Our History
A Vision Born from Compassion
In 1990, Pastor Sam Martin, founder of The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission, travelled to a remote village outside Nairobi, Kenya. During his visit, he met a young child named Sammy. Like many children in the region at the time, Sammy had been born with AIDS and faced a future marked by poverty, uncertainty, and hardship. Pastor Sam returned home deeply moved by what he had witnessed. Yet the image of children like Sammy remained with him. As he continued serving as a pastor in Ontario, he experienced a recurring vision of children running into the open arms of Jesus—a picture of safety, hope, love, and belonging. What began as a burden soon became a calling.
The Birth of a Mission
On March 17, 1990, members of a church in Pickering, Ontario, gathered to share about a recent ministry trip serving orphaned children in Jamaica. Their testimonies echoed the same burden Pastor Sam had been carrying.
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One team member summed it up simply:
Pastor, we can't stop. We must go on. We must do more to help children. God has blessed us—we must do more."
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Through prayer, wise counsel, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Sam became convinced that God was calling him to establish a ministry dedicated to reaching children living in poverty with both practical care and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In October 1990, The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission was officially founded.
Its purpose was simple yet profound: to bring children into the safety, security, love, and hope found in the arms of Jesus.
A Name Worth Defending
In the early days of the Mission, not everyone supported its name.
Community leaders, advisors, and others questioned whether including the name of Jesus so prominently was wise. Some warned that it was too controversial and would hinder the ministry's growth and opportunities.
Pastor Sam respectfully disagreed.
He believed that if Christ was the reason for the ministry, then Christ should be honoured in its name. The Mission would never exist simply to provide humanitarian aid. Its purpose was to serve children while sharing the hope found in Jesus Christ.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
— Colossians 3:17
More than thirty years later, the name remains unchanged and continues to reflect the Mission's unwavering commitment to keeping Christ at the centre of everything it does.
Building a Ministry in Guatemala
In 1991, AOJ began ministry in Guatemala.
What started as a desire to help children soon grew into a comprehensive ministry serving entire families and communities. Child sponsorship programs were established, allowing children to attend school and receive ongoing support. Christian education became a cornerstone of the ministry, eventually growing into a Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 school serving hundreds of students each year.
As the ministry expanded, so did its outreach. Food distribution programs, home construction projects, evangelism initiatives, local church partnerships, vocational training opportunities, and community support programs were developed to meet both physical and spiritual needs.
Today, Guatemala remains the largest ministry of AOJ, serving hundreds of sponsored children and families through Christ-centred education and community outreach while sharing the Gospel daily.
As the ministry expanded, so did its outreach. Food distribution programs, home construction projects, evangelism initiatives, local church partnerships, vocational training opportunities, and community support programs were developed to meet both physical and spiritual needs.
Today, Guatemala remains the largest ministry of AOJ, serving hundreds of sponsored children and families through Christ-centred education and community outreach while sharing the Gospel daily.
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Expanding the Vision
As the ministry continued to grow, so did the number of people who wanted to support its work.
In 1996, The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission expanded into the United States. By 1997, the Mission had secured U.S. non-profit status and established operations in Buffalo, New York, strengthening its ability to support children and families around the world.
In 1996, The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission expanded into the United States. By 1997, the Mission had secured U.S. non-profit status and established operations in Buffalo, New York, strengthening its ability to support children and families around the world.
Reaching Haiti
In 2003, God opened a new door for ministry in Haiti. Building upon the lessons learned in Guatemala, AOJ established sponsorship programs, Christian education initiatives, feeding programs, vocational training opportunities, and community outreach ministries. Through local partnerships and faithful supporters, children and families began receiving practical assistance while hearing the hope of the Gospel. Today, AOJ Haiti serves hundreds of children through Christian education, sponsorship, vocational programs, food assistance, and Gospel-centred outreach.
A New Chapter
In June 2024, The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission experienced one of the most difficult moments in its history when Founder and Executive Director Pastor Sam Martin unexpectedly passed away.
For more than three decades, Pastor Sam had faithfully led the ministry, championing the cause of vulnerable children and pointing countless people to Jesus Christ. His passing left a profound void among the many children, families, churches, sponsors, staff, volunteers, and supporters whose lives he had touched.
In the months that followed, the Board of Directors, Canada/USA staff, and ministry leaders in Guatemala and Haiti stepped forward with renewed determination to continue the work God had begun.
Later in 2024, Brock Heard, grandson of Pastor Sam Martin, joined the ministry's leadership team and was entrusted with helping lead the Mission into its next chapter. While leadership changed, the mission did not.
For more than three decades, Pastor Sam had faithfully led the ministry, championing the cause of vulnerable children and pointing countless people to Jesus Christ. His passing left a profound void among the many children, families, churches, sponsors, staff, volunteers, and supporters whose lives he had touched.
In the months that followed, the Board of Directors, Canada/USA staff, and ministry leaders in Guatemala and Haiti stepped forward with renewed determination to continue the work God had begun.
Later in 2024, Brock Heard, grandson of Pastor Sam Martin, joined the ministry's leadership team and was entrusted with helping lead the Mission into its next chapter. While leadership changed, the mission did not.
Continuing the Vision
Today, The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission serves more than 1,200 sponsored children through Christian schools, sponsorship programs, vocational training, food assistance, home construction, evangelism, mission teams, and community outreach ministries in Guatemala and Haiti.
While the ministry has grown far beyond what could have been imagined in 1990, the vision remains the same.
Every classroom built. Every child sponsored. Every meal served. Every home constructed. Every Bible lesson taught.
All of it exists for one purpose: to help children and families experience the love, hope, and salvation found in Jesus Christ.
While the ministry has grown far beyond what could have been imagined in 1990, the vision remains the same.
Every classroom built. Every child sponsored. Every meal served. Every home constructed. Every Bible lesson taught.
All of it exists for one purpose: to help children and families experience the love, hope, and salvation found in Jesus Christ.
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Read the Full Story
The history shared on this page only scratches the surface. Pastor Sam Martin chronicled the story of God's leading, provision, and faithfulness through The Arms of Jesus Children's Mission in his books The Promise and The Blessing.
If you would like to learn more about the ministry's journey and the people whose lives have been touched along the way, we invite you to request a copy.
If you would like to learn more about the ministry's journey and the people whose lives have been touched along the way, we invite you to request a copy.
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