Locations

We currently have on-going operations and partner organizations in South Africa, India, Thailand, and Mexico.  Click on each country to learn more.

One Life Locations

South Africa

We are very excited about the potential for our program in South Africa.  We have an established presence in the Port Elizabeth region, where the child sponsorship program originated.  We will continue to enroll children from the surrounding townships to the One Life program.

We also are developing relationships with 2 small orphanages, House on the Rock and Jehovah Jireh, both located in the Eastern Cape.  These orphanages originated when 2 couples started bringing abandoned infants and children into their own homes.  They are literally ‘Mom and Pop’ orphanages; these two couples have a tremendous heart and calling for children and simply couldn’t say no to abandoned children.  We are delighted to be in a position to assist them – these children are now ready for sponsors.

Finally, we are vested in the Transkei, a region several hours to the north of Port Elizabeth.  We will be joining our church partners to make an impact in this rural, impoverished area.  There are many children in need here and the infrastructure and reach of health care and education is severely limited.  Children from this region will be enrolled in this program in early 2008.  See also Lubabalo.com for details.

India

We have partnered with Dr. Christopher Premdas, the founder and director of NASA, Nazareth Association for Social Awareness in the Andrha Pradesh region in India.  Dr. Pemdas is a Dalit, or “untouchable” according to the banned Indian social caste system.  Dalits are the lowest order in this system, and they have suffered from discrimination and denied opportunities for centuries.  Dr. Premdas was called to the work of empowering the Dalit and fighting this discrimination.  He founded the Light of Love Children’s Home with support from Scottish non-profit organization Love in Action.  This orphanage is a haven for 450 children, many of whom were rescued from street begging, child prostitution, and child labor.  Most of these children are orphans and a few have been affected by HIV.  A second orphanage has recently opened in Visak District, the New Life Children’s Home enrolled 120 orphans within the first two weeks. These children are all part of the One Life Program.

Thailand

This country is battling the very real problem of child prostitution.  We have partnered with Abba House in Chiang Mai, a home for children rescued from child prostitution.  Now 30 girls have a home here outside of the brothels and streets.  We also have a relationship with Pau Baptist Church and Grace House, an orphanage for Northern Thai girls. The children from Grace house have been enrolled and are ready for sponsors.

Mexico

We have partnered with Agua Viva Church and Youthfront in Croc, Nuevo.  Mexico has an alarming number of homeless children.  The goal of Youthfront ministry is to reach street children suffering from substance abuse.  The emphasis of the One Life program in Mexico will be to reach out to street children and sponsor their recovery from substance abuse in a drug rehabilitation unit.  We anticipate this to start in 2008.

Thembelani, South Africa

A letter from Thembelani, 16 year-old AIDS orphan from South Africa, to his sponsor in Shawnee, Kansas:

“You know people like you come one in a lifetime; that’s why I feel so blessed to know you.  To me you are like a shining star that shines for us.  You are like that—protect and guide us. Before I knew you, we were not happy like the other kids, but now we eat normal like the other kids do.  We have smile on our face when I play with my brothers and my sisters.  I can see them smile—that’s a warm feeling seeing your family smile.”

Thembelani