Orphan’s Promise 2019-2020 Annual Report

FROMAT-RISKTOTHRIVING|ANNUALREPORT2019
Changing
the world
at large
begins with:
Children
Families
You
When Jesus says, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth
as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), it isn’t simply a prayer or a plea.

It’s a battle cry. It’s a clarion call to action.
It’s an invitation to partner with HIM in the
kingdom-building work of transforming
our broken world with His love.
What a privilege it is to
answer that call. To kneel
amid the pain and joy, the
hurt and hope. To look into
one child’s face, where
fear has been replaced by
laughter and hunger’s been
erased by fullness, and to
know it is all worth it. One
child is enough. And yet we
envision the millions of little
faces from every corner of
the globe and say: We fight
for each of them and we
fight for all of them. We want
to keep working until every
single child knows they are
loved by the Father.
Thank you for answering
the call. Thank you for
standing alongside us.
Thank you for committing
the courageous act of
daring to hope.
Orphan’s Promise founder and director,
Terry Meeuwsen

2020 VISION
A word from Terry Meeuwsen
When we we set out to help one group of children
from one village in Ukraine more than 15 years ago, we
realized there was a problem with orphans in the world
but had no idea of its magnitude. As we grew, both in
staff size and impact, we came to understand that there
are nearly 150 million orphaned and at-risk1
children
in the world. What a daunting number! We wondered
how we could ever make a difference in light of such
an intimidating challenge, yet we felt called to press on,
helping more children in more places every single year.
With your support, over the last decade and a half
we’ve expanded our focus beyond simply helping
children who are aging out of orphanages to
identifying the best ways we could make a deep,
lasting impact on abandoned and abused children,
broken families, and hurting communities. We now
know that any reduction in the vast number of
orphaned and at-risk children
will only be possible if we
attack the problem at its very
roots.
We must begin to transform
communities by doing the
following: creating opportunities
for success, teaching community
members to hope for better
things, and then showing them
how to work hard to achieve
them. We must identify the
families that are broken and
hurting and begin to help them
heal and find wholeness. As
we strengthen communities, it
is the families making up each
community that will be the true
measuring stick of our progress.
As we continue working to heal
1
Orphans | Press Centre | UNICEF. June 16, 2017. Accessed June 16, 2020. https://www.unicef.org/media/media_45279.html

broken families, we recognize
that there are millions of
children who don’t have
any family at all. They have
been abused, exploited, and
abandoned, and they can’t
imagine a future filled with
hope. These are the children
we serve. These are the kids
whose lives your generosity
touches year after year. If we
can reach these kids and show
them not only that they are
loved and cared about, but that
there is a plan for their lives,
we can change their futures.
Instead of continuing the cycles
of brokenness and poverty
that have been modeled for
them, we can begin to develop
leaders who love and serve those around them, building
a new generation of strong families—and thereby
creating strong communities.
I’m honored by the thousands of donors who stand
with us year after year, shoulder to shoulder, and
promise to do this work with us. If that is you, then
please let me say thank you. You may never look into the
faces of the children whose lives you are touching, but
my promise to you is this: When we look into their faces
every day, we will tell them of your love. We will tell them
of your passion and your commitment to their futures. We
do our best to share some of their beautiful faces and
stories with you via social media and our newsletters,
because we want you to know that you aren’t just helping
“some” children somewhere. You’re helping Paula in
Ghana, Africa. You’re helping Vitaliy in Kiev, Ukraine.
You’re giving hope to Kenner in San José, Costa Rica.
These are real kids with real names, real futures, real
souls, and you are making a real impact.

OUR MISSION
Orphan’s Promise provides programs and invests in
partnerships that impact orphans and other vulnerable
children, taking them from at-risk to thriving across
six key areas: education, nutrition, discipleship, strong
families, anti-trafficking, and community transformation.

We’ve identified these six areas as our
opportunity to make a deep, lasting change
that will alter the future not only for the
children we serve, but also for their children
and their children’s children. As we watch
families become healthier, it is remarkable
how profoundly that impacts children.
Whether it be the over 1 million nutritious
meals and snacks we served last year, the
7,600 children participating in one of our
discipleship programs, or the more than
12,000 kids who learned through an Orphan’s
Promise education project, we know that every
minute we invest in their lives today will pay
exponential dividends in the years to come.
education
community
transformation
nutrition
strong familiesdiscipleship
anti-trafficking
OUR
6 KEY
AREAS NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND
SNACKS SERVED
CHILDREN IN OUR
DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAMS
CHILDREN ATTENDED
OP SPONSORED
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
1 MILLION+
7,600+
12,000+

As our focus has expanded from Ukraine, where our work began, to 65
countries today, it’s become clear to us that just providing a roof over
a child’s head and a warm place to lie down, while important, cannot
be the only way in which we help. Children who are starving, both
physically and emotionally, need to be fed. That’s why, over the past few
years, we have put tremendous emphasis on providing nutritious meals
and snacks to as many of our children as possible, on sharing the Good
News of God’s love for them, and on educating them, as well. We realize
that we have a brief window of opportunity to speak into these children’s
lives, and because of your generous support, we are prepared to take full
advantage of that opportunity.
FOCUSED
ON THE
FUTURE
ACTIVE IN
65 COUNTRIES

Nataliya Khomyak
One of the highlights for me this year was attending
the wedding of Sergiy, a young staff member at one
of our 19 training centers in Ukraine. I met this tiny
malnourished boy over a decade ago at one of our
outreaches in a government orphanage. He later
got into a foster family and stayed connected to OP
by attending our summer camps, then went to one
of our training centers as a teen. He went to college
and started volunteering in our programs, helping our
younger kids until he graduated and was hired as a
teacher in one of our other training centers. Sergiy
is now impacting the lives of kids who are much like
he once was, helping them go from brokenness to
wholeness in Christ. Seeing the depth of the results
OP has in the lives of kids like Sergiy, watching God
turning what was meant for evil into raising healed
victors who are giving back, brings such a joy to me
and gives me hope that we are in it for the long run.
2020 VISION
With our
Director of
Operations

Brick by brick, we are helping build up sustainable
communities that will have generational impact.

BY THE NUMBERS
We continued to grow in 2019, with our best year of
fundraising to date. So many of you not only renewed your
commitment to Orphan’s Promise but also increased your
support. Because you stepped up, so did we!

2019
FINANCIAL
REPORT
$6.9 MILLION
SPENT IN SUPPORT OF ORPHAN’S
PROMISE MISSION OF TAKING
CHILDREN FROM AT-RISK TO
THRIVING IN 2019
300+
TOTAL PROJECTS
FUNDED IN 2019

Beth Meadows
When I look back at all that has been accomplished
over the last year, there are so many moments that
stand out to me. I was able to see with my own eyes and
personally meet so many of the children in our projects
around the world.
It was such an honor to see a school dedicated in Kenya
that is reaching children from the poorest and most
vulnerable areas. These kids’ lives are being transformed
by the power of God’s love, and we get to be a small part
of that. I think of the Hope Bunkers in Costa Rica that are
offering a place of safety for vulnerable children where
they can learn, have a nutritious meal, and where we can
share the love of Jesus with them. I also think of the deaf
children we are meeting the needs of in Vietnam.
These children now have a whole world open to them
because we are providing a place where they can
communicate with other children and with their families.
You make this possible. Thank you!
2020 VISION
With our
Director of
Development

Women around the world are finding
freedom from the dangers of trafficking
because of our courageous leaders.

GLOBAL REACH
This past year was another incredible year of loving and
serving orphaned and at-risk children. Our responsibility
to you is two-fold: to maximize the impact of every dollar
we receive, and to share the results with transparency.
We know that what we measure, we can manage, and
what we can manage, we can maximize. Here’s how
your generosity made a difference during 2019.

WHERE WE WORK
7 65 333REGIONS COUNTRIES ACTIVE PROJECTS
North America
Latin America
Africa
Europe
Former Soviet Union
Middle East -
North Africa
Asia

NORTH AMERICA
12 3,100+
The stories that most touch my heart are when we can see the holistic ways
that Orphan’s Promise works in entire families and communities to restore
dignity, provide resources, and point people to the saving love of Jesus! It is
such a joy to hear stories where a family’s entire trajectory is changed from
one of hopelessness to hope for the future!
REGIONAL MANAGER MIDDLE EAST / NORTH AMERICA, RACHEL DOUDÉ
ACTIVE PROJECTS PEOPLE SERVED

NORTH
AMERICA
Siniy, Virginia Beach

Although life in the United States may not look like life in a third
world country, there are many communities where children are
still at-risk.
We work with an organization in Virginia Beach to help children find
classroom success through after-school programs. The neighborhoods where
we sponsor these outreaches are known for high crime rates, and family
instability. When the children come to our programs, most are behind in their
development and crave the one-on-one attention they receive.
Parents are so grateful to have projects like these which offer them hope
regardless of the hardships they’ve faced in their lives. When we see kids
like Siniy with smiles on their faces and excitement to learn, we know we’re
making a lasting difference in their lives.
FROM
THE
FIELD:
North
America

LATIN AMERICA
ARGENTINA
BRAZIL
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA
CUBA
ECUADOR
GUATEMALA
HAITI
HONDURAS
JAMAICA
MEXICO
NICARAGUA
PERU
SPAIN
In each program, the Gospel is taught in such practical ways that we see children
understanding what it means to love God and love others. Watching this unfold across
the region of Latin America has made me so proud to be a part of the Promise!
REGIONAL MANAGER LATIN AMERICA, ABIGAIL ANDERSON
19,000+
49
PEOPLE SERVED
ACTIVE PROJECTS

LATIN
AMERICA
Ever (far left) & his family, Mexico

We’re working in Mexico to transform families and communities
by impacting children with a message of hope and love. Ever is a
10-year-old boy whose life has changed since he began attending
our project in his community. He didn’t grow up in a Christian
home, but Ever loves the Lord and is teaching his parents and
three younger siblings about Jesus.
He is teaching his parents how to pray before meals and at bedtime. Every
morning after breakfast, the children in our project have Bible lessons. The
children work to memorize Scripture while they learn Bible stories and pray.
Each day, Ever is the first to recite his Bible verse, excited to share with his
teacher what he has learned.
Ever’s mom said she would like a Bible for their family so that she and her
husband could learn more about Jesus. The staff from our project gave the
family a Bible and also connected them with a local church. This family’s future
changed forever because of your investment in Ever’s life!
FROM
THE
FIELD:
Latin
America

FORMER SOVIET UNION
ARMENIA
GEORGIA
KYRGYZSTAN
MOLDOVA
TAJIKISTAN
UKRAINE
UZBEKISTAN
16,400+
59
PEOPLE SERVED
ACTIVE PROJECTS
I am really proud of being involved in an idea that destroys the orphan spirit for both
children and adults, for “believers” and “non-believers,” which spreads the Spirit of
Sonship regardless of church, nationality, or class affiliation.
REGIONAL MANAGER FORMER SOVIET UNION, OLGA BUZNITSKA

FORMER SOVIET UNION
Alina, Ukraine

It isn’t normal for a 4-year-old girl not to smile. But Alina
almost never did.
Her father was in prison and her mother didn’t work. Her oldest brother,
only 13, could barely earn enough to provide a little food for the seven
children. When it rained, the cardboard roof for their hut would get soaked
and leak. Other kids wouldn’t play with Alina because her family was so
poor. But then Alina got the chance to attend School of Life, an Orphan’s
Promise partner.
Everything changed. There were fun activities and lessons and nutritious
meals. Alina made friends. She studied so diligently that teachers started
holding her up as an example. When Alina began missing school because
she didn’t have proper clothes for the sub-zero Ukrainian winters, the
Orphan’s Promise Warm-A-Child campaign provided Alina and her brothers
with warm coats, hats, and boots.
It’s been four years since Alina began attending School of Life. Her mother
told us: “I could not even dream about what you did for my family. God
bless you greatly; He took care of us!”
FROM
THE
FIELD:
Former
Soviet
Union

AFRICA
BOTSWANA
BURKINA FASO
BURUNDI
DR CONGO
ETHIOPIA
GHANA
KENYA
LESOTHO
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
SENEGAL
SIERRA LEONE
SOUTH AFRICA
SOUTH SUDAN
UGANDA
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
5,800+
56
PEOPLE SERVED
ACTIVE PROJECTS
For the children we serve in this region, what makes them come back again
and again with a big smile on their faces is the surety that they will get
nutritious meals every time they show up.
REGIONAL MANAGER EAST AFRICA, ESTHER KARIUKI

AFRICA
Manuel, Mozambique

Manuel grew up with a big hole in his heart. It doesn’t
matter if you’re from Mozambique or Montana—anyone
abandoned by their parents understands the gnawing,
deep-in-your-gut kind of pain this brings.
But Manuel is a miracle. He’s the exception to the rule in this broken,
brutal world. Today, he lives with his new family: his mother, Domingas,
and three siblings. Everyone around Manuel says it’s been amazing to
watch him blossom. He fits in beautifully both at home with his siblings,
as well as at school with his classmates, and he’s made friends very
quickly. At church, he is very involved and actively tries to put into
practice the lessons he’s learning.
See, that’s the thing. Manuel isn’t just a beneficiary of Orphan’s Promise
partner ministries. He’s part of them! He’s a giver—blessing others with
his sweet spirit. Manuel, it is a great blessing to have you as part of this
ministry. We are grateful for you!
FROM
THE
FIELD:
Africa

ASIA
CAMBODIA
CHINA & HONG KONG
INDIA
INDONESIA
LAOS
MALAYSIA
MONGOLIA
MYANMAR
NEPAL
PHILIPPINES
THAILAND
VANUATU
VIETNAM
13,200+PEOPLE SERVED
ACTIVE PROJECTS
I believe everyone has a story. Stories become personal when
you’ve experienced it and not only seen or heard of it.
REGIONAL MANAGER ASIA, PURWATI
134

ASIA
Bella & her brother,
Benedict,
Philippines

She was so tiny. Big brown eyes. Only 2 months old. That was
the day Isabel was brought to Destiny’s Promise, an Orphan’s
Promise partner in the Philippines that cares for vulnerable
and abandoned children.
We immediately nicknamed her Bella.
A few years later, we received a call that Bella’s mom had just given birth to
a little boy and was near death. By the time we got to the hospital, she was
gone, but we were able to bring the newborn back to Destiny’s Promise for
care. Bella was so excited to meet her little brother, Benedict.
Today, Bella is four. She is known for her nearly inexhaustible curiosity
and for giving lots of cuddles to the people she loves. We were so happy
the day we could tell her that she and Benedict had been chosen for
adoption—together—by a family in Spain.
What a joy and privilege it was to get to prepare Bella for her forever family!
To give her a foundation of safety, stability, and healthy attachments. To
allow her to grow up knowing she is loved and she is worthy.
FROM
THE
FIELD:
Asia

MIDDLE EAST & NORTHERN AFRICA
EGYPT
IRAQ
ISRAEL
JORDAN
LEBANON
PAKISTAN
2,1OO+16 PEOPLE SERVED
ACTIVE PROJECTS
Pray for peace. Pray for our partners working in the midst of tenuous
situations to love boldly and bravely and for their protection. Pray that
families would be transformed not only by the opportunities they receive
but by the love of God.
REGIONAL MANAGER MIDDLE EAST / NORTH AMERICA, RACHEL DOUDÉ

MIDDLE EAST &
NORTHERN AFRICA
Mehran, Pakistan

Mehran is a young boy with a dark past but a bright future. He grew up in a
home with a father who struggled with substance abuse that often resulted in
physical abuse, as well. Along with his mother and younger brother, Mehran
lived in constant fear of his father returning home.
Sadly, this scenario is all too familiar for children who live in desperate poverty. Parents
dealing with shame and guilt because they are unable to care for their children often
numb the pain with drugs and alcohol. The abuse and neglect create deep, lasting
wounds in these children that perpetuate the cycle of brokenness and pain.
Eventually, his father’s substance abuse took too great a physical toll and he passed
away, leaving young Mehran even more broken and hurting. Life is challenging enough
in Pakistan, but a young boy who has been traumatized and left without a father could
very easily fall through the cracks.
Thankfully, Mehran and his mother heard about a local outreach sponsored by Orphan’s
Promise where the boy could receive help with school, as well as learn more about the
Bible and build relationships with kids like himself. Every day when Mehran arrives at
the project, he is met with love and compassion from staff who care for him deeply.
FROM THE FIELD:
Middle East and Northern Africa

EUROPE
ALBANIA
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
BULGARIA
GERMANY
ROMANIA
SERBIA
600+PEOPLE SERVED
7ACTIVE PROJECTS
We are fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus while seeing vulnerable
and at-risk children cared for and protected. We are not just working at
“picking up the pieces” in broken situations, but working with Partners on
the ground to prevent children being at risk.
REGIONAL MANAGER EUROPE, NATASHA BOOM

EUROPE
Alina, Romania

FROM
THE
FIELD:
Europe
Alina is a young woman in Romania who is striving to change
her family’s circumstances. Although she grew up in a home
with both parents, Alina’s family faced challenges brought on
by poverty. As the young girl got older, the family’s situation
worsened when her father became ill and had to have a
cancerous tumor removed. He can no longer work, and Alina’s
mother spends all her time taking care of him.
Orphan’s Promise is helping Alina change her situation by providing
her a scholarship to trade school. As Alina’s skill grows, her earning
potential grows exponentially, and she can begin to dream of better
days. Her dream is to begin a steady career so she can provide not
only for her, but for her parents as well. We thank God for the chance to
support incredible kids like Alina!

Drew Friedrich
It is a privilege to be able to bring the stories of the
children we serve to you, our supporters. In the coming
years, we hope to share these victories with you in new,
exciting ways, because these victories are your victories.
You are the ones making the difference.
The highlight of the last year for me was a trip to Kenya to
see firsthand the children we’re serving. Africa is a place
of astonishing beauty, but the children are by far the best
part. Many of them have experienced deep, painful trauma
and loss, but the joy they possess is contagious.
I believe Orphan’s Promise is one of the most effective
organizations you can partner with because of our
commitment to holistic change in these kids. Our six
key areas of impact ensure we are doing work that
truly matters, and I love to share the testimonies of
transformation. Thanks for allowing us to do the work and
share the stories!
2020 VISION
With our
Director of
Marketing

We live and work with the motivation
to love and nourish those who have
been left out to dry.

OP FAMILY
The Orphan’s Promise family is a special group of people
who care deeply about making a difference in the world.
Staff. Donors. Outreach Partners. World changers.

The Orphan’s Promise Team
When Orphan’s Promise began more than 15 years ago, there were just
two of us with a dream to help Ukrainian orphans. As the vision of what
Orphan’s Promise could become expanded in response to the global
orphan crisis, our staff grew to meet those larger challenges. God has
brought together an extraordinary group of superstars from around
the world, all with a passion for children in need. Today, we are well-
positioned for even greater growth and deeper impact.
TWO
PIONEERS
WITH A
DREAM
IS NOW
A WHOLE
ARMY WITH A
DREAM

Donor Spotlight
Richard and Linda Baker have been faithful
Orphan’s Promise partners for more than a
decade and have dedicated their lives to
helping children.
This incredible couple is not only raising
their three young grandsons, they’re also
running a successful business and generously
supporting children in need around the
world. “Bake” says he has seen firsthand how
God’s faithfulness is something he can rely
on no matter what is going on around him. It
is this reliance on God that has inspired the
Bakers to help fund projects in Haiti, Africa,
China, and more. Bake and Linda believe
their generosity is one way they can show
off God’s goodness to the world around
them, and they’re grateful to be able to do so
through Orphan’s Promise.

Year 15 of Orphan’s Promise is off to an interesting start with the impact of
the coronavirus and its global effect on communities and children. Because
our incredible donors have remained faithful during this challenging season,
we’ve been able to pivot our work and continue meeting the needs of
children and families over the last few months.
We don’t know what the coming months and years have in store, but we
know there are more than 60,000 children in our 300-plus projects around
the world who are counting on us to keep showing up. We have no intention
of slowing down. Rather, we’ll continue to learn and adapt in order to
provide everything these kids need to overcome the challenges and create
successful futures free from poverty and brokenness.
FROM
AT-RISK
TO THRIVING
BECAUSE
OF YOU

Orphan’s Promise 2019-2020 Annual Report

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