Who is Operation Rescue the Children?

Operation Rescue the Children, Inc. (ORC) is a registered, non-profit, non-denominational, Christian ministry whose God-given commission is to bring the truth of God’s love to the children and their families living in extreme poverty.  Our focus is currently within Latin America, but we are open to wherever God may lead. 

Through our partnerships with local churches in each mission field, children will be able to receive benefits such as pastoral care/discipleship, nutritious food, potable water, health care, and educational opportunities.  Most importantly they will have the chance to hear the gospel, begin a relationship with Jesus Christ, and build a lifestyle of faith and commitment to God.  Our end goal is to display the true love of God and to help restore hope and dignity in the lives of the children and families we serve.

Where does ORC minister? 

ORC is currently ministering to children and families in:

• Japón Community — Choloma, Honduras  
• Heroes de Cenepa Community — Arequipa, Peru 
• Lurín Community — Lima, Peru
• Rimac & Independencia Communities — Lima, Peru

Does ORC work only with Christian children and families? 

No, ORC works with all children in need, regardless of their race, ethnicity, and/or religious background. Our heart is to practically reveal the love of Christ to the impoverished, the sick, the hungry, and the abandoned.

What is child sponsorship?

Child sponsorship is a way to bring hope to children in poor, underdeveloped communities by sharing faith, love, and helping provide for their basic needs. Through child sponsorship, both the sponsor and the child have an opportunity to build a special relationship through correspondence, photos, gifts, and personal visits.

What specific benefits do sponsored children receive?

Depending on the country and the length of time that ORC has been ministering there, your sponsorship will enable a child to receive benefits such as pastoral care/discipleship, nutritious food, potable water, health care, and educational opportunities. In addition to this, they may benefit from different community projects such as wells, additional educational classrooms, community playgrounds, adult literacy and health education programs, etc. as God provides the funds.

How do I sponsor a child? 

There are a few different ways you can sponsor a child...

         1. ORC Website: www.rescuechild.org/sponsor 

         2.  Phone: 1-866-ORC-KIDS

         3.  Local events (such as in a church or fund raising banquet)

How much does it cost to sponsor a child?

Child sponsorship is $30.00 per child, per month.  This can be donated as $30.00 each month or $360.00 once a year by check, credit, or debit card.  Check donations should be made payable to “Operation Rescue the Children, Inc.” or “ORC” and mailed to the ORC Sponsorship Office address listed on page 4.  Please remember to include the Child ID# in the memo section of each check you send so that we may apply the funds to the proper community.

Debit or credit card donations can be set up via pledge sheet, by sponsoring a child on the ORC Website www.rescuechild.org or over the phone at 1-866-ORC-KIDS.  If you choose to donate by debit or credit card, you can rest assured that your donations are securely processed and will be set up to process automatically for your convenience.  Your sponsorship donations are added to the donations of other people who sponsor children in the same community. 

Does a child have only one sponsor? 

Yes.  It is ORC's policy not to duplicate sponsorships.  Once a child is officially sponsored, they are immediately taken off the list of children available for sponsorship.  There can be peculiar circumstances where other relief or mission groups reach the same populations where ORC has active sponsorship programs.  It is not uncommon for these, mostly Christian mission groups, to bless these children by various means, including sending monthly remittances to local pastors who in turn provide material goods to these communities. These blessings bestowed upon the children are welcomed and as you may understand, what others do in this respect is beyond the control of ORC.  If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please contact the ORC Sponsorship Office.

May I correspond with my sponsored child?

Yes!  We encourage all sponsors to correspond with their sponsored child/children; they love to receive letters from their sponsors. Corresponding with your child offers a more tangible way for you to be involved in their lives and for the child to have a name and face to which to connect the blessings of God. For your convenience we have created a Sponsor Correspondence Form, though other stationary may be used as well. Whichever is used, please be sure to include your sponsored child’s Child ID# - this can be found in your sponsorship welcome letter or the child’s biographical history. You may print off additional copies of this form from the sponsorship area on our website at www.rescuechild.org.

All correspondence is reviewed and/or translated into the child’s language and is always sent by ORC to the child on behalf of the sponsor. The child will receive both your letter and the translated letter. Please see the Sponsor Correspondence form for more detailed correspondence guidelines. ORC reserves the right to return any inappropriate letters in whole or in part.

Please send all correspondence for your child to the ORC Sponsorship address listed at the bottom or use the form on the Contact Page of our website to obtain a specific email address where you can scan and email your letter.

May I send gifts to my sponsored child?

Yes. There are 2 different ways to send a gift:

1. Money for a Gift  — You may give money for a gift to be purchased for your sponsored child in their country.

• First, call or email the ORC Sponsorship Office and let us know the amount you would like to donate as a gift for your sponsored child. We recommend that the gift be according to what the child needs most, but you may also request a specific item.

• You may give the money in the form of cash, check, or we can process it for you on a debit or credit card.

• Once ORC has received the donation, we will forward it to our project sponsorship coordinator and they will purchase the gift for your child on your behalf. Later, the US ORC Sponsorship Coordinator will provide you with a receipt and a photo of your child with the gifts.

• ORC recommends option #1 because there are no postage costs, it is almost always the fastest way your sponsored child will receive your gift, and the purchase of the gift in the child’s country is often less expensive. All money is given to our project sponsorship coordinator; it is never given directly to the children or their families.

2. Physical Gifts — You may purchase a gift for your sponsored child on your own.

A. Send your unwrapped gift with an ORC team traveling to your sponsored child’s country

• First, you must call or email the ORC Sponsorship Office with the type and quantity of gifts you have for your child. This is for customs and security reasons and because like most sponsorship organizations, ORC keeps track of all gifts that are exchanged between sponsors and children.

• Next, you may drop off your unwrapped gifts at one of our ORC offices (please call 1-866-ORC-KIDS or use the form on the Contact Us page of the website for directions).

• Your gift will be given to the project sponsorship coordinator and later discreetly and privately given to your child when the visiting team has left the country. The ORC Sponsorship Coordinator in the USA will provide you with a photo of your child and the gifts.

**Please remember, you must notify the ORC Sponsorship Office with the type and quantity of gifts you have for your child before it is taken overseas. Failure to notify us could result in your child not receiving your gift.  Please remember, you must notify the ORC Sponsorship Office with the type and quantity of gifts you have for your child before it is taken overseas. Failure to notify us could result in your child not receiving your gift.

B. Mail or Hand-Deliver Your Unwrapped Gift to the ORC Sponsorship Office:

• Please mail or hand-deliver your unwrapped gift to the ORC Sponsorship Office address listed at the bottom in a box ready to be mailed to the sponsored child’s country.

• The sponsor/donor is responsible for all postage (to and from the sponsorship office).

• The U.S. Sponsorship Program Coordinator will obtain the approximate postage of your gift and contact you to find out which option you prefer and your method of donation.

• Your gift will be discreetly and privately given to your child and the ORC Sponsorship Coordinator in the USA will provide you with a photo of your child and the gifts.

Please use discretion when sending gifts you have purchased. Suggestions are picture postcards, greeting cards, ribbons/hair accessories, pencils/erasers, small toy cars, stickers, coloring books, children’s Bibles and books (in the child’s language), balloons, crayons, tooth/hair brushes, clothes, etc. Please avoid items such as toy guns, knives, and military equipment/action figures, etc.

May I visit my sponsored child in person?

Yes. It is a very special experience to personally visit your sponsored child in their country. ORC has teams that travel to the country where your child is sponsored and you are welcome to join us on one of these trips (all expenses will be the sponsor’s responsibility). If you are interested in visiting your sponsored child, please call 1-866-ORC-KIDS or use the form on the Contact Us page of our website.

**If you plan to visit your sponsored child and want to bring them a gift OR you want to send a gift with someone who is traveling to their country, please remember that you must first call or e-mail the ORC Sponsorship Office before the gift goes to that country.

When in the child’s sponsored country all gifts must be given to our local project sponsorship coordinator; no gift can be given directly to any child. After the team or individual visitor leaves the country the in-country sponsorship coordinator will then give the gifts to the children in a private and discreet manner so as not to create any jealousies, sadness, anger, or other problems in the community. As you can imagine, it is very hard for other children to understand why some are receiving a gift and they are not. The ORC Sponsorship Coordinator in the USA will provide you with a photo of your child and the gifts. Thank you in advance for respecting these policies.

How long does sponsorship last?

Sponsorship can last different lengths, depending on the need of the child. Sponsorship usually lasts until the age of 18, but some children go on to further education, training, or have some type of disability or illness where they need longer assistance. ORC’s goal is for each child to be physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally prepared as much as possible for what lies ahead for them in life to make a positive contribution to society.

Ideally, it would be wonderful for your sponsorship to continue for as long as the child has a need, however, we understand that some sponsors are only able to donate for a shorter amount of time. We are thankful for whatever amount of time God leads you to sponsor a child. We will notify you when your child no longer needs assistance and provide the opportunity for you to select another child to sponsor. In return, we kindly ask that you let us know if and when you are no longer able to sponsor your child (whatever the reason), so that we may make that child available for another person to sponsor as soon as possible.

What should I expect as a sponsor?

• A Sponsorship Welcome Packet (SWP) within a few weeks of sponsoring a child. This will include your sponsored child’s personal biographical information, two different photos, prayer cards, a Sponsor Correspondence Form, and Sponsorship Program Policies & FAQ’s.

• At least two communications each year regarding your sponsored child (depending upon the date your sponsorship began). The first communication will either be the SWP or a mid-year update on your sponsored child which could include information on his or her health, education, and family progress, etc. The second communication will be a letter, drawing, or project made by them especially for you around Christmastime. At least one of these communications will include a recent picture. If you choose to communicate with your child, you may receive more than two communications.

• Joy and satisfaction knowing you are a part of blessing a child’s life.
  

**Please notify us as soon as possible for any address, phone number, or e-mail changes, so that you will be able to receive these communications in a timely manner.

Where can I ask other questions about sponsorship or my sponsored child/children?

Please contact 1-866-ORC-KIDS or use the form on the Contact Us page of our website for all sponsorship related questions, comments, or concerns.

How else can I get involved? 

1. Prayer— for the children, families, and communities where ORC serves, the community pastors, administrators, project staff and volunteers, and our national board of directors, staff, and volunteers that we would always be guided by God’s perfect plan in all we do.

2. Volunteering—we need help with various tasks from time to time. Please contact us if you are interested in helping.

3. Donations—we are always in need of general office supplies and free advertising.

ORC Sponsorship Program Office
1217 Owl Hollow Court
Saint Augustine, FL  32092
1-866-ORC-KIDS (1-866-672-5437)
sponsorships@rescuechild.org

Thank you for your faithful support — May God bless your generosity!

 
Last Updated: 7.12.008