VISITING ORPHANS: TWELVE: Give.Love

To all of you, our Visiting Orphans friends and families,

Thank you for answering the call to GO.BE.LOVE to orphans around the world. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to every precious child you’ve held, shared Jesus with, played with, prayed for, or helped support.

Whether you’ve gone, helped someone else to go, or graciously donated to our mission, you’ve been a part of the story. This year, over 7,000 children around the world were visited and loved on by Visiting Orphans team members and over $65,000 in team member overage was donated to help our ministry and orphanage partners.

All this was possible because people like you took James 1:27 seriously and stepped out in faith to love big! On behalf of Visiting Orphans and all the ministries and children that have been blessed by your faithfulness - THANK YOU!!!!!

We are anticipating even greater things for 2013 and beyond. We have been praying and seeking the Lord and wanted to share some of the changes you’ll be seeing in the months ahead.

to GO deeper with our team members. Visiting Orphans will focus even more on discipling those we send—encouraging the spiritual growth of the team. We will be utilizing a new video and study resource that equips each team member to be spiritually prepared for the mission field, and also helps them continue to grow in their walk with the Lord long after they return home.

to BE more present with our ministry and orphanage partners. In order to give each ministry the special attention they need, our teams will need to decrease in size, we’ll coordinate special ‘focus’ trips based on the needs of each ministry, and itineraries will have less travel and more time at each location.

to LOVE more intently. We know that when God calls people to go - it’s not just about that one trip. It’s about experiencing Him in a whole new way. It’s about breaking our hearts for what breaks His. It’s about lives being transformed – the lives of those we visit and of those who go. The Lord uses these trips to do that. He uses those who go to carry an important message to each child - they are not forgotten, they matter and they have a father in heaven who loves them. What a joy and an honor to get to bring that message to children around the world!

But in order to bring that message, in order to be more present, to go deeper—WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Being able to continue our mission in the years to come relies heavily on generous support from donors like you. With new materials for 2013, a deeper focus on each team member and each ministry—each change we want to make comes at a cost, and we’re encouraging you to pray about making a donation this year. With every contribution you’re able to give, you help us continue to share Jesus in the 12 countries we currently work in. You’re helping us expand to new countries, reaching even more precious children with the father’s love.