Think Global, Do Justice

This week we've got Kim de Blecourt from Nourished Hearts back on the show to talk with us about their ministry in Ukraine, the effects of the war on vulnerable children and the importance of coming alongside indigenous churches. Nourished Hearts is a ministry that encourages, inspires, and creates community around those who are involved with adoption, foster care, or orphan care internationally. Podcast Sponsor Masters Program at Multnomah University in Global Development and Justice The M.A. in Global Development and Justice (MAGDJ) program prepares students to work across the nexus of justice, peace building, and transformational community development work. The curriculum seeks to develop compassionate leaders, who are trauma-informed and prepared to support human flourishing in whatever context they work in. Resources and Links from the show BBC Article: Deportation of Ukrainian Children to Russia Kim's Website Nourished Hearts I Call You Mine: Embracing Adoption Relevant Magazine: Re-envisioning Orphan Care Relevant Magazine: Better Way to Talk about Adoption Think Orphan Episode 107. Be Patient with Kim de Blecourt Show Notes Kim shares her background (6:30) Kim shares about her recent experience in Ukraine (10:00) Trying to meet the needs of the internally displaced (12:30) Rising concerns for children in Ukraine (17:00) War crimes related to separating families (25:00) Knowing the heart of God and identifying with the orphan (32:00) God labels himself as the Father of the Fatherless (36:07) Importance of translating materials to other languages (38:30) Rick Warren as one person who has impacted Kim’s thinking (52:00) Phil and Brandon recap the conversation (55:10) The importance of connections and networking (57:00) Just doing the next right thing (1:00:00) Relevant Magazine article ‘A Better Way to Talk about Adoption’ (1:03:00)  

Kimberly Quinley, a pioneer of family-based care, has spent nearly 40 years serving in Thailand. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Step Ahead, an organization committed to see all children in Thailand grow up in safe and nurturing families. Kimberly is a founding leader for Strong Families Alliance Thailand (SFAT), a Christian alliance with the same vision and goals as World Without Orphans. In episode 220, we cover everything from the core pillars of family strengthening, to collective impact, creating national roadmaps, and more. Podcast Sponsor JOURNEYHOME is offering online courses and practical resources for reforming models of care throughout the world. Created by seasoned frontline practitioners, the instructors in our community share field-tested and solution-based content to safely and effectively get kids home. Reintegrating Children with Disabilities into Family: Around the world, children with disabilities are 17x more likely than typically developing children to end up living in an institution. Our hope is that this course will help your organization find a way home for children with disabilities. Resources and Links from the show Urban Halo by Craig Greenfield Step Ahead Thailand Think Orphan Episode 51 with Delia Pop Show Notes Introducing Kimberly Quinley (7:00) Understanding the reality of orphanages (9:00) Starting Step Ahead (10:30) One mother’s dilemma (12:00) Keeping families together is the best thing to do (15:20) Cross cultural insights, do your homework (18:00) Poverty is great reason children enter care (19:00) Come listen, and learn (20:00) Push and pull factors for children in residential care (25:00) Children at risk of trafficking (29:00) Strengthening families is most needed (35:00) Defining family strengthening (39:00) Different areas of family strengthening (40:00) Connecting families to services (43:00) Collective impact model (50:00) Defining shared vision (53:00) Monitoring and evaluation (55:00) Creating leadership (58:30) Drafting a national roadmap (59:00) Kimberly’s recommendations (1:03) Brandon and Phil recap the conversation (1:15)   Find additional shows and resources on thinkorphan.com 

In episode 219, Lindsay Hadley is on to discuss the upcoming release of the documentary "Uncharitable". After many years in the nonprofit sector, Lindsay has become one of the most sought-after consultants and producers. This conversation challenges us to envision an unconstrained nonprofit sector. What if the charities could attract the best leaders, talents, and ideas? What if smaller operations with less impact stopped and those resources went to the best organization solving the problem? We get into these questions and more in this episode of Think Orphan. Podcast Sponsor Multnomah University's Masters in Global Development and Justice The M.A. in Global Development and Justice (MAGDJ) program prepares students to work across the nexus of justice, peacebuilding, and transformational community development work. The curriculum seeks to develop compassionate leaders, who are trauma-informed and prepared to support human flourishing in whatever context they work in. Resources and Links from the show Uncharitable Documentary Dan Pallotta's Ted Talk - The Way We Think about Charity is Dead Wrong Lindsay's Book Recommendation- Bonds that Make Us Free Show Notes Lindsay shares her background in nonprofit (5:05) Her involvement working in orphan care and global poverty (7:30) Overhead myth and a real example (17:25) Ted Talk behind 'Uncharitable' (24:00) Lindsay explains her role as an executive producer (33:00) The role risk plays for non-profits (38:00) Appreciation in the non-profit sector (49:00) The best organizations would grow (51:00) Lindsey’s book recommendation (55:00) To see ourselves in the other (57:00) Lindsey’s most influential person (59:00) Joe Ritchie on Caring for Orphans (1:00:00) Brandon and Phil recap their talk with Lindsey (1:02:00)  The overhead myth (1:03:00)

In episode 218, we hear from lawyer and professor, Elizabeth Kirk. Elizabeth is the Director of the Center for Law and the Human Person, as well as a research associate at The Catholic University of America. Her work spans a variety of law in child welfare, parental rights, and adoption policy. In addition to her career, her lived experiences as an adoptee and an adoptive parent, give her a unique perspective and voice to speak into the conversation happening around adoption today. She talks with Brandon about the role that infant adoption could play following last year's Dobbs decision at the Supreme Court, misconceptions around adoption, as well as insight on the decision making process for women that have an unplanned pregnancy. Podcast Sponsor Masters Program at Mulnomah University in Global Development and Justice The M.A. in Global Development and Justice (MAGDJ) program prepares students to work across the nexus of justice, peacebuilding, and transformational community development work. The curriculum develops compassionate leaders and professionals, who are trauma-informed and prepared to support human flourishing in whatever context they work in. Resources and Links from the show LifeMark movie Show Notes Elizabeth shares her background and what drew her into this work (5:20) The role of adoption in a post Roe vs. Wade world (13:00) Overviewing pro-choice arguments against adoption (14:52) A view of pregnancy that includes communities (18:20) Mothers and decision making in adoption (24:50) A global south perspective (27:20) Misconceptions concerning adoption (29:00) Elizabeth’s adoption experience and a story from a birth mother (35:20) Is adoption a viable option in a birth mother’s mind? (49:00)

In episode 217, we have a special on the ground episode to share how one organization's journey and commitment to reunifying families has inspired others. Trust for Africa's work in Lesotho has gone beyond their own organization and now supports other organizations to transition to family-based care. Naomi Schalm, Mafusi Semethe, Mbele Horoto, and Bokang Lipholo all join us in this conversation to celebrate the movement underway in Africa's "Kingdom of the Sky." Podcast Sponsor JOURNEYHOME is offering online courses and practical resources for reforming models of care throughout the world. Created by seasoned frontline practitioners, the instructors in our community share field-tested and solution-based content to safely and effectively get kids home. Resources and Links from the show Trust for Africa On the Ground in Lesotho- The Power of Family Reunification   Show Notes The challenges for children in residential care (4:45)  Ramping up family tracing efforts (5:48) The hard work of individualized care plans (6:55)  Importance of follow-up after placement (7:40)  One 12 year old’s journey home (10:20) Another story of family separation and reunification (12:40) Are we including children in their restoration? (15:20) Mafusi asks what can we do differently?  (18:15) The start of training other orphanages and childcare workers (19:20) Making plans to reunify children (20:30) Family strengthening programs (23:00) The importance of following up with families (26:00) Emotional and psychological challenges for children in care and building resilience (28:15) Resolving misunderstandings (30:00) Mbele on children aging out of the orphanage (39:00) On influencing the country and bringing change (41:30) Concerns about transitioning (42:10) Director of an orphanage, Bokang, shares about kids aging out (45:30) Addressing more than material needs (46:40) Children visiting families during holidays (48:40) A vision to help more children with a different model (49:30)   Visit thinkorphan.com for additional resources and stories.

In episode 216, we hear from US care reform leader, Sarah Winograd from Together for Families. Sarah speaks passionately about the complexities in child welfare and foster care as a system, how poverty contributes to family separation, and the problematic ways we've seen and judged birth families. She asks the hard questions- if most children aren't coming into foster care because of abuse, what resources and systems are we investing in to keep those families together? What are we doing to intervene and stabilize families in order to prevent separation and keep children in families? Can the church do better? Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 215, we have the privilege of sitting down with Jenn Hook to glean from her experiences in the foster care system and hear about her newly released book, Thriving Families. Jenn is the Founder and Executive Director of Replanted. She's also the author of Replanted: Faith Based Support for Adoptive and Foster Families.   Attachment and Trauma Focused Therapy Course by Deborah Gray - Link Use the Promo Code "ATFT99" at checkout to take advantage of this limited time deal   Full show notes and links can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 214, we've got filmmaker and justice advocate Jeff Rogers on the show. Jeff talks with us about his work over the years that has highlighted and advocated for children outside of parental care and communities that have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Jeff shares with us about the new feature documentary Beyond the Island which tells the story of HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea and highlights the work of advocates and the triumph of overcomers. Through the conversation, we learn more about the role that filmmaking plays in enacting community change and advocating for vulnerable children. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 213, Brandon and Phil reflect on 2022 and look forward to 2023 for the podcast and orphan care ministries. This is our annual show to share the state of Think Orphan and what exciting things are coming down the pipe for the podcast. We want to hear from you while we do it all! Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com 

In episode 212, we've got a panel of executive directors that oversaw the transition of their orphanage to family based care. We'll be asking them the hard questions of how they worked with their board of directors and their donor bases to take the journey with them. Brandon will be interviewing past Think Orphan guests and orphan care leaders, Brent Phillips of Cherish Uganda, Ashlee Heiligman of Global Child Advocates and Spencer Reeves of Child Hope International. This panel took place live in Atlanta, Georgia at the Christian Alliance for Orphans Annual Summit. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com