As many of us are still confined to our homes amidst the uncertainty and insecurity of this global pandemic, we want to invite you to travel with us across Latin America today.

Come, see how Orphan’s Promise partners are continuing to serve as the hands and feet of the Father’s love. Come, listen to their words and be encouraged.

Hear their stories and praise God for His goodness, even in these dark days. It is thanks to partners like YOU that we’re able to keep showing up and sharing tangible expressions of love during these difficult times. Love that looks like food, care packages, and basic necessities. Love that looks like giving to help someone in need, even when your own future feels uncertain.
Love that says, “I care, and I’m here. We’re doing this together.”⠀

First stop: Costa Rica

We want to introduce you to Michael Reinaldo, who is 11-years-old and lives with his mother. For the past three years since they’ve been separated from their father, it’s been difficult for his mother to provide for Michael and his two sisters. Now, due to the coronavirus outbreak in Costa Rica, Michael’s mother lost her job.

Thankfully, the Playas El Coco Hope Bunker (an Orphan’s Promise partner) has been able to stay open twice a week in three different locations, distributing nutritious meals to children like Michael who otherwise may have nothing to eat. Hope Bunker is also continuing to provide some classes and spiritual mentorship, which has been incredibly helpful to parents like Michael’s mom who are juggling sporadic work schedules and trying to care for their children.

Next, let’s visit Mexico

Here, Orphan’s Promise partners put together care packages for vulnerable families that they serve to help equip parents and children to use their time together in isolation in healthy, positive ways. These care packages include necessities like food, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies as well as academic packets to help kids keep on track with their studies while they’re out of school.

The staff members who typically lead in-person Bible studies at our centers created devotional packets to include in the care packages as well as daily digital devotionals so parents and children can continue to get the spiritual nurturing they need. Lastly, they added fun family activities like puzzles and conversation-starters as well as a sample schedule for a “typical” day using these activities.

Everyone’s schedules look different right now, and the lack of work, school, and certainty can place an extra burden of stress on families who are already struggling to survive. Our hope is that our staff’s creative care packages can prove to be a tangible expression of hope and love during these difficult times.

Now, we’ll stop by Honduras

Our Orphan’s Promise teachers and Success Coaches are supporting youth in a number of creative new ways, including recording audio and video messages, providing personal Bible study materials, sending notes and letters of encouragement, as well as sharing messages of hope through phone calls with the youth and their families. Our coaches have also been working alongside youth to help develop creative strategies for generating income and helping their families.

Lastly, let’s visit Haiti

Here, we’d like you to meet Pastor Edrice and his family — his wife, his six-year-old twin boys, Ederly and Ederson, and his little girl, Eunicelande, who is almost two. We love this family so much. Pastor Edrice helps oversee the church, works as the administrator for the school, and serves as the secretary of our Bible institute here — he is a busy man! Mrs. Edrice is a professor at the same school.

Since the church, school, and Bible institute have all been shuttered due to COVID-19, the family’s main revenue stream has been wiped out. Thankfully, they were able to participate in the critical distribution of funds provided by Orphan’s Promise for the month of April, which has enabled them to continue to provide food for their three little ones. The whole family is truly grateful for this gift of love. As for us, it is a blessing to get to serve alongside Pastor Edrice and his family as they shape the future of Haiti for the kingdom of God!

There’s so much we can’t control right now amidst a global pandemic. But we get to control whether or not we show up. Whether we come alongside the vulnerable. Whether we take a stand for HOPE. Thank you for supporting our teams around Latin America and the life-giving work they’re doing!