By Mario Hinen, a 21 Fellow, writing about the experience in Egypt.
My name is Mario, and I had the blessing of serving as a Fellow on the July 2026 trip. I wanted to personally express my gratitude for the opportunity I was given to serve on this trip.
Even as I write the word “serve,” I find myself hesitant to use it. I cannot truly say that I served, because whatever little I was able to offer seems insignificant compared with what I received.
Throughout the trip I found myself witnessing the hand of God at work in the lives of the children, their families, and the reps. I came intending to serve, only to discover that I was the one being served.
The children taught me much. There is an innocence and simplicity in these children that I envy. They have a way of receiving love and even hardship without the layers of calculation that often burden us as adults.
It reminds me of the words of Christ when he says: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:15).
I found myself wishing that my own heart could return to that of a child’s so that I could have a mind less occupied by malice, free from worldly wisdom, and a heart that trusts God at all times.
I often asked the reps why they had remained in this service for so many years. They said it was the magnitude of the need, the lives they had seen transformed, and the remarkable structure and mission of Coptic Orphans.
I began to understand the enormity of the work that was being done. From the outside, it is easy to speak about an organization in terms of programs, numbers, or initiatives. But during the trip, those became real faces, families, stories, and lives.
I was able to see how the opportunities provided by Coptic Orphans can impact the direction of a child’s life.