The vision for Hope at the Border was born out of a moment that could not be unseen.
In December 2015, one of our district campgrounds in Dallas, Texas, became a temporary shelter for nearly 900 unaccompanied minors over the course of 30 days. A place that is normally filled with lighthearted summer memories became home to children who had crossed the border alone, carrying more fear and uncertainty than any child ever should.
Despite their dire circumstances, they acted as kids do! Our team watched as they played soccer on the field with contagious joy! It was hard not to smile.
But that smile quickly gave way to heartbreak and two thought-provoking questions:
Why did these children have to travel so far to find hope, healing, and family? And what could our team do to equip the Church so that these kids could remain closer to their families and communities of origin?
Those questions stayed with us for nearly 10 years.
In November 2024, God began opening new doors and giving us clear direction. During a visit to the Texas–Mexico border, our team encountered the realities facing children and families in the Rio Grande Valley in a more personal and profound way.
We learned that an increasing number of Hispanic children are entering the foster care system and remaining there longer, not because families do not care, but because there are not enough Spanish-speaking foster families equipped to receive them. At the same time, tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors across Texas remain in prolonged uncertainty, feeling functionally orphaned in their circumstances.
Trip after trip, God continued to break our hearts and clarify His call to bring hope. It became evident that this was not a problem one organization could solve alone. What was needed was a movement of the Church.
Hope at the Border was formed not to replace the faithful work already happening, but to come alongside it. Churches and ministries in the Rio Grande Valley are already serving courageously on the frontlines. What they often lack is reinforcement: trained families, coordinated support, shared resources, and a broader network standing with them.
The goal of this initiative is simple but significant: to rally believers across the United States to link arms with churches in the Rio Grande Valley and bring more hope to the border.
As we have prayed, listened, and sought God’s wisdom together with other pastors and nonprofit leaders, it has become increasingly clear that lasting change occurs when the local Church is empowered to lead.
Our prayer is that five years from now, people will say the Church showed up and stayed, and that ten years from now the story will be one of transformed churches, restored families, and children who found hope close to home.