Orphan Outreach expands ministry
Orphan Outreach expands ministry
Posted: 6 January, 2009
Topics in this story:
guatemala ,
india ,
orphan outreach ,
orphans ,
panabaj ,
russia
Beth was rescued from infanticide by an Orphan Outreach partner in May of 2006.
International (MNN) ? In the year 2008, Orphan Outreach expanded its ministries in Russia, Guatemala, and India in the year 2008. Despite challenges, it plans to continue expansion in 2009.
"What's going on economically has caused challenges for all ministries worldwide," said Tiffany Taylor, Orphan Outreach's director of Marketing and Development. "But what we have seen is God just continuing to bless and expand our ministry, which has been so exciting."
Orphan Outreach is already beginning a number of new projects for 2009. In many countries such as Guatemala, the new school year actually starts at the beginning of the calendar year. This year, Orphan Outreach will open a new school in Panabaj, Guatemala.
"We are excited that we have a brand-new school starting in an extremely impoverished area in Guatemala, up in the mountains in Panabaj, where there are so many children in need," Taylor said. "We will literally have 200 children starting school that had no access to education before."
"As we look at the need for education, and of course Christian education, there are over 72 million children still not even in primary school, so the need is overwhelming," Taylor said. "And we see the relationships that we've been able to build with local churches. We have such wonderful opportunities to be able to do ministry and open new schools and expand our ministry to help children around the world."
Orphan Outreach is planning to expand even further in the coming year. Recently, Othey signed a partnership agreement with a ministry called Redeeming India, effective January 1, 2009.
"We are helping with the ministry literally on the front lines of saving baby girls from infanticide. Families believe that these baby girls are cursed, and they ask the midwives to kill the baby girls," Taylor explained. "We are going to be building a Christian school there, helping them with long-term planning, and helping them with this wonderful ministry of saving baby girls."
The ministry was founded by Sony and Soso Prince in 2003 and has rescued 20 baby girls since then. Redeeming India secretly pays midwives to deliver the babies to caregivers rather than killing them.
Families in Tamilnadu believe that an odd-numbered female child (i.e. the first, third, or fifth child in the family) is cursed if it is a girl. After the midwife announces the gender of the child, they usually pay her about US$8 to take the child away and kill her. Redeeming India is endeavoring to raise the children in a loving Christian environment.
Orphan Outreach first visited the ministry in 2007 and quickly became interested in helping.
"Seeing all those beautiful girls that would have otherwise been killed was a powerful testament to what orphan ministry is about," said Mike Douris, president of Orphan Outreach. "These girls literally have a chance at a future because of Redeeming India's work."
Because the girls are members of India's lowest caste, they are unlikely to be adopted by people who can afford to care for them - even by Christians. However, Orphan Outreach plans to help Redeeming India give them the best upbringing possible.
"Orphan Outreach can assist in providing for the long-term growth and professional consultation that will be required to ensure the future of the girls currently in the orphanage and allow the ministry to impact and serve more children," said Dave Williams, director of Redeeming India. "They can also provide leadership support through India-based Orphan Outreach staff."
Orphan Outreach has also signed a new agreement to expand its ministry to orphan graduates in Leningrad. Russian orphans face a bleak future when they age out of the orphanage system, and Orphan Outreach is helping local churches help the orphans.
"Caseworkers are going to be working with these children that are about ready to be put out on the streets with nothing, equivalent of about $50," Taylor said. "Our ministry is so excited about this new program to be able to help these kids through the local churches."