Our vision at Restoring Hope is: Holistic restoration of South Asia’s orphaned and vulnerable children for lives of dignity, purpose and transformation of their communities.

Holistic restoration includes the physical, social, educational, as well as spiritual healing, growth, and development of children who have faced tragedy in their young lives. Our aim is that all of 700+ children, youth, and college students in Restoring Hope would be physically healthy, socially belonging, college or vocationally educated, and discipled in Jesus.

And the key distinction in our model of care is the assistance of the local church in helping biological family members raise their orphaned or vulnerable children. This element of the local church continues to be fostered and intentionally built since the children were reunified with their biological families in 2020. Drawing the families together into the local church is a priority for Restoring Hope pastors and staff as we care for and oversee these children and families.

Our Summer Celebrations are specifically held to build and strengthen the relationship between our children's caregiving families and our Restoring Hope pastors, social workers, and staff. It is not uncommon for almost all of our children and families to attend their Restoring Hope local church for these multi-day gatherings. Through games, crafts, song and dance performances, short Biblical messages, fields trip to local outdoor experiences, sleepovers, and lots of colorful décor and delicious food, the sense of community grew and relationships were strengthened.

Harsha* is one of our college students. When he lost his father at an early age, his future was dim, but his local Restoring Hope church gave him a second chance. When we asked Harsha about his memories of these gatherings, he said:

“My mother and I attended the regional meeting. My mother liked that group regional meeting as all the Restoring Hope children parents shared their experience of the [pandemic]. Regional meetings are very important to me when all the Restoring Hope children and parents are involved in the meetings, and we are learning care and protection of the children. The staff gives good guidance to the parents; these meetings are very helpful to all the Restoring Hope children."

If they didn’t have it before, Harsha and his mother, after attending our Summer Celebration, now have a sense of belonging and connection with their local church community and pastor’s family. Our Summer Celebrations are just one part of our ongoing effort to care for the holistic needs of orphans and vulnerable children through their own biological families and the assistance and shepherding of the local church. And this vision is happening—one family at a time, one local church and pastor at a time, and one Summer Celebration at a time.

*Pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of children and areas Restoring Hope serves.