Helping you care for orphans

International (ORO) – [Editor’s note: This piece was written a little while ago to introduce Orphan Outreach’s new missions coordinator. However, the message remains true: “Don’t lose sight of the goal” when life throws distractions at you.]

Sometimes God gives us the desire to do big things for little people in far away places. We dream about all we will see Him do there, the lives He might change using us as His tools–and then reality hits.

We remember we have to book airfare and a hotel.

And then we soon realize we have no connections over in this faraway place. How will we get out supplies there? What about a rental car? Taxis? But we don’t speak the language. How will we connect with the people? Through the local church? Which one? Vaccines? Passports? Support letters?

Suddenly, as all of the details fill our minds, our dreams come crashing down.

“Maybe one day I’ll have time to plan something like that,” we think to ourselves. But it doesn’t have to be like that. “One day” doesn’t have to be so far off.

Sarah Herbek, the newest member of Orphan Outreach, works specifically with ministry partners in Honduras and Guatemala. Her mission is to plan out and facilitate every detail of short-term mission trips so teams can focus on the bigger mission: caring for and loving orphans in their distress.

“There are many people willing and hoping to do good in so many places in the world, but I have a desire to ensure that we as the body of Christ will seek to do that with a greater level of strategy and wisdom and not just compassion,” Sarah said. “The situations people in poverty face are complex, and thoughtful engagement in community development is crucial.”

A Nebraska native, Sarah recently graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary where she became passionate about strong biblical teaching and global theologizing.

“Learning about and seeing the faces of people groups that have never had a follower of Christ among them is heartbreaking to me,” said Sarah, who has traveled to numerous majority world countries. “I love helping others see that God created us, from the very beginning, to make His glory known in the world!

“I think so many Christians are wandering through life assuming their ticket out of hell is all they got or need from Christ. That is not salvation!” Sarah continued, “I believe we are not just saved from something, but to become more fully who we were created to be in the first place: image bearers of the Most High. That is our purpose, promise, and privilege.”

Click here to explore trip opportunities with Orphan Outreach.