When Eric and I first saw the Children of the World choir perform at the annual Orphan Summit, we were truly blown away.  We were awed by the sincere joy and love for Christ that emanated from these precious children who had been rescued out of poverty, abandonment and destitution.  Watching the performance, we could tell that the energy and life these kids demonstrated had a lot to do with their choir director – an energetic young woman of twenty-eight named Christa.  She and her husband Mike have spent the past four years living on the road, training, discipling and ministering to orphaned and needy children from around the world.  Eric and I have been privileged to count Mike and Christa as dear friends since our first meeting with them two years ago.  Not only is Christa extremely talented in leading children’s worship and choreography – but she and Mike are two of the most passionate orphan advocates we’ve ever met.  Here’s a glimpse at Christa’s side of the ministry…

When/how did you first come to Christ and choose a set-apart life?

I came to Christ when I was 9 years old at summer camp, and from a young age I recognized that the set apart life I was called to collided with the world's ideal's.  One specific thing that the Lord sang over and over in my heart while growing up was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9.  To this day, that same melody from the Lord is daily prevalent in my heart and mind.

Tell us a bit about how God brought you and your husband together.

In 2000, my college pastor told me about a young man he knew that viewed life as a race, and the finish line as eternity.  This young man was running towards the finish line (running towards his Heavenly Father), and he had said that if he were to find a young woman running at the same pace as him in the race, that would be the young woman that he would pursue for marriage.  Our pastor saw a similar heart in me, and he suggested that Mikey and I get to know one another.  We both began to pray and ask God for direction.  When we were introduced and began to get to know one another, Mikey and I quickly realized that God had brought us together for a very specific purpose and that we were falling in love.  We dated for 2 years and have now been married for almost 7 years.

What made you decide to get involved with Children of the World?

We saw Children of the World for the first time in 2002.  Our hearts and lives were extremely touched as the precious orphan children sang and shared their stories.  In April 2005, we were offered the position to travel full time with the Children of the World.  After 4 years of touring with 59 children, our lives will never be the same.

Explain what you do with the ministry.

Mikey and I are the COTW Team Leaders.  We are responsible for leading a group of orphan children and adult staff.  With the children we disciple, lead, teach, assist with any medical needs, clothe the entire team, and teach them the music and choreography they perform at our concerts.  We travel with the children for eleven months, and perform about at about 250 events in that time.  In the churches and schools that we go to, our role is to share the plight of the needy, orphan children around the world.  We encourage people to show compassion and be body of Christ as they reach out and literally become the hands and feet of Jesus.  

How has this ministry changed your relationship with God?

Four years ago, when Mike and I packed up our possessions and committed to living a simple life on the road, little did we know what God would teach us through it.  We have learned to live everyday with full trust and commitment to Jesus Christ.  We have also witnessed in a personal way the tragedies of this world.  Every single one of the children that have traveled with us, remind us of our relationship with God. The children have depended on Mike and I to be their father and mother when they had no one else who could fill that role.  My relationship with God has been transformed as I have realized how much I am dependent upon my relationship with Him...I need Him every hour and every day.  And God's grace and mercy have become more and more real to my heart as I continue to serve Him through loving and caring for orphan children.

What are some of the biggest joys and challenges you've faced?

Biggest Joy:  Seeing all of our children give their lives to Jesus Christ...extremely powerful, every time.

Greatest Challenges:  When we committed our lives to this ministry, we made sure to love these children like God loves them, but to always understand that the children are not ours...they are His.  Therefore, our biggest challenge has been saying goodbye, and watching our children walk away and head back to their own countries, not knowing when and if we’ll see them again.  We are so thankful to God that He shared them with us for eleven months of their lives, but it’s always hard when it ends.  

Another huge challenge we have faced is when we almost lost one of our little boys from India, from a brain tumor.  Praise the Lord, he is alive today!

What are some of your favorite stories and specific memories with the kids over the past 4 years?

- Watching our children surrender their lives to the Lord.

- Worshipping together as a team on the beach.

- Our team prayer times, as we have wrestled in prayer for hours, based on what the children wanted to pray about...powerful.

- The children's eyes when they walk into Disneyland for the first time.

- Christmas with the Children of the World.

- Long walks with the children.

- Experiencing snow for the first time.

- The day when Bola, our little orphan boy from India, met a homeless man in NE, ran out to the bus and gathered up his favorite belongings, and with tears in his eyes ran over to the homeless man and gave him everything.

- The day when 5 of our children met and lead a grown man to the Lord, while swimming in the Knotts Berry Farm Hotel Pool. Swimming was their favorite thing to do, but sharing Jesus was more important at that moment.

- The day when Joy from Uganda, pulled Christa into the bathroom to tell her that she felt and experienced God for the first time in her life, while worshipping through song just a few minutes before.

- We have always loved hearing what the children want to be when they grow up.  This year, we were stunned to hear that one of our Ugandan boys dreams of being the future President of Uganda.