The rise of short-term international service-learning programs in social work education highlights a critical need for thoughtful program development, particularly in cross-cultural settings with significant social and cultural differences. This critical reflective case study examines the role of a facilitator in a 7-year international social work summer program (2012–2019) at an orphanage in China. Drawing on the service-learning framework of civic engagement, reflection, and reciprocity, the paper analyzes the strategies employed to achieve an ethical, mutually beneficial experience for American social work students and their Chinese partners. The analysis is grounded in the author’s personal observations and thematic analysis of facilitator notes, and structured debriefing sessions. It presents the 3-R Facilitator Model–Relationship Foundation (R1), Recontextualization (R2), and Reciprocity Alignment (R3)—which leverages the intercultural facilitator’s bicultural and bilingual positionality to navigate complex cultural, language, and policy barriers. The paper demonstrates that this unique positionality is a critical asset in bridge-building. Specifically, a structured focus on reflection (R2) helped students move beyond preconceived notions of “helping” to a more nuanced, systemic understanding of local practices and power dynamics. Ultimately, this paper argues that the intentional application of the 3-R model transforms short-term experiences into ethical learning opportunities that benefit all participants, shifting the program dynamic from a “helping/helped” relationship to one of “serving.”