Orphanages are no longer common in the U.S.A. I think most people would consider an orphanage as a horrible place. Some individuals might believe they are completely unnecessary in today’s world. I felt that way many years ago. God changed my mind when I met my first orphan in an underdeveloped country. Suddenly, James 1:27 took on a new meaning for me and lead me into a ministry to orphans. Twenty years later, the work continues. Let me share how God is changing lives through the ministry of Orphan Relief Effort, Inc.
In the country of Nepal, vulnerable boys and girls live on the streets. Children as young as five are left to fend for themselves. Filthy faces, distended bellies, and hopelessness make them stand out among the tourist. They appear lost in a sea of humanity. Most have no education, and many have never experienced a loving hug. One boy we found had never been potty trained and was forced to live in soiled clothes. I wanted to make a difference in his life by providing a home for him.
Soon, I discovered about the “other” places where orphans existed in Nepal. Some children get sold into a life of slavery either in factories, arranged marriages or worse. Girls as young as ten become wives to forty-year-old men for a price. One girl was brought to our orphanage before her family sold her to a circus in India. Her siblings were not as lucky as her.
In Myanmar (formally known as Burma), years of extreme poverty and on-going conflicts ravaged the country for years and left many children as orphans. Even though these kids might not live on the streets, their situation was no better than those we found in Nepal. Many never attended school. The few who went to school did not succeed in classrooms because of the hunger pains in their bellies. Those in our orphanage thrived in their new environment.
God’s heart breaks for the orphans of the world. He calls all of us to make a difference for them. I said yes to this calling, and now many lost children live a very different life. God provided them with love, food, medical care and education through the organization we formed. We witness lives transformed by the hand of God every day.
The work continues and grows. We provide for seventeen children in our orphanage in Myanmar and twenty-two children in Nepal. We need donors to help us with this calling. I hope you will consider partnering with us. If you are not able to donate, please consider joining us as a prayer partner. We also want to make sure these children are covered in prayer daily. Please connect with us:
Webpage: http://www.orphanreliefeffort.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OREInc
Twitter: @OrphanREffort
Blessing,
Yvonne with Orphan Relief Effort
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
