This month we are working with American Missionaries. And an organization they created named IOU (International Orphanage Union). So as you guess, orphanages are the main ministry. Here is the website for the ministry.
http://ioubolivia.org/
9 years ago Mike and his wife Bonnie and their 5 daughters moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia to work alongside orphanages. But before they knew it, they were getting sponsors and were building their own orphanages throughout Bolivia. For 7 years they were the only ones down here. They began to pray for a team, for more missionaries to join them. To help them expand the ministry. God heard their prayers and answered it with 5 more American families joining soon after.
There are currently 5 orphanages built. 4 are occupied. 1 is empty. And 3 more are being constructed. What growth has taken place for the children of Bolivia in 9 years because of one family’s obedience to the Lord!! I know that with the addition to the rest of the families, this ministry will only continue to grow and expand not only in Bolivia but throughout the world.
Financially this has not been an easy feat. First it takes sponsorship to have an orphanage built. The way this has been done for these orphanages is a church or organization to pay for the building which is roughly $25,000. And with other organizations when a church has an orphanage built, it is then their responsibility over the years to keep paying in order to keep the orphanage running. But with IOU this is different.
For the daily running of the orphanage, businesses are created in order to financially support the orphanages. One orphanage is supported by coffee. A coffee business was created where they plant, grow, harvest, roast and sell coffee. The proceeds go straight to the orphanage. Another orphanage is supported by a restaurant that was opened by a young woman from the States who is using her culinary school education here. And even an orphanage in the jungle is being supported by selling of beef and fish. As long as an orphanage is supported to get started, IOU is finding ways for it to be self-sufficient.
Just being with these American families in the past few days has been super encouraging. A missionary life is not an easy one. It’s not easy to pack up your family, leave all you know behind, and follow the Lord into a foreign country. But all these families have done it and are enjoying it. Talking with them, you can see they are confident and content with where the Lord has placed them. And though some are not sure for how long this calling will last, they are making the most of it and using their abilities and resources to serve and glorify the Lord.
They are changing the world, as a family, one orphan at a time. Which is what I desire for me and my family one day.
