Four decades of changing people by investing time, love and attention to those in need

At Stand by Me, our mission is to rescue kids from terrible circumstances then do whatever it takes to provide the care, love and attention they need to thrive.

Our kids come from terrible backgrounds, some are orphaned, some abused and some abandoned. They are born into the poorest communities, written off by society but beyond their sadness we see their potential.

We are motivated by Jesus who took action against injustice, fed the hungry, was a friend to the outcast and an advocate for the vulnerable. Together we make lasting improvements to children’s lives, caring for kids just as Jesus would. By investing our time, love and attention we are raising children to know they are loved by Him and accepted for who they are. Right across the world our kids are overcoming obstacles, celebrating achievements and becoming everything they were created to be.

It all began in 1983 with a head teacher of a school in Essex, David Spurdle. While visiting a boys home in war torn Lebanon, he grew restless knowing the tremendous challenges the boys in the home faced. After several visits to the home, David’s heart grew for the boys and he felt he needed to do something and started Stand by Me in his garden shed.

During this time, David worked to get the boys sponsored but there was one boy, Ahmad, who God drew him to. Abandoned by his father, Ahmad, his mother and his four siblings fled from the north of the country to live in war torn Beirut. Too poor to pay for his education, his sisters selling bread on the streets to survive, Ahmad arrived at the children’s home where his and David’s paths first crossed. Back then, David could not imagine that God had amazing plans not only for his life but also for Ahmad’s, and that their lives would be so strongly linked together.

Today, Ahmad is the Executive Director of Stand by Me. Having had a tough start in life, similar to many of the children in our care, Ahmad has been able to relate to our children’s needs and use his understanding and experience to implement our unique child-centred care, which provides for children on every level.

It’s the same love and care David had for the boys in the home in Lebanon that lives on today through the 3,800 children we care for in 7 different countries around the world.

In 2006, we came to know of a town in Ethiopia, which opened our eyes to a new level of poverty. Moved by the commitment of the local church to provide education, we adopted the Bethany School where today we are providing the poorest children with a quality education, daily food, healthcare and family support.

One of the newest Stand by Me children who was rescued in Ethiopia is a boy called Khalid.

It was outside the local mosque, not far from our Bethany School in Ethiopia, a young boy was wandering alone in the rain. He was crying and looking for his mother when someone noticed him. The young boy told them his name was Khalid.

After searching the area and appealing to the crowd in the mosque, it was clear that no one knew who or where the boy’s mother was and so he was brought to the local administration office who found him a foster family.

But it wasn’t long until he was brought to the hospital; unwell, his foot swollen and his belly distended. When the doctors told the foster family his medical results, the foster family refused to take him home. Khalid was instead given to the police station where he stayed, scared and alone, until our Bethany Project Director, Brook, received a call asking Stand by Me to help.

Brook rushed to see Khalid and provided him with clean, warm clothes. He immediately took him to the hospital and met with the hospital director to ensure Khalid would get whatever medical attention he needed.

Thanks to Brook’s resolve, the hospital gave Khalid a bed and we ensured he had a friendly face staying with him day and night as he received treatment.

From Khalid’s words and dialect, we believe he is from a town 50km away. We contacted the local authorities in his hometown, but no child had been reported missing and his mother was nowhere to be found.

Brook said, “I am doing everything I can to assess if Khalid is abandoned and whether we should look after him.Given his medical issues, no one will have him to their houses which is a sad reality. If we are not able to locate his family, the best option is to have him under our care where he would be loved.”

Khalid desperately needed a family, a home and a lot of love and so we welcomed him into our Bethany Children’s Village. He now has a place to call home and is making progress.

God has entrusted Khalid to us and it's thanks to our supporters that we can rescue abandoned children like himandprovide them with all they need to become everything God created them to be.

As we look ahead to the future we know that with your support in showing God’s love to the children we care for, they can know they are loved and valued, and can dream of a bright future.

Danny Moore
Church & Schools Coordinator (Northern Ireland)
Stand by Me