Spiritual Orphans Network

06/23/2026

In every circumstance and situation God is active and working. He is in the details and the big picture, in every high and every low. In this life, we won’t always see the outcome of interactions we have had or prayers we have prayed. There won’t be an inventory of touch points that can be assessed at the end of our lifetime. What we do hope for is that our work in the Kingdom can add a small piece to the mosaic of God’s creation and glory. God will continue to do what He has done.

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” - Luke 12:32

06/22/2026

When a team is leaving a place after camps conclude, does it mean the mission is done and the time we have served ends?
Does mission ever truly begin or end? Can we say “mission accomplished”? Our teams are transitioning, some to new places and some are heading back home while new teams travel out. For every missionary this Summer, they are answering the call to carry hope. Our mission teams of over 50 people are serving alongside our Global teams who have been making Christ known.

God has been at work with faithful leaders, investing in youth and families all while raising up new leaders. God has cultivated relationships with churches and schools and those who invite us in to serve with them. God has nurtured connections across the globe to bring His family of faith together in love. We get the privilege of walking alongside Him and walking with purpose to share the gospel and witness to spiritual orphans.

The Summer mission season sends us on mission to serve our neighbors, our coworkers, our families, and our communities with some sent abroad and some sent across the street. Wherever we serve we can trust that God is going before us and beside us and behind us. 👣 How do you plan to serve this Summer where He calls you?

06/20/2026

No matter the relationship you have with your father, know that your Heavenly Father loves you, is proud of you, and cares for you with plans for a future! He is our source of love, hope, and truth in this weary world. We hope you find strength and peace in the moments spent with Him!

06/19/2026

“On the last morning, the classroom in Sabile looked about the same as it had all week: chairs pulled into a loose circle, a few students leaning in, a few leaning back with arms crossed. That picture stayed with me, because it’s an honest one. Not everyone in the room shares our faith. Some came curious and open. Others were pointed about it — they told us plainly they don’t believe, and they weren’t shy. Many of these young people start their day at home with a message about who they are that is far removed from their identity as someone God loves. This makes my heart ache. I know what a difference it makes for me to be clear about who I am in Christ.

So we spent the week with David. A shepherd nobod expected much out of.. A king who failed was caught and was met by God anyway. We talked about hope — not the cheerful kind that pretends things are fine, but the kind that holds on despite the circumstances. That theme had room in it for every student in that circle, the open ones and the skeptical ones alike.

I won’t tell you how many people responded to the Good News that was made, because I don’t know that, and it isn’t mine to count. What I can tell you is that real conversations happened — about faith, about doubt, and hope — and that God was already at work in those young people long before our team arrived, and is at work in them now that we’ve gone.” Read the rest of our update on the blog!

06/18/2026

Mission moments are happening when God’s love is shared and Christ is made known. Our crafts, our conversations, our stories and skits, and sports all give us mission moments to share with our students and grow closer. We spend time investing in relationships alongside our Teams and prayerfully journey together as a global family of Christ. We hope that every Summer brings what we do during the day, into the homes of our students in the evenings.

Continue to pray for the students who have spent time with us during these past few weeks and through the rest of the Summer, and pray for our Latvia team as they end their time tomorrow with their students! Thank you to those who have supported us, walked alongside SON, and continue to participate in the mission 👣 Look for story updates at sonetwork.org/stories

06/17/2026

Thank you to Grace Church for inviting so many kids into the mission of making Christ known! We appreciate your partnership and look forward to serving together in Slovakia soon!

A highlight video from VBS 2026 at Grace Church Salado.

06/17/2026

“A good number of our students are not Christians, and several have said so to our faces — they’re here for the English, full stop. I don’t find that discouraging. I find it honest. I actually get a little excited to see what the Lord does with this. They’ve told us exactly where they stand, which is more than a lot of people will do. We’ll see what the week does. God was at work in these kids before our plane landed, and He’ll be at work in them long after we fly home.”
This is why we do what we do as short term missionaries, as SON, and especially as Christians. This world is hard enough to navigate as Christians with eternal hope… now imagine trying to carry the weight of the world that we face each day without the unconditional love of Jesus and the saving grace of His triumph over the grave. In our short time with these students, they get a glimpse of God’s love and see it as witnesses from all over the world come together to help with English Bible camps and Teen Life and Adventure Retreats. There are so many amazing stories to share, you can find more on our site at sonetwork.org/stories

06/15/2026

Monday is a new week for our Latvia team! The latest post is on the blog and here is a snapshot of their time so far:

"We’ve made it to Sabile. Sunday we worshiped together and spent the rest of the day setting up camp at Sabile Primary School, a four-story building that will give us plenty of exercise by Friday. There were first-day jitters this morning, which surprised some of us. We’ve all now done English Bible Camp before. But every place is its own place, and Sabile, while familar to some is new ground for this team and these students.

It doesn’t feel like new ground for The Lord, though. That’s the thing we keep relearning. The Father sent the Son; the Father and the Son sent the Spirit; and the Spirit has been at work in this small Latvian town long before any of our 54 missionaries stepped off the bus for Summer 2026. We aren’t bringing God to Sabile. We’re joining what He’s already doing here, alongside partners who’ve been faithful to it.

Chief among those partners this week are Pastor Maris Gross and his wife Ilze. We’re only at the beginning of getting to know them, but we’ve already seen the fruit of the relationships Maris has been patiently building in this community. Here’s one small picture: rain threatened to push our daily sports time into a school hallway, until—at the last minute—we were given permission to use the indoor community sports hall next door. That kind of door doesn’t open by accident. It opens because someone has spent years being a good neighbor.

We’re renting a large house this week, which means we get to do our own cooking for dinner—a welcome change, even if it adds a few dishes to the day. Our first meal in town was at a traditional Latvian restaurant, a good way to begin."

We thank you for sending hope, sending love, and sending one body of Christ on the move! 👣

06/14/2026

Our team in Latvia is getting set up with their next classrooms and enjoying some time together sharing a meal. We pray for their next week with a new group of students and new opportunities to make Christ known!