The Thinkorphan Podcast

In this Conversation episode, we're joined by global child welfare professionals Dr. Greg Burch, Kelly Strong, and Dan Hope. We'll look at cases where westerners were given access to vulnerable children in the Global South and then abused those children. We'll explore the significance of cultivating cultures of awareness around child protection. We'll get into the importance of establishing robust policies and systems designed to mitigate the risks associated with child abuse and exploitation. By fostering environments that prioritize vigilance and the well-being of children, we can better identify and prevent abuses, ultimately ensuring their safety and welfare. Conversation Notes Recurring cases of exploitation in overseas volunteerism (voluntourism) (17:00) The risk in naivety (20:00) Harming, not helping (24:30) The power dynamics that add to vulnerability (27:00) White saviors, colonialism, paternalism (30:00) Establishing policies and systems that mitigate risk (34:00) Creating cultures of aware

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:

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 Phil

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 T

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

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

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 Exce

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 abou

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 i

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 Jul

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

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-env

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 i

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 Unchar

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 curri

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 individuali

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