The Thinkorphan Podcast

In this special episode of Think Orphan, we're joining Pastor and Author Francis Chan as he travels through Kenya to hear about what God is doing in the lives of orphans and vulnerable children. Along the way, he talks with care leavers, organization directors and advocates for family based care. This podcast is brought in partnership with JourneyHome, the online community learning platform that is training and resourcing leaders in global child welfare. Visit 1millionhome.com/journeyhome to continue Francis Chan's discovery of orphan care in Africa.

In episode 190, we're talking with Brent Phillips from Cherish Uganda. A long-time friend of the podcast, we get Brent on to share about the work that Cherish is doing in Uganda, what it looked like for them to transform to a family based model of care and then get into the nitty-gritty of fundraising for our missions and whether or not child sponsorships are the way to go.

In episode 189, we're talking with Sinet Chan and Grace Njeri who sit on the USAID Care Leavers Council and are recipients of Miracle Foundation's Youth for Social Impact award. They share their personal experiences of what it was like to grow up in an orphanage and the years thereafter. Hear what they are doing now to help impact future adolescents coming out of institutionalized care.

In episode 188, we're talking with Caroline Boudreaux, the founder of Miracle Foundation. Caroline talks with us about what led her to starting the organization, what child welfare looks like in India and some important reflections on running non-profit organizations with excellence.  Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 187, we're recapping Season 9 of the podcast (July through December 2021) and also looking ahead to the great slate of people coming up on Season 10 of the podcast. You'll also hear Phil and Brandon's top recommendations from 2021 and how people can get behind the work of Think Orphan. Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In this final episode of Season 9, we're talking with the crew over at SFAC (that's Strengthening Families and Children, Phil!) We get into an array of topics with Mick, Dan and Caitlin around child protection, family care services and what they've learned from years working in global child welfare.  Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com The free e-course "Family Reunification and Safeguarding" can be found at 1millionhome.com/journeyhome

In episode 185, you will hear from Tamrat Kebede who is the Ethiopia Director for Selamta Family Project. Tamrat talks with Phil and Brandon about his own experience growing up in an orphanage and how that has informed his work overseeing Selamta's family and community based model of care. Tamrat also explains the current conflict unfolding in Ethiopia and how that is adversely affecting orphans and vulnerable children in the country. Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 184, you'll hear from Dr. Susan Hillis who works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and also serves on the leadership team of World Without Orphans. In this episode, Dr. Hillis shares with us her own background as an adoptive mother, the importance of a global response for orphaned and at-risk children and the far reaching implications of the millions of children left orphaned by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 183, you’ll hear from Kara Wilson Garcia who serves as the Executive Director of Project RED. We talk with Kara about the effects of conflict in El Salvador, how reintegration policies can go wrong and the work Project RED is doing to strengthen families and support children. Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 181, you’ll hear from Ian Forber-Pratt who serves as the CEO of The Institute for Child Welfare Innovation, the Director of Global Advocacy at CERI, and also teaches at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. We talk with Ian about the work that he and his team are undertaking in domestic and international reform to “Protect Childhood.”

In episode 180, you'll hear from Aaron Blue who serves as the Thailand Director for The Charis Project. We talk with Aaron about the work that he and his team are undertaking in Mae Sot, Thailand to strengthen families and develop communities. Show notes for the podcast can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 179, you'll hear from Pastor Evans Baggs who serves as the Pastor of Mobilization at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, North Carolina. We talk with Evans about the recent research from Barna Group, Faith to Action and Changing the Way We Care on Christian giving to orphanages. We'll also get his thoughts on the role of the American church in global ministries to orphans and vulnerable children and how to prioritize relationship and accountability with international partners. Show notes for the episode can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 178, you'll hear from Anja Goertzen Gaona of Paraguay Protects Families about collaborating across sectors in Paraguay and Latin America to promote systemic care reform and family based services. Show notes for this episode can be found at thinkorphan.com

In episode 177, you will hear from children's rights advocate and global voice for care leavers, Ruth Wacuka. She'll be talking with us about the importance of engaging care leavers beyond just hearing their stories, but collaborating on actual care programming and reforms. 

In episode 176, you will hear from Dr. Greg Burch, Chair of the Global Studies Department at Multnomah University and expert on issues surrounding children at risk. He's talking with us today about issues facing street connected children, the problems with statistics when it comes to at risk children and the role education plays to equip practitioners towards caring for orphans and vulnerable children with excellence.

In episode 175, you will hear from Ashlee Heiligman, Global Director at Global Child Advocates talking with us about their transition to family care, working with vulnerable populations and how they've adapted their ministry to serve vulnerable children in Myanmar's current conflict.

In Episode 174, Dr. Rick, Phil and Brandon have a conversation about transitions, working in the OVC sector and preview some of the guests that you'll be hearing from in Season 9.

In Episode 173, you will hear from Jenn Hook, Founder and Executive Director of Replanted, and author of the book also called Replanted.

In this recast, Episode 172, you will hear from Amanda Cox, who has worked with Lumos, Faith to Action Initiative, and Hope and Homes for Children to help orphaned and vulnerable children around the world flourish.

In this recast, you will hear from Bruce Kendrick of Watermark Community Church.