About Mission Waco
Mission Waco is a Christian ministry that reaches out to the poor and marginalized in Waco. It was
founded in 1991 by Jimmy and Janet Dorrell with a generous grant from Christian Ministry Concerns which
was established by Paul and Katie Piper.
In 1978, Jimmy and Janet Dorrell bought a deteriorating house in the middle of a blighted
neighorhood in North Waco. Based on their understanding of incarnational ministry, they sensed their
vocational call was to live among the poor and help bring “good news” through relationships and
empowerment opportunities. The couple began offering children’s and teen clubs each week in their home,
meeting neighbors, and providing assistance to those struggling in the community.
The Dorrells left for a short time (1979-1982) to work in a church in Houston,
followed by a exposure trip around the world, an experience which opened their eyes to the enormous
needs of the hungry, the poor, the unevangelized and the struggling needs of so many around the globe.
Convicted they should return to Waco, a community rich in possibilites with so many Christian students
at Baylor and local churches, yet also the home of large numbers caught in the throes of poverty, they
returned to their aging home to more seriously develop relationship-based ministries.
In 1991, after years of an informal neighborhood ministry, the Dorrells
created “Cross Culture Experiences,” a non-profit Christian organization designed to help students
leave the comfort of their own cultural experiences and come to understand and love the poor and
marginalized. A “poverty simulation,” out-of-country “exposure trips,” and a few neighborhood Bible
clubs filled the their time since the couple were bi-vocational. Within the year, a Christian
foundation (Christian Mission Concerns, established by Paul and Katie Piper) chose to fund a
$75,000 start up program called “Mission Waco” to be led by Jimmy and Janet. Within the year,
the ministry exceeded expectations and CMC relocated oversight to Cross Culture Experiences.
The foundation has continued to help support the ministry from its initiation.
Today Mission Waco operates numerous ministries including a free clinic, homeless shelter, and a drug
and alcohol rehab center.
Mission Waco has a three-fold mission which is to:
1) Provide holistic, relationship-based programs that empower the poor and marginalized
2) Mobilize middle-class Americans to become more compassionately involved among the poor
3) Seek ways to overcome the systemic issues of social injustice which oppress the poor and marginalized.
Read more about Mission Waco at MissionWaco.org
