'For to us a child is born,
     to us a son is given,
     and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'
-Isaiah 9:6
God's Garden
On December 15, 2017, God called one of His precious children home. Bayron Josue Luna Zamora passed away peacefully in his sleep from natural causes. Bayron was a young man with numerous special needs and medical issues, and while we miss and mourn his presence, we know that he is healthy, whole, and in peace with his Father. Although Bayron was severely limited in his interactions, he touched the lives of his peers, staff, and visitors in profound ways. Bayron will continue to hold a special place in the hearts of all at Emmanuel.

"God looked around the garden and found an empty place. He then looked down upon his earth and saw his tired face. He put his arms around him and lifted him to rest. God's garden must be beautiful. He always takes the best. He knew that he was suffering and he knew he was in pain. He knew that he would never get well on earth again. He saw the road was getting rough, and the hills were hard to climb. So he closed his weary eyes and whispered 'Peace be thine.' It broke our hearts to lose him, but he didn't go alone. For part of us went with him the day God called him home."

'I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.' Psalm 40:1-3
Merry Christmas!
Another Christmas is in the books at Orphanage Emmanuel. The children (and adults!) celebrated on the 24th, beginning with a special lunch of tamales and fried chicken. With full bellies, they anxiously awaited for their name to be called to receive their gifts one by one. The day was filled with laughter and joy as we celebrated the birth of our Savior. We are once again and always amazed by your outpouring of love and by all of the ways in which God blesses His children at Emmanuel through you. We cannot thank you enough for being the hands and feet of Christ and for making this a special day for the children of Emmanuel. We pray that you also had a wondrous, Spirit-filled Christmas!
Congratulations Class of 2017!!!
Congratulations to the Class of 2017! These young adults have completed their last year of high school , and we are so excited to see what God has in store for their lives and proud of the effort and dedication they have demonstrated in their studies. Thank you for your support of and prayers for them over the years and thank you for encouraging them to reach for the stars!
New Children, Sponsorship Opportunities

The Sponsorship Program is our primary source of funds for caring for all of the children here at Emmanuel. It also allows sponsors to establish a personal relationship with an individual child. Sponsors may select a child or we will assign a one. The children at Emmanuel come from difficult circumstances. Some are orphans, some abandoned, abused or come from extreme poverty. Once at Emmanuel, we joyfully assume responsibility for their care - including nutritional food, comfortable and clean clothing and living quarters, as well as educational, medical, and general developmental needs. Most importantly, we strive to give the children strong spiritual guidance.

In the last month, Emmanuel has received approximately 30 new children, many of whom are unsponsored. If you are interested in becoming part of a child's life at Orphanage Emmanuel, please feel free to contact our sponsorship coordinator, Sarah Schuenemeyer, at  emmanuelhonduras@gmail.com   for more information!
Volunteer Opportunities
Over the years, Emmanuel has had the blessing of receiving literally hundreds of volunteers from all over the world. We provide a safe, purpose-filled environment in which many young people have discovered unknown talents, tested their skills, and matured in their walk with Christ. Many of our staff members began as volunteers, and most volunteers find themselves coming back again and again to visit or volunteer. We feel blessed to be a part of so many people's journey of faith.

Our volunteers help in all of those everyday tasks that when caring for 450+ children pile up quickly - we always have dishes to be washed, laundry to be hung up, medicine to be given, babies to be cared for and cuddled, cows to be fed and milked, broken pipes to be fixed, soccer games to be played, hair to be braided, and many other tasks and activities to keep a volunteer occupied. All of that mixed in with a generous amount of hugs makes for a great volunteer experience!

If you feel God calling you to be a part of the lives of His precious children here at Orphanage Emmanuel, please feel free to contact our volunteer coordinator, Morgan Worch, at  volunteeremmanuel@gmail.com   for more information on how to apply.
Prayer Requests
We ask that you keep the nation and people of Honduras in your prayers. Pray for a peaceful resolution of the political turmoil that has been prevalent this month. Pray for wisdom for government officials and the citizens of Honduras.

We ask that you pray for peace and understanding for those mourning the loss of Bayron.

We ask that you pray for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the children and staff of Emmanuel as we enter the New Year.
Emmanuel Wish List
Every single day, hundreds of children go to school, receive medical treatment, and have their needs met at Emmanuel. The following items are those currently needed most for daily operations: 

Medical clinic : Ibuprofen (liquid and tablets), acetaminophen (liquid for children and tablets), cough medicine for children, antibiotics (suspension and tablets), pedialyte, fungus cream, hydrogen peroxide, gauze, craft bags (clear, small bags), address labels, Q-Tips, cotton balls, latex gloves (sizes small and medium), adult sinus cold medicine.  

School : one subject spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, glue bottles, markers, colored pencils, wide-ruled paper, construction paper, copy paper, pencil erasers, small pencil sharpeners, coloring books, rulers. 

Office : Toner (Brother TN450), drum unit (Brother DR420), standard white copy paper, letter-sized manila file folders, plastic key tags, HP 60 ink (tri-color and black), hanging file folders, Return address labels, address labels 

General operations : shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, tennis shoes, jeans, diapers and wipes, skirts, sheets, blankets, socks, underwear (girls and boys)  

Physical donations of above items can be sent to Orphanage Emmanuel c/o Richard Williford, 5111 Browntown Road, Chattanooga, TN 37415. If you would like to contribute financially to any of these needs, you may send a designated check to Orphanage Emmanuel at  715 Moores Mill Drive, Auburn, AL 36830 . If you sponsor or contribute through direct deposit, you may email Rick Tabor at taborrh@auburn.edu to request a one-time donation increase for the purchase of a designated item. 

Please note that the address for Don Reynolds is no longer used in shipping items to Orphanage Emmanuel. Please use address above!
Updated Addresses
  • Please note that all packages and letters going to Emmanuel should be sent to the following address:
Orphanage Emmanuel c/o Richard Williford
5111 Browntown Road
Chattanooga, TN 37415

  • All packages and letters intended to reach Emmanuel should go to this address. Dr. Don's Hixson, TN address is no longer usable.

  • Please send all checks to the following address:
Orphanage Emmanuel
715 Moores Mill Drive
Auburn, AL 36830

  • Please note that ONLY and ALL financial contributions should be sent to Auburn, AL. All letters and packages should go to Chattanooga, TN in order to reach Emmanuel


Please notify us at emmanuelhonduras@gmail.com with any changes in postal or email address. End-of-year contribution letters will be mailed in late-January.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours from all of us at Orphanage Emmanuel!