VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Congratulations are in order for ORPHANetwork as it celebrates 20 years of ministry during 2020.

It all began when a youth group from a church in Virginia Beach went on a short-term mission trip to Nicaragua in the 1990s. Their eyes were opened and their hearts were broken because of the abject poverty they had never before fully imagined or appreciated.

The teens could not shake the burden after they arrived home. They decided to sell everything from tech gadgets to their own clothes to raise money for the orphanage they had visited in Nicaragua.

Their mission visit became an ongoing mission project. Today, ORPHANetwork is a successful faith-based organization serving more than 20,000 children in the Central American country.

Collaborating with and working through local evangelical churches, ORPHANetwork offers nourishment, education, medical care, and job skill training for a better today and a brighter tomorrow. All of this happens because the staff believes that Jesus Christ is the Hope of the World and that He has called the church to share that Hope. Leading children to Christ ensures them a blessed eternity.

Like anywhere else where children live in abject poverty, they are among the “poorest of the poor.” Just as in other developing countries, the most impoverished families live in places like remote rural villages or alongside massive, open garbage dumps.

Poverty in Nicaragua is doubly difficult because the country does not have a burgeoning economy. In fact, Nicaragua is the poorest Spanish-speaking country in the world and the second-poorest country in the entire Western Hemisphere. The per capita need for assistance from NGOs and FBOs may be greater here than anywhere else in the Americas.

Accountability is high on the list of ORPHANetwork priorities. For that reason, the organization is unapologetically transparent about its commitment to the faithful stewardship of donor funds and in reporting the results of how those funds have helped their mission to succeed in its calling.

Measured results are indicators of success. Regularly communicating actual accurate results with supporters establishes integrity. To that point, ORPHANetwork’s website shares the information that:

More than 18,000 children and adults have come to Christ since 2012.

For the past seven consecutive years, 100% of the eligible students in our partner orphanage homes graduated from high school.

Our After School Education Program rapidly expanded to reach nearly 1,200 children in 29 communities.

Over the past two years, more than 200 jobs have been sourced through our job skills training program.

In 2018, we declared victory over malnourishment in 23 communities of abject poverty.

Successful results are always preceded by well-defined metrics that ensure funding is available and directed for use following guidelines for best practices. For this reason, ORPHANetwork focuses on applying their resources where they will have the most significant impact. Current guidelines include reaching out to minister in communities where there is a minimum of 75 children where at least 17% of them are chronically malnourished.

Give thanks for how the Lord has enabled this ministry during its first 20 years. Pray that His blessings will continue to be abundant until He comes to meet His church in the clouds.

To read more news on World Missions on Missions Box, go here.