Think Global, Do Justice

In this episode, Brian Fikkert and Gabriel Walder join the show to tackle critical topics such as helping the church rediscover its identity, divisions within the American church regarding poverty, and the intricate relationship between economic empowerment and family well-being. Additionally, they delve into cross-cultural missions, the significance of community and relationships, and discuss ACE's collaboration with Chalmers Center. Tune in for insightful perspectives on poverty alleviation and community building. Podcast Sponsor Replanted Conference The Replanted Conference provides a time away for caregivers to be refreshed, equipped, and inspired! Join us October 12-14, 2023 in Chicago or at a simulcast location near you. Registration now open! Use code '1MH10' to get your Think Orphan discount! Resources and Links from the show When Helping Hurts Vulnerable Children How Soccer Explains Leadership with Graham Daniels Becoming Whole by Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch Chalmers Center Alliance for Children Everywhere Conversation Notes What does human flourishing look like? (7:30) Helping the church to rediscover who we are (9:00) Supporting organizations to transition to family care (16:00) The division of the American church on why people are poor (22:00) The problems with economic empowerment (24:00) The Graduation Approach of economic empowerment (34:00) Family as the solution and greatest community asset (37:00) Approaching families with humility (41:00) Working cross-culturally in missions (43:00) The imperative of community and relationship (48:00) ACE’s collaboration with Chalmers Center (1:04)

In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we delve into the intriguing concept of "The Gift of Disillusionment" as explored in a recent book co-authored by our guest, Peter Greer. Peter is president and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered micro-enterprise development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Don't miss this captivating conversation that explores the profound perspective that disillusionment can be seen as a gift rather than a setback. Podcast Sponsor Replanted Conference The Replanted Conference provides a time away for caregivers to be refreshed, equipped, and inspired! Join us October 12-14, 2023 in Chicago or at a simulcast location near you. Registration now open! Use code '1MH10' to get your Think Orphan discount! Resources and Links from the show The Gift of Disillusionment Peter Greer's Website Free Hope International Downloads Rooting for Rivals The Intentional Father by Jon Tyson Where the Light Fell by Phillip Yancey Conversation Notes The work of Hope International (7:00) Biggest lessons learned from the last 20 years (12:00) The impact COVID-19 had on impoverished communities (18:00) The impact of war on Hope's extensive work in Ukraine (24:00) Peter shares about the Gift of Disillusionment (32:00) Hope in a world full of cynicism (43:00) Being fully present with others (55:00)

In this Conversation episode, we are bringing together leaders to talk about care reform and transition support services. We have Elli Oswald from Faith to Action, Jonathan Dowell from Weza Care Solutions, and Hannah Won from ACCI. These leaders come with many years experience from providing direct services in an orphanage to leading organizations committed to supporting orphanages to transition their models. In addition to the audio podcast, you can check out the video podcast on 1MILLIONHOME's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@1MILLIONHOMEofficial Podcast Sponsor Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit CAFO2023 is a gathering of more than 2,000 Christian orphan care leaders, parents and practitioners coming together from over 50 countries to worship and learn together. The event is September 20th-22nd in Oklahoma City. Register today! Resources and Links from the show Think Orphan Episode 162: The Global Church Pledge with Elli Oswald and Karen Springs Better Care Network: Phases of Transition Changing Mindsets and Practice from ACCI Transitioning Support Survey by Faith to Action 1MILLIONHOME's Youtube channel Conversation Notes Hannah shares about her experience with transition (6:00) Jonathan's background in corporate to Agape (9:00) Systems of protection and care are in reform (14:30) External pressure towards reform (23:00) Keeping donors engaged through transition (35:00) Care reform in Kenya (37:00) Giving local communities the resources they need (41:00) Being strategic and thoughtful with all stakeholders (58:00) Why do we need to look at policy and frameworks of organizations? (1:00:00) Restoring relationships (1:05:02) Resources, tools, people (1:09:00) First step advice (1:17:50)

This week we have the co-author of Freeing Congregational Mission, Dr. Hunter Farrell. He served as a long-term missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru and now works as the Director of the World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Dr. Farrell brings a wealth of first hand and research knowledge about Christian Mission. After 35 years in intercultural missions, he is calling for a reframing of missions. What would it look like to approach missions with a learning posture? How can we create spaces of connection for shared learning across cultures? Podcast Sponsor Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit CAFO2023 is a gathering of more than 2,000 Christian orphan care leaders, parents and practitioners coming together from over 50 countries to worship and learn together. The event is September 20th-22nd in Oklahoma City. Register today! Resources and Links from the show Freeing Congregational Mission Village Reach Quiet The Power of Introverts Conversation Notes Hunter brought back to faith in Congo (4:50) Defining missions (10:00) The three stones framework (15:00) Cultural humility and learning posture (20:00) Problematic attitude of giving without receiving (24:00) Creating spaces of connection and horizontal learning (40:00) Unintended consequences of child sponsorship (42:00) Redeeming short-term missions (51:00) Key differences in cultures (57:00)

In this Conversation episode, we're joined by four child welfare leaders to dive into the nuances, challenges and triumphs of pioneering foster care throughout the world. On the show is Ian Forber-Pratt from Children's Emergency Relief International, Tara Garcia from Identity Mission, Sebilu Bodja from Bethany Christian Services, and Martus Greyvenstein from Kin Culture. We'll dive into all the nitty-gritty of foster care including questions like "Is foster-to-adopt bad?" "How do you promote something that is completely foreign in many contexts?" and "What role does foster care play in getting kids out of orphanages?" In addition to the audio podcast, you can check out the video podcast on 1MILLIONHOME's new YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@1MILLIONHOMEofficial Podcast Sponsors Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit CAFO2023 is a gathering of more than 2,000 Christian orphan care leaders, parents and practitioners coming together from over 50 countries to worship and learn together. The event is September 20th-22nd in Oklahoma City. Register today! Resources and Links from the show Think Orphan Episode 181: Driving Innovation in Child Welfare with Ian Forber-Pratt Think Orphan Episode 30: Revolutionizing Orphan Care in India with Ian Forber-Pratt 1MILLIONHOME's new Youtube channel Conversation Notes Foster care across cultural contexts (14:00) Building awareness for foster care (17:00) Partnering with the local church in foster care (20:00) The importance of defining terms (27:00) Using what’s working culturally (43:00) Recruiting families who root for the biological family (47:00) Pioneering care reform in Honduras (54:00) Collaboration between governments and organizations (59:00) The role of the local church (1:10:00)

In our second Conversations episode, we're joined by Anna Jackson from Montaña  de Luz in Honduras, Brent Phillips from Cherish Uganda, and Dan Stoehr from Reach Ministries in the US, to discuss HIV/AIDS today. What is the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world today? What are the challenges care providers face? Find out how these leaders are working to overcome stigma and other obstacles. Also, you can check out the video conversation on 1MILLIONHOME's new YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@1MILLIONHOMEofficial Podcast Sponsor Attachment and Trauma Focused Therapy by Deborah Gray The ATFT course will prepare you to treat attachment, trauma, and loss issues in children; families. The course teaches approaches for prenatal exposure, executive dysfunction, and family maltreatment. Resources and Links from the show Global HIV & AIDS statistics — Fact sheet Christianity Today: When Politics Saved 25 Million Lives Think Orphan Episode 190: HIV/AIDS, Child Sponsorships and Fundraising Excellence with Brent Phillips Conversation Notes Current HIV/AIDS data across the globe (4:00) The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa (6:00) Stigma remains one of the greatest hurdles across countries (10:30) Medicine the constant reminder (16:00) How COVID-19 impacted HIV treatment (19:00) Mother to child transmission in the Global South (26:00) Medicine accessibility in Honduras (40:00) Overcoming the stigma with stories (45:00) The changing perception of HIV (49:00) Overcoming stigma with skits and outreach in Central America (55:00) One thing you want people to know (59:00)

In our first ever Conversations episode, we're bringing together four global care leaders to talk about Central American cultural contexts, cycles of poverty and violence, family separation and the push factors leading migrants to flee the region. Joining the show is Kara Garcia of Project RED in El Salvador, Erica Switzer of Embraced Intl. in Honduras, Levi Bareither of Story Intl. in Guatemala and long-time children's advocate Onesimo Feliz. Podcast Sponsors Attachment and Trauma Focused Therapy by Deborah Gray The ATFT course will prepare you to treat attachment, trauma, and loss issues in children; families. The course teaches approaches for prenatal exposure, executive dysfunction, and family maltreatment. Resources and Links from the show Migration Policy - Central American Immigrants Think Orphan Episode 183 - Strengthening Children and Families in El Salvador with Kara Wilson Garcia Show Notes Increasing levels of migrants and asylum seekers at US southern border (7:00) Kara shares about the current environment in El Salvador (9:00) Erica contrasts El Salvador with the work Embrace is doing in Honduras (13:00) Levi shares about the situation in Guatemala (22:00) Generational poverty paired with lack of opportunity as a driving force (28:00) Reunifying children within violent and unpredictable environments (30:20) Strengthening families as a preventative factor in migration (33:00) Onesimo shares the role of pastors in Latin America (42:00) Multiple layers of generational, historical, complex issues (58:00) We need more empathy for asylum seekers (1:00:00)

This week we have the privilege of delving deeper into the remarkable life story of Mohamed Emmanuel Nabieu. In his captivating memoir, My Long Journey Back Home, Nabs shares his resilient spirit and unwavering determination to overcome the challenges that marked his childhood and youth. In his second appearance on Think Orphan, Nabs shares more powerful insights. Discover how he is harnessing the strength of his past to forge a path of empowerment, not only for himself but for countless others who have experienced similar adversity. Podcast Sponsors Attachment and Trauma Focused Therapy by Deborah Gray The ATFT course will prepare you to treat attachment, trauma, and loss issues in children; families. The course teaches approaches for prenatal exposure, executive dysfunction, and family maltreatment. Join the Haiti Family Care Network at the Better Together Conference this July! The Better Together conference will provide a dedicated space and time to convene, share, and learn over two and half days in Nashville. Resources and Links from the show My Long Journey Back Home Watch Nabs on TedxUSW Helping Children Worldwide Show Notes What prompted the writing of My Long Journey Back Home (11:20) A loss of family, community, culture, language, identity (12:00) Cultivating resilience and being transformed (13:30) Spreading the message about care reform and importance of families (14:00) Reflecting on diverse childhood experiences (16:50) Growing up with family (17:00) Navigating life on the streets (20:00) Family cannot be replaced (23:00) It is better to grow up in a poor family than a rich orphanage (26:00) The abuse in institutions is higher than in families (28:10) It’s more expensive to run an institution to family-care (29:00) Being taken away to the orphanage (29:30) Care without losing identity, connection, belonging (31:00) Creating bigger problems by removing children from families (32:00) Ways that missionaries have undermined connections with local communities (33:00) Changing development to ask communities, what do you need? (35:00) Undermining cultural ethics of countries (36:00) Understanding the cultural differences and how it can create challenges (38:00) Transitioning to family care (40:00) Providing hands up not hand outs (44:00) When families get stronger, so do communities (47:00) Years of cultivating a relationship with the government (51:00) Nab’s recommendations (56:00)  

This week we are joined by Tiffany Bluhm, the author of Prey Tell and Never Alone. She speaks at conferences, companies, and churches, and her work has been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, Sojourners, Red Letter Christians, the YouVersion Bible app, Jenny McCarthy Show, and more. She serves at the intersection of faith and culture, humor and women’s issues. She lives in the PNW with her husband and two sons. In this episode, Tiffany helps us navigate hard conversations around abuse of power and what it means to create systems of accountability. Podcast Sponsors Faith to Action Initiative is hosting an upcoming webinar on Jun 8, 2023! Sign up today! Beyond Selfie Missions: How Missions Became All About ‘Me’ and What to do About It. You will learn practical ways to negate “selfie missions”, realign your missions efforts with the heart of God, and participate in transformational and reconciling missions work around the world. Join the Haiti Family Care Network at the Better Together Conference this July! The Better Together conference will provide a dedicated space and time to convene, share, and learn over two and half days in Nashville. Resources and Links from the show Tiffany's Website Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up Speaker | Tiffany's Speaking Page Co-Host | Why Tho Podcast Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Show Notes Tiffany Bluhm joins and shares her background (6:40) The importance of representation in early childhood (7:00) Adopting from East Africa (16:00) What you’ve learned as an adoptive parent (19:00) Navigating complex trauma and creating safe homes (20:00) The importance of self-care for ourselves (21:00) The unique isolation of motherhood and not wanting to burden others (22:00) Creating community and places families can connect (26:05) Tiffany’s take on “Adoption is trauma” (27:00) Trying to reconcile with family before international adoption (34:00) Tiffany’s book ‘Prey Tell’ Discussing abuse of power (40:00) Biblical example of serving as an ally and bystander intervention (42:00) Demanding systematic accountability (43:00) When we see an imbalance of power (46:00) True accountability outside of the organization (50:00) Conflict of interest between leaders and boards (51:00) Pathways of reporting that are anonymous (52:00) What Tiffany’s currently working on (55:00) Tiffany’s personal recommendations (56:30) Brandon and Phil’s recap (59:00) 

This week, Jason Johnson from Christian Alliance for Orphans returns to the show. Jason is a writer and speaker who encourages families and equips church and organizational leaders on their foster care and adoption journeys. In this episode, Jason names and shares many of the struggles and challenges that foster and adoptive parents go through. He encourages us to find safe spaces and communities where we can process our emotions and have open and honest conversations. Podcast Sponsor Faith to Action Initiative is hosting an upcoming webinar on Jun 8, 2023! Sign up today! Beyond Selfie Missions: How Missions Became All About ‘Me’ and What to do About It. You will learn practical ways to negate “selfie missions”, realign your missions efforts with the heart of God, and participate in transformational and reconciling missions work around the world. Resources and Links from the show Jason's Blog Reframing Foster Care Everyone Can Do Something Episode 167: Jason Johnson Everyone Can Do Something Episode 216: Poverty and Family Separation in US Child Welfare with Sarah Winograd Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Quit by Annie Duke Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Biola Missions Conference on YouTube Show Notes Jason catches us up on what he’s been doing (5:00) The differences in how men and women approach fostering (8:10) Leading and following (11:00) Naming the struggles and grief involved in foster care(15:50) Giving ourselves the permission to think and feel (18:30) Being able to lean into the community around us (21:30) Improving how we do church engagement (25:00) Helping churches know how to care (28:00) Making the church our audience (31:00) Engagement as partnership (33:00) Urgency can breed scarcity (34:00) Focusing on family preservation and preventative measures (43:00) Living within the tensions and the need for foster care (45:00) Reckoning with the reality (46:00) Gaps and the spirit of scarcity (53:00) Gaps in the prevention space (56:00) Strategic benevolence and investing in the lives of at-risk families (58:50) Jason’s recommendations (1:00:00)