ethiopia july 2026 with alliance care now

An impactful trip that strengthened the way I see missions.

Written by Autumn Kerr

7/31/26

I’ve been on 19 mission trips.

For many years, I worked for Go Be Love International, leading teams and partnering with ministries around the world. Those experiences shaped my understanding of missions and taught me an important lesson: we are not the heroes of someone else’s story.

The people who live there, who love their communities, and who faithfully serve day after day are the heroes. Our role is to encourage, equip, and come alongside them.

This trip to Ethiopia was different.

For the past four years, I’ve worked behind the scenes with Alliance Care Now (ACN), helping with graphic design, marketing, and administrative projects. I knew pieces of what they did, but seeing it all firsthand completely changed my perspective. For the first time, I saw how every piece fit together and why every relationship matters.

A Different Model of Missions

What struck me most was ACN’s approach.

Rather than bringing in Americans to solve Ethiopia’s problems, ACN partners with Ethiopian churches and Ethiopian leaders. Through Activate 127, local churches recruit volunteers, ACN provides training and resources, and those volunteers serve orphaned and vulnerable children within their own communities.

At the same time, ACN has built trusted relationships with government leaders who are responsible for child welfare.

Those two worlds rarely intersect on their own.

But ACN has become a bridge between them.

The government can identify needs. The churches can mobilize people. ACN helps connect the two so that lasting, locally led care becomes possible.

That model is incredibly beautiful because it isn’t dependent on foreign teams. It’s built around empowering Ethiopians to care for Ethiopia.

Walking Into the Orphanage

One of the hardest moments was visiting a government-run baby orphanage.

More than 250 babies live there.

Three or four babies shared many of the cribs. New infants arrive every week. Standing in those rooms was overwhelming.

But alongside the heartbreak was hope.

Our team was able to deliver diapers, wipes, clothing, and other supplies. We fed babies, helped the nannies with bottles, changed diapers, changed clothes, and simply loved on children who desperately needed human touch.

One member of our team also helped develop a new intake system for the orphanage. As new babies arrive, the process is designed to help staff communicate more effectively with local hospitals, track vaccinations, and organize medical information. He also provided computers, scanners, and training so the system can continue long after we’re gone.

It’s the kind of work that isn’t flashy, but if it’s used well, it could improve care for countless children in the years ahead.

Preparing Boys for the Future

Another exciting project took place at the Kolfe Boys Home.

Our teammate established a new computer lab and is launching a year-long virtual training program for teenage boys preparing to age out of the orphanage. They’ll learn computer skills, resume writing, workplace readiness, and other practical tools that will help them build successful futures.

Again, it wasn’t about providing a temporary experience.

It was about creating opportunity that continues long after the mission team leaves.

Meeting Incredible Ministries

We also visited a church in Bishoftu that ministers to families raising children with special needs. We met parents, volunteers, and church leaders who faithfully care for families that are often overlooked.

We attended the Kolfe Boys soccer championship celebration, where the boys proudly received their awards after playing an entire tournament in the rain.

We also spent time at a juvenile rehabilitation center, where children as young as eight are living after committing crimes ranging from theft to violent offenses.

It’s easy to define people by the worst decision they’ve ever made.

Instead, we played soccer, taught many of the girls how to play Uno, laughed together, handed out simple gifts like jump ropes and soccer balls, and for a little while, gave them the chance to simply be kids again.

One of the most meaningful moments was watching several of the teenagers on our mission team stand up and share their personal testimonies. They spoke honestly about the struggles they’d faced, how God had worked in their own lives, and encouraged the youth at the center to believe that their past didn’t have to define their future. You could see the kids listening intently, connecting with people their own age who were offering hope instead of judgment.

That may seem small.

But sometimes being seen, valued, encouraged, and reminded that your life still has purpose is where healing begins.

Relationships Matter

Some of the most meaningful moments didn’t happen in orphanages or children’s homes.

They happened around dinner tables.

Throughout the week, we shared meals not only with government leaders who genuinely care about orphaned and vulnerable children, but also with the pastors, church leaders, and volunteer teams who faithfully serve those children every single day.

Those dinners gave us the opportunity to hear their stories, celebrate what God is doing through them, and encourage the people who continue this work long after mission teams have returned home.

Those conversations helped me understand something I’d never fully appreciated before.

Real change doesn’t happen through one organization working alone.

It happens through trust.

Churches.

Government leaders.

Community volunteers.

Local staff.

International partners.

Each plays a different role, and when those relationships work together, lives change.

The local churches know their communities. They know the families. They know the needs. They are the ones showing up week after week, loving children, supporting families, and being the hands and feet of Jesus in places we simply visit for a short time.

Seeing those partnerships in action gave me an entirely new appreciation for the vision behind ACN.

I also had the opportunity to hear more of Naomi’s story and what led her to start Alliance Care Now. Years ago, she walked into the very same government-run baby orphanage we visited on this trip, and her heart was broken by what she saw. That experience became the catalyst for building an organization committed to finding sustainable, long-term solutions for orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia. Seeing her interact with government leaders, church partners, and the children themselves gave me an even deeper appreciation for the vision and perseverance it has taken to build these partnerships over the years.

Watching My Son Discover His Story

Perhaps my favorite part of the trip was watching my son experience Ethiopia.

Since he was born there, this wasn’t simply another international trip.

It was personal.

As he interacted with government leaders, served children, and experienced the culture in a deeper way, I could almost see the wheels turning.

He talks about studying law someday.

Who knows where God will lead him?

But I left believing this trip may have shaped his future in ways we won’t fully understand for years.

Maybe one day he’ll return, not simply to visit the country where he was born, but to help build its future.

As a mom, that’s a gift I’ll never forget.

More Than a Mission Trip

I came home with a deeper appreciation for what sustainable missions can look like.

It’s not about Americans arriving with all the answers.

It’s about listening.

Building relationships.

Equipping local leaders.

Strengthening churches.

Partnering with government.

Empowering communities.

And trusting that God is already at work long before we arrive—and long after we leave.

This trip reminded me that the most lasting impact isn’t made by short-term teams. It’s made by local believers who faithfully say “yes” every day. If a mission team can encourage them, equip them, and help strengthen what God is already doing through them, then we’ve accomplished something that will continue long after we’ve boarded the plane home. This is what we were passionate about at Go Be Love International and it's what I'm still passionate about today. This trip reminded me of that.

And that’s the kind of missions I want to be part of.