Learn to walk with the vulnerable
Your journey begins here“For even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
Go on a vision trip
World Orphans Vision Trips encourage, educate, and empower team members toward further advocacy on behalf of the vulnerable, and provide post-trip opportunities for individuals, teams, or churches.
How vision Trips Work
A Trip Experience . . . pre-trip, on-field, and post-trip.
1 - Pre-trip: Learn and Seek
Preparation for each vision trip will vary slightly based on the individuals going on the vision trip, the goals, the leader, and various other factors. Participants will receive a World Orphans handbook as well as other materials to read prior to the trip. Trip leaders and/or other World Orphans staff will lead video calls to facilitate introductions, answer questions and provide training and discussion. Whether it is your very first trip, or you have been many times before, we strongly encourage making time to pray, think, and talk through heart preparation. We encourage you to take responsibility for digging deeper on a personal level to explore what God is doing in your heart, particularly in regards to this trip. Preparation is an important part of the process and we look forward to working with team members to prepare for each vision trip.
2 - On-field: Fellowship and Serve
World Orphans trips are highly relational. While vision trips will vary depending on location and goals of the visit, they will include time with our staff learning about the heart of our ministry as well as learning about the day to day impact our staff and church partners are having on the community. You will likely enjoy meals and meetings with some of the church leaders we partner with, and you may have the opportunity to meet caregivers on the receiving end of the church’s ministry. Depending on location and time of year, you may have the opportunity to serve some of our pastors, home based care coordinators, or loan recipients through a nice meal, a special outing, a worship service or a conference/retreat style program. Leave your construction clothes at home and be prepared for good food and fellowship and lots of listening and learning.
3 - Post-trip: Defend and Advocate
We hope that the conclusion of your vision trip is just another step in your overall journey of advocating on behalf of the vulnerable. After all you have learned and experienced, what is God calling you to do? What’s the long-term impact of your trip on you and your church and your community?
After time with brothers and sisters from other cultures, we often find ourselves encouraged as well as challenged. This time may lead us to discover the structures and systems that often trap people in poverty and injustice all throughout the world. Discoveries like that will often challenge us to confront our own role and contribution to this injustice, whether through our inaction or more actively through our consumer choices, our levels of consumption, etc. Just as Christ came to make all things new, we too are called to work to change those systems, and even our own personal habits, for the sake of those we have come to know and love, and others who share the same challenges. What’s the next step after your trip?
World Orphans has various opportunities for you to engage and partner with us at a deeper level.
1- Join us as an Empowerment Partner, giving monthly as an individual donor to make an impact in the lives of vulnerable families.
2- Join us as a Business Partner, partnering your business to help empower families through economic empowerment.
3- Join us as a Church Partner, partnering your church with an international church, growing in relationship as you work together to care for orphans and vulnerable families.
The goal is ACTION. We desire to see you inspired to put your gifts, abilities, resources, and heart into motion to help raise awareness, encourage others to join you in the cause, raise funds to meet various needs, disciple others regarding God’s heart for the fatherless, and mobilize your church to partner with our ministry to empower more churches around the world to rescue and care for orphans. Check out this brief video as you consider what action looks like for you.
Just think. If the church would do what God has commanded us to do in Scripture, would there be an orphan crisis? If every church around the world were mobilized, empowered, and equipped with the resources they need to reach out to their own communities, would there be millions of vulnerable children with no home or family? We invite you to join us in the cause to defend and fight for the orphan by empowering the local church.
FAQ
Where do Vision teams travel and how long are the trips?
Vision teams typically travel to Guatemala, Ethiopia or Iraq. You can read more about World Orphans ministry in those countries here: Ethiopia, Guatemala, Iraq.
Length of trip varies depending on location and goals of the trip. A Guatemala trip is typically 4-5 days. An Ethiopia or Iraq trip is typically 5-7 days.
Why are vision trips invitation only?
We believe there can be great value relationally in taking trips so partners can spend time together. We also recognize that historically (even recent history) traditional short term trips have caused unintended harm. (We recommend Helping Without Hurting in Short Term Missions if you would like to read more on that topic.) While we love giving people the chance to see our ministry model first hand and meet our incredible international staff and partners, we want to be good stewards and honor relationships with each church, family, and community we serve and keep a strong context of relationship. To that end, outside of committed church partnership, our trips are by invitation only.
Can I bring someone like a fellow pastor or business associate with me?
This is definitely a possibility. We love to network. If you have been invited to participate in a vision trip and have an idea of someone else who would be interested, feel free to contact your trip leader directly and talk with them about the possibility of extending the invitation to one of your contacts.
WHAT DOES THE COST OF THE TRIP COVER?
The trip costs include training materials, airfare, transportation, lodging, travel insurance, ministry supplies, interpreters, visa (if necessary), food, return COVID testing (when necessary) and administrative fees. The only extra money you will need on the field is for souvenirs, sightseeing, or other personal spending not mentioned in the items above. Please note that pre-trip expenses that you incur to prepare for travel are NOT reimbursable with money donated to World Orphans on your behalf. These expenses include, but are not limited to, passport fees, vaccinations, pre-trip COVID test, or other medical expenses, postage/shipping, and phone calls.
How do I cover the cost of the trip?
Each trip and team member has a unique code that allows us to track trip funds. Your team leader will provide you with funding instruction. If you are self-funding, it will be a simple process to submit the funds, including the code that will designate the funds to your trip.
If you would like to fundraise to cover the cost of the trip, World Orphans will provide an online link and instructions for you to personalize and use (via emails, social media, etc.) to gather electronic or check donations. Additionally, World Orphans Mobilization can provide a template for writing a support letter, promoting your vision trip to those around you, and organizing other fundraising events. World Orphans Mobilization is available to assist with fundraising questions.
What are the purpose and goals of a vision trip?
The purpose of a vision trip is to educate, equip, and inspire individuals, church and business leaders, and others, in a deeper love for the orphan, the vulnerable family, and the Global Church. The goal would be to encounter God through our ministry first hand and mobilize trip participants in greater advocacy for the orphan and vulnerable family.
What training and preparation is provided for team members?
As mentioned above, participants will receive a World Orphans handbook as well as other materials to read prior to the trip, and there will be video calls as well. Team members are expected to thoroughly read material that is provided, and team members can expect that World Orphans will answer any questions. World Orphans uses Managed Missions, an online tool geared specifically towards short-term trips, to collect applications as well as house all important information – once you are invited to a trip and apply, World Orphans Mobilization will walk you through logistics of trip preparation as well as work with your team leader on heart level preparation.
How will the effectiveness of a vision trip be measured?
Vision Trips exist to educate and equip believers who are burdened for the vulnerable to move into the role of advocate in some form as a result of their visit with our partners. An effective Vision Trip results in compassionate, proactive advocates. Additionally, all Vision Trips will be evaluated according to The Seven Standards of Excellence as developed by the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission (SOE).
Can I fund a ministry leader to go on a vision trip?
Absolutely. There are times when finances are a significant barrier to a pastor or other ministry leader participating in a vision trip. For those with the resources to do so, World Orphans Mobilization would welcome the opportunity to provide instructions for submitting funds specifically to cover the cost of a ministry leader participating in a vision trip.
Standards of Excellence in Short Term Mission
The Standards of Excellence (SOE) in Short-Term Mission is an accrediting and resourcing body for those who send, receive, facilitate, and support short-term mission (STM) endeavors.
By adopting the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission and displaying the SOE logo, World Orphans demonstrates that our STMs strive for Christ-centered and effective missions strategies, partnerships, and stewardship.
As an accredited member, we meet the highest best practice standards established for short-term missions, showing our commitment to quality and excellence in STM.