Samuel’s House began as a vision of our founders, Gary and Patty Heiney.  In 1993, after serving many years as pastors and youth directors in Missouri, God led Gary and Patty to Caracas, Venezuela.  They were struck by the number of children homeless and living on the streets!  They saw the hurting and hopelessness and wanted to do something to show God’s love to these forgotten ones.

As they began their ministry, God used Gary and Patty to build churches, a Teen Challenge rehabilitation center and in several other construction projects.  Additionally, they ministered to national baseball teams, worked with street ministries, were involved with Christian television and ministered on university campuses through Chi Alpha.  But the desire to make a more permanent and lasting impact on the children of Venezuela continued to grow.  They wanted to build a refuge for abandoned and orphaned children; a place where they could be raised in a family environment with a foundation of faith and love.

It wasn’t until 2005 that God cleared all the major obstacles and construction of Samuel’s House began.  Over the years, through partnerships with churches, businesses and individuals, we have built a place orphaned and abandoned children can call “home.”  Today, Samuel’s House is comprised of three properties spanning almost 150 acres which includes a small farm and a campground, as well as, other revenue generating opportunities.

Samuel’s House was built to be a place where children in at-risk situations can find the peace and comfort of a loving family in a Christ-centered environment.  It is a community of individual homes built on a foundation of faith and family.  We want to be an organization that brings lasting change for generations of children.  In order to accomplish this goal, we need sustainable sources of income in addition to national staff and volunteers who are married to our mission and vision.  We have several on-going sustainability projects that we expect will generate revenue for Samuel’s House and give back to the local community.

We know the importance of education in a child’s life.  Therefore, we have built a school to serve not only the needs of the children at Samuel’s House, but also the children of our neighboring community.  The school includes programs for the arts, languages and music, as well as, programs specifically designed for children with learning disabilities.  If you would like to make a financial donation to our school project, click here.

The facilities of Camp Valle Alegre are available to churches, businesses and individuals for special events or just to get away from the city.  The proceeds from the campground rentals are a major part of our self-sustaining efforts.  Working at the campground’s facilities gives the children at Samuels House opportunities to acquire a variety of skills and earn some money.  For more information, click here to visit the website.

As part of our efforts to be self-sustaining, we raise several crops.  In addition to avocado, orange, lime and mango trees, we raise tomatoes, Vidalia onions, peppers and more.  We not only use the produce in the children’s home, but also sell to those in our surrounding communities.  Additionally, we raise hens (for egg production), pigs and horses.

Through generous donations of equipment and other resources, we now have a facility and the means for screen-printing.  Our goal is to raise funds for Samuel’s House and to spread the word about our work here in Venezuela.  An additional benefit is the skills the older children can learn in design and production techniques.

The success of Samuel’s House would not be possible without your donations, volunteer work and our sponsors, we are so grateful for your contributions.

We are a 501C3 tax-exempt organization so all U.S. donations are tax-free. If you would like to drop off or ship a donation, please contact us to make arrangements.

Online donations can be made via PayPal by following the links to Samuel’s House, Camp Valle Alegre, or for the Elementary School project.

Online giving can be made through PayPal or Zelle®: gheiney@yahoo.com or by check.

Checks or money orders can be sent via First Class Mail and made payable to Samuel’s House, 2402 S 17th Ave Ozark, Mo. 65721. Or, if you prefer to send your financial support through Assemblies of God World Missions, mail your check to AGWM Contributions, 1445 N Boonville Ave, Springfield MO 65802.

Direct deposits can be made to Samuel’s House via Bank of America. If you do make an over-the-counter donation at the bank, please send us an email with your contact information and amount of donation. We need this to comply with federal tax laws.