“Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
This verse, penned in Hebrew Scripture as early as 740 BC, speaks to God’s heart for the orphan and commands us as believers to take action on their behalf. The charge wasn’t given to government authorities, non-profits or celebrities….it was spoken to the CHURCH, to believers of the faith. These commands still ring true today as we see these statements repeated over and over in the Old and New Testaments. These commands are the heartbeat and foundation of a program we call Journey 117, a ministry of World Orphans that seeks to empower and equip believers to live out this calling in their own lives.
Now, in light of this truth, we are delighted to present an opportunity for believers to get on board with World Orphans this summer, an opportunity to incorporate all of these things into one trip…to seek justice and encourage the oppressed, to defend the orphan and care for widows, to learn to do right. We are organizing a Journey team to serve in Iraq, in the Kurdistan region, to assist our in-country staff who are working to care for orphans and widows. World Orphans is building a community center called “The Refuge” that will be used to host events for people in this region, most of whom are displaced, having migrated north to escape the war-torn regions in other areas of Iraq. “The Refuge” is being built in the center of the Freedom Martyrs’ Village, a housing area established by the Kurdistan Regional Government to provide a safe haven for widows and orphans who lost their families in the war. Since adoption is prohibited and “outsiders” are not allowed to care for orphans, this facility will provide opportunity for our staff and teams to serve a desperate, hurting community with grace and love.
Would you consider joining our Journey 117 team this summer to help serve orphans and widows in Iraq? Our team will use “The Refuge” community center to relationally engage children in the community through VBS-style activities, sports and recreational games, arts and crafts, and music and drama, to name a few. We are praying that God brings a variety of people to join this team, those with unique gifts and abilities, to help us provide a well-rounded outreach program. The team will also visit nearby orphanages to gain a better understanding of the realities for the fatherless in this country.
We are excited about what God is doing in the hearts and lives of people in Iraq and how He is equipping World Orphans to serve these people in their distress! What a beautiful picture of His love and grace. We invite you to join us as we extend His love and grace to the people in the Freedom Martyrs’ Village and serve “the least of these.”
If you would like to apply for this team or wish to contact us with questions, please visit www.journey117.org.