Staff
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Originally from Michigan, Autumn Kerr moved to Nashville, TN in 2002. Before coming on staff at Visiting Orphans, Autumn worked in the advertising agency world for 11 years. Her background is design and writing but her passion is serving the Lord through missions. This passion came alive on a trip to the Philippines in 2007 where she went on a group tour with Compassion International to meet her sponsored child. This trip was truly life changing and Autumn returned home with a heart on fire for missions and doing more to help children around the world. She now sponsors 5 children through Compassion and has been on mission trips to the Philippines, India, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, China, Africa and Haiti.
Autumn came to Visiting Orphans in November 2009 and has served in many roles since - administration, trip coordination, management and now acting Executive Director. Serving on staff at Visiting Orphans is a huge answer to prayer and is truly fulfilling the desires of Autumn’s heart. She considers it a joy and privilege to be a part of the work the Lord is doing to help orphans around the world.
Autumn lives in Nashville, TN and is currently in the process of adopting a little boy from Ethiopia. You can read about it on her adoption blog here.
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Amanda’s story is a great testimony of just, “letting go and letting God.” Traveling the uncharted waters, and just putting all her faith in His path for her...
It was right out of high school that Amanda felt a strong calling to head from small town, comfortable Minnesota to the big city lights in Los Angeles. Not having a clear idea as to what was laid out in front of her (nor knowing anybody or having even ever been there!)—she packed her car and headed west. It was here she became heavily involved in a non-profit organization that introduced her to the wonderful world of charity and working with underprivileged, battered and abused women and children. After five years as the Executive Director of Planet Hope, coordinating and directing annual summer camps, field trips, holiday parties, and national Hope missions to benefit families in the severest of situations, Amanda decided to take her love and passion for helping others and planning events onto a broader scale. She became more involved in the Entertainment industry, producing celebrity events and fundraising galas, as well as coordinating media and talent for red carpets.
And although her agenda was pretty full, her heart wasn’t. It was after working on an event to benefit the children of Sierra Leone that Amanda’s eyes were widened to the world outside domestic poverty. And the gates opened yet again. Amanda picked up her things, hit the road again not knowing anybody, and headed for Nashville. Amanda knew it was her calling to become more involved with advocating orphan awareness. Being introduced to Visiting Orphans has been the answer to her prayers, and she knows this is all Him. She’s humbled to be amongst such an amazing Staff—and even more broken to be part of such a virtuous mission. Even if it’s just one child she reaches, she wants him to know that the Lord is always by his side, carrying him through the darkest alley, and that he’s never forgotten.
In her “free” time, Amanda loves anything adventurous! Traveling, being outdoors, camping, hiking, road-tripping, bbq’ing, bonfiring, being surrounded by friends and family. Laughing! Singing! Blaring music while going on long drives around the countryside! Amanda’s support and foundation comes from her two amazing parents, her older sister who’s married and claims 3, extremely active, little boys, two younger brothers in college, and a Norwegian Elkhound back home in MN.
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Alicia Jordan will be the first to testify of God’s faithfulness and goodness. She has tasted and seen first hand the goodness of God! She has been married to the love of her life for 16 years. After several years of infertility, God blessed them with three children through adoption. They domestically adopted three children as infants within a three-year time period. She will be the first to tell you that neither adoption nor infertility defines their story, the goodness and faithfulness of God is what defines their family. Her life verse is Ephesians 3:20-21 because God has proven time and time again that He does “exceeding abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think”. She wants her life to always give Him glory, because He is worthy!
Alicia has been involved in a variety of ministries including Christian high school teacher, women’s ministry director and assistant preschool minister. Each ministry has prepared her for the next task that the Lord has for her. Her heartfelt message for anyone in this world whether orphan or widow, rich or poor, child or adult is that there is always hope in Christ.
There are two places in the world that she absolutely loves, the beach (especially the Gulf Coast of Florida) and Africa. Her love for the people of Africa and her desire to see God move mightily among the nations is behind all that she does. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Join her in proclaiming this truth until all have heard!
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Frank Pass served in student ministry for 17 years. It was during his time with students that he developed a love for missions. Frank has served full time in missions for the past 2 years leading trips to Peru, Colombia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda and China. Frank's life verse and blueprint for missions can be found in Romans 10:13-15.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ''How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!''
Frank and his wife Robin live in Prattville, AL where they raise 3 daughters, Anne Louise, Katy and Ella Grace. Ella Grace was adopted from China in 2005 and it was this experience that helped to develop his passion for orphan ministry. Frank is active in his church, which is the same church where he and Robin met and married. He teaches an adult Sunday school class and volunteers in the children's and youth ministries when he is not traveling around the world.
Frank is thrilled to be working with and leading teams for Visiting Orphans. He says that when we send teams to visit these precious children we are showing them the love that God shows us. We remind them that there is hope and that they are loved and valued. It is like shining a light in the darkness.
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James is originally from Wausau, WI, and he and his wife, Kelsey, now live in Nashville, TN. James has been involved in multiple ministries over the past several years, and prior to Visiting Orphans he was an intern with one of Visiting Orphans’ partner ministries, His Little Feet. During this time, he toured the U.S. with 15 children from Haiti raising awareness for the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children.
Originally an elementary education major, James has always had a heart for kids, but the past year has been one of gaining God’s heart for the orphaned and vulnerable children around the world and specifically desiring to be a father to the fatherless. His heart is to see the least of these touched by the love of Christ through God’s people and for the American Church to gain a love and passion for embracing James 1:27 through missions. James also has a heart to see the men of God rise up in their God given roles as protectors and providers in order to minister to the fatherless around the world.
Both he and his wife feel called to eventually adopt, as they believe it is one of the best ways to demonstrate God’s love as He has adopted us into His family. They also see themselves being sent overseas long term to serve and advance God’s Kingdom. James is excited to be a part of God’s great work that He is doing through the Visiting Orphans ministry and is expectant for all that the Lord has in store for the trips to come.
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Starting from an early age, Casi has had a heart for orphans and the underprivileged. This passion only intensified after participating in several mission trips over her college spring breaks to Dominican Republic and Mexico where she had the opportunity to visit some orphanages. Casi graduated from Judson University with a Bachelors degree in Mathematics, but felt drawn towards making a positive impact on youth and began her nine year career with Big Brothers Big Sisters. During this time, she was very involved in her church as youth group leader and then as the Outreach Director. With the goal of helping her church to become more externally-focused, she planned and lead mission trips to New Orleans and Honduras. Her relationship with Visiting Orphans began with the trip to Honduras which she helped facilitate as a Visiting Orphans team leader.
Casi has lived in the Chicago area for the last 21 years and recently relocated to Nashville, TN. In 2010, she felt God was preparing her for a transition in her life; she prayed seeking earnestly after God's will and where He was leading her. In March of 2011, she pursued an opening with Visiting Orphans and felt complete peace about making the transition. Working for Visiting Orphans is a perfect fit for her passion to bring hope to the orphans also incorporated with her love for travel. She is so excited to work with the staff at VO, the mission teams, and the ministries and children that Visiting Orphans partners with. She is expectant for what God has in store for her and the lives she can influence by being a part of Visiting Orphans.
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Life is a dream; realize it. Life is a challenge; meet it. Life is an adventure; dare it. –Mother Teresa
From an early age, Hellen had a heart for children and for a life that was unlike the ordinary. She was fascinated with traveling and discovering new people and cultures. After coming to know Jesus personally at age 13, she immediately launched into domestic and international missions. She wanted others to know the love of Jesus that she had discovered. She served on Wydlife and Young Life staff for 4 years while going on short term mission trips from Guatemala to England.
She continued with her education at Converse College and Auburn University. She studied studio art. From there, she was pulled into the corporate world of Macys in New York City. Though she enjoyed NYC, she still felt that she was called to work more directly in full-time ministry. It was at this crossroad that she discovered a ministry called YWAM (Youth With a Mission). And before she knew it, she was on a plane to serve with YWAM in Brisbane, Australia. There, she combined her love for art, music, dance, with her love for the Lord. For 2 years, she served in Australia, India, Thailand, and Malaysia. During her stay, her heart was radically transformed again by the love of Christ. Though her heart was in Australia, after 2 years, she felt the call to leave and head back to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia.
With her season in Savannah, Georgia, she worked with a crisis pregnancy home ministry called The Living Vine. Through those 4 years, she continued to grow and learn about the value of family, forgiveness, God’s unending grace, and the patience to wait for the Lord with every move she made.
God soon led her to Visiting Orphans through a God-ordained connection. She is thrilled to be working with a ministry where she will be able to ignite her love for Jesus, children, travel and the nations to others.
Hellen also loves music, art, dance, fashion, and anything creative. She also loves the outdoors, canoeing, and skydiving.
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Rachel Cook was born and raised in east Tennessee and graduated from the University of TN at Martin with a degree in Accounting. The year of 2000 was a milestone year as she not only obtained her CPA license but also was the year in which she was married to Jason. She has worked in public and private accounting for 9 years. In 2004, God blessed her and her husband with a baby. Rachel felt the call to stop working out of the home to stay with their son, Elijah. Since that time, God also blessed her family with a daughter, Leah Beth. She has thoroughly cherished and enjoyed staying home with the children but recently felt God calling her back to work. She is so excited to use her accounting skills for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ.
Rachel enjoys running, spending time with friends and family and is actively involved in her local church, Thompson Station Church. Rachel also enjoys volunteering at the local food pantry in Spring Hill.
Rachel and Jason went on their first mission trip in 2010 to Ethiopia and it has transformed their lives. The greatest impact and lasting memory of this trip was getting to meet their sponsored child through Project 61, Tigist, and to see the environment in which she was living. The vivid memories from this trip have certainly inspired a great passion for future work locally and globally. The trip also ignited her passion for orphans and caring for the impoverished. Her role at Visiting Orphans is an outstanding opportunity to serve others and God she feels it a true blessing to be apart of this amazing organization!
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Missions, for Merrill, is a calling that runs in her blood. She was born in Kenya where she lived for ten years with her missionary family of six. When she returned to the States, her heart for orphans continued through multiple trips to China, Mexico, and Uganda.
In college, she developed a passion to see justice for victims in sex trafficking and, in turn, completed her undergraduate degree in Political Science-International Relations. She is now pursuing a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. Merrill finds so much joy in helping and serving those in need.
Joining Visiting Orphans has refueled her heart for missions and she is excited to see people awakened to the needs of this world and the powerful work of Jesus. As her dad always said, it is a chance to abandon the cruise ship lifestyle of America and experience God’s love and faithfulness off the grid. Drawn from a popular worship song, her daily prayer is “break my heart for what break Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause…”
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Eleven years ago, Kathleen Carney embarked upon her first international mission trip and was forever changed by the faces of the children in Kigali, Rwanda. It was a memory that was impossible to forget.
David Platt said, “_''Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.'' The desire of Kathleen’s heart was to share that experience with her husband, Jack and three children, Katie, John Thomas and Graham. In 2005, God provided an opportunity for the whole Carney family to go to Zambia. That trip confirmed in Kathleen’s heart that God was calling her to ministry with orphans.
Since that time, she has been able to travel to Africa five times to love on the sweet children in Zambia and Ethiopia. It is pure joy to be able to serve on the mission field with her husband of 28 years and their children.
Having graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Elementary Education, working with children has been a life long passion. Kathleen gained valuable experience in sales, merchandising, and customer service while working in a Christian gift showroom at the Dallas Merchandise Market. It is exciting to see how the Lord used that time at Market to prepare and equip Kathleen to serve at Visiting Orphans.
This past year, the Lord has blessed the Carneys with two new family members- Josh Myers married Katie and Amanda Rigg married John Thomas. Jack and Kathleen celebrated God’s goodness with each wedding.
Their youngest son, Graham, is heading to the University of Tennessee in the fall. As Graham often says, ‘My mom is most in her element when she is with the orphans in Africa or snow skiing!”
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