In 2018 Emily went on a mission trip to Panama. She saw many children in need there and she knew God was stirring in her to do something. On that same trip, a mother there told Emily to take her son to America. Emily was willing and tried to adopt little Ricardo. During these months of praying for Ricardo and sending missionaries to go check on him, it ended up that Ricardo’s entire family found Jesus during this time! What we thought was a rescue mission for Ricardo, was actually God reaching down to rescue his family. Ricardo is doing great. The heart we had to move mountains FOR THE ONE, for little Ricardo, is where we got the name of our organization. For the One International was born in 2018. We knew if we could have that attitude of serving and changing even one child’s life, it would all be worth it.

After our trip to Panama together in 2019, doors began to open for us to partner with existing ministries there and take over the funding of two feeding centers. We saw malnutrition being the immediate need. There are currently 400 children who get one meal per day. We partner with missionaries on the ground there that are currently teaching agriculture to these people so they will be educated and equipped to feed their children. After we open up more centers and get these kids healthy, our ultimate vision is that these feeding centers are a thing of the past. We will also be expanding our reach to serving orphans. We know we are called to Panama and called to begin our work there. Effective feeding centers for malnourished children are needed in so many places. We see this organization one day serving children around the world.

For the One International is currently focusing all energy and efforts to serving children in the San Blas Islands off the east coast of Panama. There are 47 inhabited islands in this region. Emily’s grandfather, Pastor John Brady, began traveling to this region in 1959. He went as an Evangelist to share Jesus with this remote group of Kuna Indians. He passed the torch on to Emily’s uncle, Pastor Johnny Brady. Johnny has been going to these islands for 32 years and takes teams each year to play basketball with the locals and share the love of Jesus. It was in her blood to fall in love with this place! We know God has called us to open a nonprofit and start our work in Panama, and we see this organization expanding to touch children’s lives all over the world. 

We saw that malnutrition was the triage situation and the immediate need. The reason that malnutrion is so prevalent here is hard to say. The main reason is poverty. These people are in an area where it is hard to make money to buy food. Another reason is lack of education on how to use the resources they do have.  We work closely with an agriculture program we are partnered with. Kuna Agriculture Fund organization is actively teaching and training men and women of this region to farm and also how to raise animals. The family of that organization, The Gruver’s, have paved the way with the feeding centers and relationships in this area. We are so thankful for them and their mentorship.