At the beginning of 2019, we made a bold statement. We want to be fully funded by monthly sponsorships this year. Quite honestly, it’s scary to share. This has always been our dream, but we don’t want to make a bold statement and then fail. What happens if we reach December 31st and the website says we’re not 100% funded? We know caring for children in Guatemala is...
(Camas, WA – July 28, 2019) Author, missionary, orphan ambassador, and speaker Dorie Van Stone passed away today in a retirement community in Florence, South Carolina, at the age of 97. Dorie was a remarkable woman with an amazing faith. Her life was a living testament to God’s incredible faithfulness amid the most hopeless circumstances. She was abandoned at a San Francisco-area orphanage as a very young child. Shunned by her...
While most people in the U.S. are enjoying their summer break, our kids are only halfway through their school year. Remember, our school year in Guatemala runs from January through late October to early November. Recently, Lucky, our teacher at Dorie’s Promise, shared great news about our kids and their hard work so far this year. Off to a great start Our kids are all doing great...
We have some of the most loving and dedicated sponsors in the world. You faithfully give donations to help us raise our children, visit our home, and even go above and beyond to help with big projects. Without donors, Dorie’s Promise wouldn’t exist. We want to honor your commitment to our children and help you connect, create meaningful relationships, and love our children well. Identifying the starting place Our...
Every child at Dorie’s Promise was created with unique gifts, amazing abilities, and the opportunity to be wildly successful. But, it can be really hard for them to believe in a successful future because they’ve endured a really painful past. Much like you do for your children, our job as the adults entrusted with their care is to guide and support them as they navigate their childhood and prepare for the...
Have you ever wondered why we call the ladies who work in our homes “Special Mothers”? They are special, and many are mothers, but there is something more to these women. It takes a very special person to care for someone else’s children as if they are your own, and that is what the Special Mothers do for our children. These very special women work...
Memorial Day weekend and the end of school in the United States mark the start of our summer missions season at Dorie’s Promise. Each summer approximately 300 visitors from all over the United States and Canada descend on our guest house over the course of ten weeks. Our staff is working hard right now to prepare our guest house, organize schedules, and prioritize community projects...
With 40 kids, our activity calendar is quite busy. We have kids in multiple activities on most days and find ourselves spending a lot of time in our van. It’s just like your day, with a few more kids. Very early on we decided our kids deserved the best family environment we could provide. The effects of institutionalized care are long-lasting and often impede a child’s ability to develop...
Just over two years ago, Flor and her brother came to Dorie’s Promise. We’ve been impressed repeatedly since then by her strength, poise, and intelligence. Flor is a young woman who will definitely make an impact on the world. Flor and Mateo’s story is slightly different than the others in our home. Prior to joining us, a Guatemalan family had begun the process to adopt the...
Many people may be surprised to discover that most of the children at Dorie’s Promise have at least one living biological parent. In reality, we’re a home for orphaned and abandoned children, as well as foster children. Understanding why so many children enter Guatemala’s family court system requires an honest look at poverty’s effects on families. In our home and in the communities we serve, we...