Together by AGCI is a podcast from All God's Children International. On Together by AGCI we share the stories that connect us to people, allowing us to see the value of the most vulnerable children and families. We explore what it means to be from a hard place and what we can all do to literally change the world. Whether we tell the stories of families empowered to stay together, the stories of adoptive families coming together, or the stories of all of us working together for the sake of children and families in need, we hope you will join us as we march toward a brighter future… together.
Today we’re chatting with AGCI adoptive parents Jake and Kaitlyn Hoermann. Jake and Kaitlyn adopted their sweet son, Martin, from Bulgaria earlier this year. You don’t want to miss their inspiring story of following God’s call to bring their son home.
We are so excited about our conversation with Amanda Purvis, consultant with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University and AGCI Board member. At KPICD, her main focus is instructing systems, organizations, and professionals working with children who have experienced trauma, in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®). In addition to her incredible work with TBRI at KPICD, Amanda is the mother of five children, three of whom joined their family through adopt...
Today we’re talking about all things sponsorship! I was lucky enough to chat with Amanuel Roba, AGCI’s Associate Director of Sponsorship about this important program and the truly life-changing impact it can have on children and families. AGCI’s one to one sponsorship in Ethiopia is truly unique and is a simple way for people to have a direct impact on children in need. If you would like to sponsor a child, it’s easy to get started! Just head to our website and make a difference in a child’s lif...
No matter where you are at in your parenting or grandparenting journey, this episode is a must listen. We are joined by educator and Certified Life Specialist, Keeley Machen, talking through how we can best support and empower our children as they overcome medical encounters.
We are so excited to be chatting today with Sarah, our Philippines Programs Officer, and Taylor, our Asia and Europe Program Director. Taylor and Sarah are hard at work building AGCI’s programs in the Philippines that will impact children and families for generations to come. We are so inspired by their heart and dedication for this lifechanging work and we know you will be too.
Today, we had the honor of chatting with some of our favorite people all the way from Bogota, Colombia! Angie and Taty are residents at AGCI’s Independence Program Home and are incredible young women who are working towards their college degree while enrolled in AGCI’s Independence Program. We are also joined by Wendy, who is part of AGCI’s team and providing some support in the translation department—Angie and Taty are both native Spanish speakers so we extra impressed that they were willing to...
Today, our co-host Marisa Butterworth has an honest, funny, and vulnerable chat with her husband Jesse Butterworth about his journey being a biological and adoptive dad to their three kids and all that he has been working on as a father. Listen in to find out all that he has learned over the years.
Today we’re chatting with the incredible Genet Roba. In this episode Genet shares her adoption story and what it was like to be adopted from Ethiopia as an older child. This episode is a must listen for anyone in the adoption community or thinking about becoming an adoptive parent. Genet’s story is filled with miracles and she has so much wisdom to share!
Pastor Neely McQueen is the Co-Lead Pastor of Overlake Church in Redmond, WA and has led for over 25 years in the church and parachurch organizations. She is a wife and mom to three young adults and today, she is going to share about what she’s learned about parenting after years of Biblical study.
Hear more about the incredible work that our team in Ethiopia is doing at the All God’s Children International and Tim Tebow Foundation House of Hope. We are joined by a very special guest, one of our Child & Family Social workers, Hosseana Solomon, to share about her experiences at our reunification home and what she hopes for the future of Ethiopia and Africa.
Today, we have the honor of talking to Pastor Doug Frazier. In addition to being the pastor at Living Hope Church, Doug is also married to AGCI President, Hollen Frazier and has had a front row seat to this work for decades. We’re talking about God’s heart for children in need, suffering, and how to get quiet and discern where the Lord is calling you. I really enjoyed our conversation and hope it challenges you to step up and care for those in need.
Co-host Melissa Rush was recently in Ethiopia and had the opportunity to visit an Ethiopian Institution for the first time. Due to rules, we cannot photograph or video anything that we see but listen in as Melissa does a beautiful job explaining what she saw, experienced, and how it impacted her.
We are up to some really exciting stuff these days and wanted to share with you about a new way for YOU to be involved in breaking the cycle for vulnerable children around the world! AGCI’s Jep Robertson (you may also know him from Duck Dynasty and Duck Family Treasure) and Campbell Haug share about why they do this work and how you and your family can be involved in seeing real lasting healing in the world around you.
Today, we’re chatting with Special Education Coach Jessica Monteverde. Jessica has a master’s degree in education and in-classroom experience as well as experience working with parents and professionals navigating IEPs for the children in their care. Links to resources: http://understood.org http://pacer.org http://readingrockets.org https://schoolchoiceweek.com/how-to-continue-your-iep-if-you-start-homeschooling/ Spedhomeschool.com https://www.wrightslaw.com/...
Today, we’re chatting with Dr. Jana Hunsley about how to create connected foster and adoptive families. Dr. Hunsley is an Assistant Professor of instruction at University of Texas Dallas and studies family trauma, adoptive sibling support, and adoption therapeutic interventions. She is also the Executive Director of Project 1025, which offers effective resources to create connected foster and adoptive families. Dr. Hunsley has a unique perspective—she studies family systems and experienced the e...
Today, we’re celebrating all of the AGCI miracles of 2022! I can’t think of anyone more equipped to speak to this than AGCI President, Hollen Frazier. We’re chatting about all that God provided, answered prayers, and what’s next for 2023.
Ethical adoption is a huge part of who we are as an organization and this year we have seen so much change and growth. Join us as we take a look at what adoption looked like in 2022, celebrate all of the miracles, and find out how we can be praying for 2023.
Of all the gifts to receive, we can’t think of anything better than your child coming home. Adoption is a journey full of ups and downs, but today, we get to celebrate kids coming home, the absolute BEST GIFTS EVER!
We’re back with another mind-blowing episode with Jill Crewes, MSW, AGCI’s Director of US Child Advocacy Services. Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experiences working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community. This episode literally blew my mind. You don’t want to miss Jill explain sensory needs and how it impacts kids and adults. She also offers a ton of practical tools for caregivers of children with sensory processing needs. Don’t miss this!
Today we're chatting with AGCI adoptive parents Lisa and Nick. Nick and Lisa adopted their adorable son William from Colombia earlier this year and their beautiful story is inspiring. If this story tugs on your heart, this is the perfect time to begin your adoption journey. This November we’re celebrating Adoption Month with a $500 adoption grant. These grants are available for families who complete an application for one of AGCI’s international adoption programs by 11/30 and go under contract b...
We’re back with another enlightening conversation with Jill Crewes, MSW, AGCI’s Director of US Child Advocacy Services! Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experience working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community. This might be our favorite episode to date. Jill and Melissa dove into Abandonment History and its Impact on Future Behavioral Needs and how this affects children. This is a must-listen for anyone who cares for kids from hard places.
Age is nothing but a number...particularly when it comes to understanding chronological age vs. developmental age. AGCI’s Director of US Child Advocacy Services, Jill Crewes, MSW, explains the difference between these two often conflated subjects and dives into how this can manifest for children. Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experience. Working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community.
We have the opportunity to meet AGCI Ethiopia adoptive moms Kerri Dawson and Camille Bendick. They have recently returned from visiting the Tim Tebow Foundation &AGCI House of Hope in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Today we get to hear stories about what they experienced, all they learned, and why they believe this home will make a positive difference in the beautiful country of Ethiopia.
We feel so incredibly blessed to be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the official opening of the AGCI & Tim Tebow FoundationHouse of Hope in Ethiopia! In the last year, the House of Hope has served 34girls and successfully reunified 14 girls with their families. On today’s episode, we get to talk to AGCI’sEthiopia Program Director, Angelyn Salyer, and hear stories about the difference the House of Hope is making in the lives of the girls it serves, local communities, and the country a...
Melissa and Marisa are joined by a very special guest—Jep Robertson! You might know Jep from Duck Dynasty fame but we know him for his incredible heart for vulnerable children and families. In today’s episode, Jep shares why AGCI’s work matters to him on a personal level, and how the people he’s met and the stories he’s watched unfold have changed the trajectory of his life.
An estimated 2 million children in Colombia are victims of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect each year but our AGCI Colombia team and family preservation partners are working every day to provide life-saving therapy for children who have survived sexual violence. We are joined today by AGCI’s Latin America Executive Director, Andrea Leon. She shares about what they are currently seeing in Colombia, how this impacts kids and families and tells stories of lives changed. Because of t...
Adoption is beautiful. It’s also really, really hard. For many families, the first year home is particularly challenging. Our very own Marisa Butterworth welcomed her third child home through adoption just over 10 years ago. In today’s episode, Marisa shares her tips for surviving the first year home. If you’re IN IT right now, take a deep breath—the first step to surviving a trying time is to give yourself some grace!
There is a definite art to traveling to the developing world and who better to hear from than locals! Whether you’re in the adoption process or planning a trip to another part of the world, AGCI’s Stefania Montaña and HectorChacon have you covered with everything from how to prepare, what questions to ask, and what food to try if you ever find yourself in their native countries of Colombia andEcuador. They are a wealth of important information, and you don’t want to miss this fun episode!
