Taylor says in search of escape, many of the older kids have been using a sort of drug that causes hallucinations and is very addictive.

The staff and caregivers are working hard to help prevent and treat the problem, but it has been overwhelming for them.

Taylor notes, "The most important thing for our staff and caregivers is to work really hard with these kids to let them know that they have a heavenly Father, that their life is in their hands, and to help them turn away from the desire for the drugs."

This work requires much prayer. Pray for wisdom for the staff, and pray for orphan graduates to cling to Christ. Pray also that Orphan Outreach will find a Christian social worker to begin ministering to the kids and getting to know each one personally.

Your help is also coveted. You can get involved through prayer, child sponsorship, and even short term missions to Latvia.

"So many people are wanting to help orphans, and they think about orphans like sweet Little Orphan Annie and young children. But the orphans that really need our help are those older, tough kids that are facing life on the street, without a family's support, with little life skills."

To learn more about partnering with Orphan Outreach in Latvia, click here.

"We started with two teachers and about 15-20 kids from Karosta, or "Naval
Port" as we call it," said Dace Rence, new Orphan Outreach director of
programs in Latvia. "Right now we are in a process of moving into a separate
building given to us for rent by the local municipality. In the new building we
will be able to separate children into smaller groups by ages and languages (we
have a Russian and a Latvian group of kids)."

Currently about 50 children come to the
Day Center, where they receive one hot meal–which is often the only one they
eat each day–as well as educational activities, games, mentoring, and a chance
to hear the Gospel.

When Orphan Outreach President Mike Douris heard that the Day Center might close
because of financial problems, he decided to act. He had been instrumental in
establishing an after-school program some years ago in Leiapia, Latvia, where
he met and developed a deep admiration for Sergey Garkusa.

"The children in this community are
at significant risk, and Sergey has a clear call from the Lord to minister to
the children," Douris said. "Our hope is to be a blessing to this ministry and to
walk alongside the church to meet the basic needs of the children, as well as assist
in their education to provide hope for their future. The church provides
spiritual guidance and discipleship so critical to their development. The staff
members love the children unconditionally and help them face difficult
challenges on a daily basis. Dace is a committed Christian and so passionate
about orphan care. The kids love her, and she has such a heart for them."

It costs about $36 a month to give one child all that the Latvia
Day Center offers. Twenty children have already been sponsored, and Orphan
Outreach is urgently seeking more sponsors to care for the remaining 30
children.

"The staff are prepared to work long hours during the winter," Amy Norton,
director of programs, said. "Many of the children end up [at the Latvia Day
Center] for large parts of the day because it is so cold outside. We are so
thankful that, due to a generous donor, we are able to provide a Christmas party
and gifts to all the children and staff."

"The thing I remember most about that mission trip is the laughter of the
children in that little room. Their home life was often abusive, hunger was
constant, and parents with drug and/or alcohol problems all contributed to
their unstable environment. But for these few hours each day they could eat,
feel safe, laugh and play. Thirty members of the mission trip left in tears,
but we knew Pastor Sergey and his workers cared for the children the best they
could," said Joelene Key about her first trip to the Latvia Day Center.

An active member of First Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Joelene has since
rallied her Sunday School Class to support the Latvia Day Center with a monthly
contribution for the past four years.

"I have been blessed in so many ways from my Latvian trips," Joelene said, "but
a really wonderful blessing is seeing the ladies in my Sunday School Class get
involved in missions. At my age, I can now help the Center better by staying
home and helping the younger people go and serve Him." (Her 18-year-old
granddaughter now is following in her footsteps, regularly traveling to
Latvia).

Dace, a 31-year-old wife and
mother, welcomes more people such as Joelene to come to the Latvia Day Center.
Born and raised in Jelgava, Latvia, Dace graduated from Concordia International
University Estonia with a Bachelor of Arts in media and public relations. She
is a member of a non-denominational church in Jurmala, Latvia.

"Above all," she said of orphan
care, "this is a spiritual battle for their souls and eternity. With God's help
and strength we are trying to show the children a different path of life that
they can take, radically different to the ones their parents and grandparents
have taken-a life without abuse, drugs, and alcohol, but filled with hope,
peace, and love."

With the country emerging from the austerity measures it took
in 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis, many of its
infrastructure services got cut. According to the International Monetary Fund,
this round of funding is supposed to help
national and local government agencies with child development programs, cover
the cost of transporting students, exempt needy households from certain medical
expenses, and improve access to basic
health care services.

However, Tiffany Taylor with Orphan Outreach says
unfortunately the small private groups have already been told not to expect
government help. Without help, the
poorest of the poor will fall through the cracks. "We have not heard that it would actually go to these programs. These
programs have been told not to count on any additional funds at all."

In the meantime, more political turmoil over the last three
weeks has resulted in the dissolution of the national legislature and the
election of a new president, Andris Berzins.

The government says the settling in won't have much impact
on the day-to-day operations, but Taylor says every minute counts for the kids
they're helping at the Karosta Day Center in Liepaja. "Many
of the children that we are working with literally have nothing to eat. The
only meal that they get is the one meal that they are getting at this Day
Center. Before they came to the Day Center, they were literally scrounging in
trash for food."

Taylor goes on to say that the families living in this Naval Port area
are desperately poor. "Most of the families
there are actually Russian descendants that are looked down upon. They are in Latvia,
and the children are the ones who are really falling through the cracks."

With the loss of its major donor, the Center was in danger of closing its
doors just months ago. Orphan Outreach
put out a call for help, and kept things moving forward. 

With the help of donors and sponsors, the Day
Center is now open five days per week. On average, around 40 to 50 kids are attending
Day Center daily. There are five staff members and a bunch of volunteers, many of which have attended Day Center before.

Taylor explains that keeping it open is a priority for their ministry. The Center is run by a local Baptist Church. "Sergey,
the pastor there, has such a heart for children, for reaching out to
these children. That's exactly the ministry of Orphan Outreach. We are
coming alongside a local church with their ministry outreach in a community."

The Day Center offers Bible classes, creative workshops, art classes
and dance practices. Boys that are attending the center often can be seen
outside playing hockey or floor-ball, or competing in table-hockey.

This ministry makes a huge difference for kids. "We want this beacon of Christ to stay open
in this Naval Port area. We are going to support this program," says Taylor.

Keeping it open will mean help from more
people. "We have a sponsorship program for $36 a month. It sponsors a child
to go to this program every day. I probably have at least another 40 children
that need sponsors."

The end result of supporting a privately-funded program for kids in this
area means more kids are reached with
quality services and the hope of Christ. Taylor says when the two are combined, "They're able to open the doors wide. They'll tell
the kids all about Christ who loves them and a heavenly Father who wants to be
their loving Father, for these children who don't even understand what a ‘loving
Father' is."

There's more here