No Boundaries International helps the hurting

We’ve all been hurting at various times in our lives. No Boundaries International (NBI) is a non-profit, faith-based organization that works to restore, train, and deploy the hurting in the heart of OKC and beyond.

Near-death experience leads to a new purpose

In 2006, NBI founders Dr. Lori Basey and Sandy Orchard had just returned from a trip to Africa when Lori had a near-death experience. “We decided we wanted to spend our lives training others who could help to serve those who were in desperation,” Lori shared.

They founded No Boundaries International, utilizing their medical careers to help the underserved. Lori had a career as an occupational therapist, and Sandy was a nurse.

“Originally NBI was primarily focused internationally in areas with natural or man-made disasters,” Lori said. “The areas [we] served in were with child soldiers, earthquake victims, civil war, homelessness, prostitution, human trafficking, sex slaves, and sexual exploitation.”

In 2011, they expanded that to include human trafficking and prostitution in the Oklahoma City area. Lori explained, “We developed a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach and train many in our community to reach out in love with a trauma-informed approach to this suffering from homelessness, prostitution, human trafficking, mental health issues, anxiety, trauma, and more.”

Making a difference

Lori enjoys the impact NBI has through their training. “We are able to guide those who can make a difference with time or resources to those who are in desperation in our community,” Lori said. “Everyone wins, and lives are changed.”

Volunteers make the work NBI does possible. “We are an all-volunteer driven organization, and no one gets paid,” Lori shared. “98.9% of everything that comes in goes back out to help those that we serve.” The NBI team believes that easing the suffering of others takes a community response.

Another part of that community response includes other nonprofit organizations that NBI collaborates with. They’ve teamed up with others to create an app, podcast, and many other resources to share with those who are suffering.

Ultimately, nothing warms Lori’s heart quite as much as seeing someone who was suffering ultimately helping others. “We have a get help, get well, and give back strategy for those walking out of hard places,” she said.

Success through outreach

NBI has several outreach programs they utilize to help make a difference. These include street outreach, homeless outreach, food truck outreach, and providing for the basic needs many people need help with.

That outreach is key to their success. “We define success as reaching out in love to those who want more in life,” Lori shared, “and to make a difference through training and reaching out to those desperate in our community.”

What continues to motivate Lori and Sandy to this day? It’s evident that the trip to Africa and the subsequent near-death experience contribute, but they view their faith as the biggest motivator.

“We have a personal relationship with Jesus,” Lori said. “With our love for him, [we] know that it only takes a short time to make a lifetime of difference in the lives of those who we train and serve.”