Said is only 14, but has experienced hardships that no child should face. In Serbia, he shared his family’s story: “Mom and dad told us that we are going to Europe. We did not took anything with us, except of one spare clothe for each of us. They did not
On the first day of school, Jo walks down familiar streets. When he reaches the schoolhouse, it is no different than before. Fewer people lingering in the street, perhaps. Fewer children laughing on the front lawn. One year ago, the Ebola outbreak was a growing rumor in West Africa. It
Thirteen-year-old Samvel is an artist. He paints what he sees, and the picture becomes the scene. He paints what he imagines, and the colors and shapes blossom from the paper like lilies from a field. He has a keen eye and a sensitive spirit, and everyone agrees: Samvel is an
Placidia holds a new pair of shoes in her hands. Her shy smile has grown, and today the 6-year-old is practically beaming as she clutches the simple, black canvas slip-ons. These are the first shoes she has ever called her own. Placidia is the youngest of seven daughters. Her mother
Snezana’s marriage began as something out of a fairy tale. She was young and beautiful; he was older, hardworking, and devoted. Her family disapproved of the union, but the two were in love. She gave birth to two children and stayed home to raise them. He worked even harder to
Danilo is a fisherman from Panay Island in the Philippines. Growing up impoverished, he had no chance to get an education and began fishing for a living at 12 years old. Fishing is the only livelihood he’s known, so he was devastated when Typhoon Haiyan destroyed his boat as it
Rita is an elderly woman who never imagined having to leave her home behind at this stage in life. But when violence and unrest in Syria threatened the safety of her and her family, there was no choice. Rita fled her home with her remaining family members and was unable
At the age of 10, James went to school for the first time. He was ecstatic. He had no idea that in less than three months he would be fleeing for his life from his home in South Sudan, across the border to Uganda. In January of 2014, tribal war
Ekua was barely able to provide for her loved ones. Living in Gambia with her husband, who was out of work, she became the sole provider. She was selling dried fish at the market and earning paltry profits, so the little food she could afford was not nearly enough to
Maria, age 73, is the matriarch of a full house. Within her home are two sons, three daughters, and two grandchildren. Like many subsistence farmers in the rural Alto community, Maria planted corn on her modest parcel of land to feed her household. That year, the rains came too late.
This story was originally published by ADRA Japan and has been adapted for ADRA International. Around the world, thousands of runners lace up their shoes not only to test their limits, but also to support causes that create meaningful change. The Tokyo Marathon Charity Program is one of the ways athletes transform
Faith, Family, and the Journey to Safety When the war reached their hometown of Novomoskovsk, Dmytro Trebushkovand his wife faced an impossible choice: stay in the home they had built with their foster children or flee with nothing but faith. “We never imagined we would have to pack up and leave,”
Every person deserves the dignity of a safe toilet. Yet, in 2025, nearly half the world’s population still lives without one. This year’s World Toilet Day theme, “Sanitation in a Changing World,” reminds us that sanitation systems must be future-ready and accessible to all, resilient to floods and droughts, and supported by strong investments that protect
It is wonderful to connect about something so close to our hearts: the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. When we talk about our Church, we often think about spreading the good news, sharing our beliefs and looking forward to Jesus’ return. However, there has been a perception that the
In classrooms across Baalbek and Mount Lebanon, children who have fled war and hardship sit side by side with their Lebanese peers, opening books, reciting lessons, and rediscovering what it means to dream again. Behind every one of those hopeful faces stands a teacher — a steady, compassionate guide shaping
On the third Sabbath of every month, Terrina Williams tells the Children’s Story at Meadowbridge Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia. This year, Sabbath, June 21st, happened to be a special day—World Refugee Day. To mark the occasion, Terrina chose the hymn “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” For months, the children had
With the sun blazing on the tin roof, I heard her tell about how she fled for her life. In the refugee settlement she came to, she saw no other options than to sell her body. The woman in front of me spoke about how life had been a couple
Across the world, millions of children are preparing to return to school—some carrying brand-new backpacks and pencils, others simply carrying the hope of a better future. At ADRA, we believe that education changes everything. Whether in bustling cities or remote refugee camps, our mission is to give every child the chance
This Father’s Day, ADRA celebrates dignity, resilience, and the right to provide In the Middle East, where winter’s chill bites deeper for those who are displaced or living in poverty, one father’s quiet determination tells a powerful story about love, dignity, and survival. Ibrahim is a devoted father of 19
The Fort Scott Adventist church in Kansas is a small church of just 25 members. Yet a big dream took root in the heart of one little boy—and transformed an entire community. Each year, Shelly Bradley’s Sabbath School class would flip through ADRA’s Gift Catalog, choosing a project to fund
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