n February 4, 1976, at 3:01 a.m., the ground moved beneath Guatemala. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake centered on the Motagua Fault, about 100 miles northeast of Guatemala City, capital of the Central American country. Instant burials and painful injuries came without warning to those asleep.

In the days that followed, the death toll climbed to an estimated 23,000 people. Thousands of surviving children were left parentless and homeless.

ICC’s Beginning in Guatemala

In 1978, to help meet the ongoing needs of some of these children, retired Pastor Kenneth Fleck and his wife, Alcyon, founded International Children’s Care (ICC). Starting with a single home in Guatemala, they began the work of bringing hope to a few orphan children.

Since then, the organization, headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, has grown to serve orphaned or abandoned children in a dozen locations, including Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nicaragua, Romania, and Zambia.

At each project, married couples become house parents to about 10 children. There may be anywhere from two to a dozen houses on campus, depending on the need and funding.

Giving Kids Hope in Life

“None of the children that find a home with ICC have a good story,” says Doug Congleton, executive director. “Every child’s experience you hear just seems to get worse, but ICC is a place that changes lives. Our mission is to give these kids hope in life—a home, food, love, family, and education. Over the years, thousands of children have been helped by ICC and the many donors who sponsor children and our work.”

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