Clark and Melinda Vaughn

Melinda and Clark with an orphan (http://www.forhischildren-ecuador.org/fhcmain.php?pg=08)

Clark and Melinda Vaughn are two amazing, caring and faithful people. In 1989 the couple and their two youngsters, Phillip and Leslie, journeyed to Quito, Ecuador on a mission trip. While there, they felt God was calling them to help the many abandoned children in the area. Once back in California, the Vaughns prayerfully made the life-changing decision to sell their new home and successful law firm. Two months later they moved their family back to Ecuador. An extraordinary amount of faith in God enabled their move.

Soon after they settled into their tiny apartment, the family asked the government if they could take in the uncared-for orphans. Unsure of the newcomers, the government refused their request to help Ecuadorian children. Many months later and after a lot of petitions to the authorities, the family received their first orphan. She was an extremely malnourished baby girl who died in Clark's arms three days later. This tragedy was a huge blow to the Vaughn's dreams and hopes. However, the government continued to send them more unwanted children from the state-run homes and hospitals. Clark and Melinda named the orphanage "For His Children" and received financial aid from their California church and friends. Today they care for more than seventy children, ranging in age from newborn to fourteen years. Since their rough start in 1990, the Vaughns have lovingly nurtured over 400 children and have placed many with families in homes all over the world.

The Vaughns are heroes because they put so much faith in God, and trusted that He would take care of their needs as they cared for others. In spite of hard times and primitive conditions, they never gave up the dream God put in their hearts.

When I was seven years old my family and I had the chance to take our first mission trip to visit and work at their orphanage. That experience opened my eyes to a new world in which I am now eager to explore and live in some day. Since that first journey, I have made five more trips to "For His Children" to work with the babies. The entire Vaughn family has brought hope and a future to so many neglected orphans. The biggest reason that I consider them heroes is that in December my family will go back to Ecuador to bring home my new little sister, who the Vaughns have cared for since her birth. Without question, the Vaughns are amazing heroes.