The New Life Children 's Refuge ( NLCR ) was founded in November 2009 by Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter , who are both members of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian , Idaho . The organization described itself as a " non‐profit Christian ministry dedicated to rescuing , loving and caring for orphaned , abandoned and impoverished Haitian and Dominican children , demonstrating God ’s love and helping each child find healing , hope , joy and new life in Christ . " The charity claimed to be in the process of acquiring land to build an orphanage as well as a church and school in Magante on the Northern coast of the Dominican Republic . NLCR further intended to provide adoption opportunities for American " loving Christian parents " . On January 12 , 2010 , Haiti was struck by a major earthquake and NLCR quickly formed the " Haitian Orphan Rescue Mission " , a group of ten people from the Central Valley Baptist Church and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls , Idaho . Both churches are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The mission 's plan was to go to Haiti and bring a hundred orphans to Cabarete , Dominican Republic , where NLCR had leased a hotel to serve as a temporary orphanage
struck by a major earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
New Life Children's Refuge case