In continuing with our “Meet the Team” blog series, we are introducing you to several people who are in the process of raising support to join the staff of World Orphans.
Over the past several years, World Orphans has been a trailblazer in global orphan care, partnering churches together to rescue orphans and change the world. In continuing with that vision, 2012 brought new opportunities for us to expand our mission to a wider audience. One of those opportunities was the formation of Orphan Advocacy Teams, a small group ministry designed to empower and equip teams to advocate for the orphan while raising funds for World Orphans projects. In order to roll out such an innovative program, we needed a dynamic person who could take this idea to the next level and beyond. Through many prayers and much fasting, we jotted down the qualities that we were looking for in our search for the ideal candidate. Within days, God let us know what He thought about “our list of qualities” by sending us someone who far surpassed our wildest expectations. He sent us Darci Irwin.
Darci comes to us from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI, where she has served as the Director of Alumni Relations. She has been responsible for encouraging and championing alumni, helping them reconnect and stay connected to the ministry, and recruiting people to get active in their ministry. With all of this and so much more, we are ecstatic and patiently waiting to officially welcome Darci on staff at the end of the year. We look forward to the many contributions she will make to further expand the mission of World Orphans to a larger audience.
To further introduce you to Darci, here’s a glimpse that will take you deeper into her life behind the blog…
What attracted you to the ministry of World Orphans?
Throughout my life I have felt drawn to the cries of orphans but have felt directionless and confused about how to help. Although they may feel their cries go unheard, many of us have heard them. Even now I hear the wailing of 163 million orphans in my heart and it gives me strength and courage to fight for the joy, acceptance, safety, and love they crave… the love God has for them that they desperately need to know. And since Christ is in the process of healing me – revealing his love, faithfulness, compassion, and acceptance in fresh ways – I am inspired and enlivened to offer the same to these little ones.
Where do you live and do you have a family?
I live in Grand Rapids, MI, with my husband/best friend/life partner, Jay.
List 3 unique experiences in your life.
1. Although I don’t live near the home office of World Orphans, I was born in Colorado.
2. My knuckles are so double jointed that I can put a penny in them, flip over my hand, and the penny stays.
3. Speaking of pennies, every time my husband and I find a penny we pick it up and pray for each other. We’ve done this for 13 years. And we’ve kept them all.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
Spending time with family and friends, quaint coffee shops, traveling, being on the lake, laughing, learning, reading, writing, decorating, and practicing a healthy lifestyle.
Follow Darci on Twitter:@darciirwin