Absolutely! Get in touch with Katrina or Bob and let them know you’d like to join an existing orphan team. They’ll connect you with the team leader.

First, ask Katrina in Recruiting for other team members in your area who might be willing to join you on a team. An orphan team must be 3 or more people with at least 1 female (who can be the wife of a team member). Someone - preferably a female - should reach out to the orphanage. (We prefer small, under-resourced facilities, and we love orphanages that focus on kids with disabilities, but any orphanage is adoptable.) Explain that you work for a business that adopts orphanages across the Philippines, bringing birthday presents every month and meeting practical needs of the orphans and the orphanages. Ask if there is a time you could come by and meet with them. From there, communicate directly with Bob on next steps. 

Think carefully before getting involved with our orphan ministry. These kids have been abandoned by their parents. They need adults they can depend on. Many of the kids have disabilities, often severe, which can make you feel uncomfortable at first. If you don’t think you’ll want to visit the orphans 8 to 12 times a year, please hang back. 

You cannot. Your time and travel expenses are reimbursed while you are working on the orphan ministry. Simple does not allow the soliciting of donations in the workplace, and we take that to preclude us asking you for donations of your time and money. Your contribution is your willingness to get involved with our orphans. By doing your job well at Simple, you are already financially enabling this ministry.

These kids are probably not going to grow up to buy a website from us; we don’t have anything to gain. We hope the kids don’t come away from the experience grateful to Simple, or happy that a generous American company comes and brings them stuff. That would be a waste. We want the kids to know that everything we do for them is from the love of Jesus Christ, who cares for them. Jesus promised, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). That’s our purpose. 

It depends on the orphanage. Sometimes the social workers or nuns have the children sing you a song. The atmosphere is always festive, since you will have brought presents for the kids with birthdays, and loot bags for everyone else. Plus, you’ll bring birthday cakes and usually lunch. At Christmas, you’ll have lots of presents for each of the kids. You will also bring gifts for the leaders. Sometimes you’ll bring things they need at the orphanage, like fans with battery backups. The important thing is to make the visits an exciting time for the kids.

If you or someone on your team feels comfortable telling a Bible story, then please do. The social workers or nuns should be okay with this. If you feel comfortable praying with the kids, that’s great, too. If no one on your team feels qualified to lead a devotional or pray, that’s okay. You might think about recruiting someone to your team who is more comfortable doing these things. We hope you'll pray for your orphans, even if you don’t feel you can pray with them.

We won’t say you can’t, but our founder has not visited for two reasons: First, these kids need stable relationships. A one-time visit doesn’t achieve this. Second, having a visitor from the States turns the ministry into a ‘rich American’ thing. We are doing this to glorify Jesus Christ, not the USA. Our orphan teams are 100% Filipino, and we don't want to take away from the relationships they are working hard to build with the kids.

Orphanages don't exist in the States anymore, which is what makes the Philippines such a special opportunity. There are 1.8 million orphans in the Philippines, yet in the whole country, only 200 kids are adopted every year. Another 4 million kids are left to raise themselves on the streets. In all, 1 in 6 Filipino kids is abandoned. We can't reach them all, but we will stay laser-focused on loving as many as we can.