This week we're jumping into our first summer compilation episode and we're learning from friends and colleagues throughout the world about leaving care. Nabs, Sinet, Grace and Tamrat give us first hand accounts of growing up in orphanages in the Global South. Beyond hearing their stories, they also provide insight for moving care forward. We'd encourage you to check out their respective organizations to learn more about care reform and pursuing family care in their respective countries. Mohamed...
Aug 02, 2022•49 min•Ep. 202
In episode 201, we're talking with Simon Njoroge about his work in family based care, welfare reform and the adoption landscape in Kenya. A little change up, we gave Phil a break and recorded this episode live at the 1MILLIONHOME office in Tacoma, Washington. Apologies for slight audio issue at the start of interview, Brandon is a work in progress! We know you'll learn a lot from Simon and his experience as an adoptee, an advocate and an administrator working in orphan care. Full show notes can ...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 201
In this special episode of Think Orphan, we celebrate the 200th episode! What started as an idea that Phil just hoped people would listen to has turned into a resource, a movement and a community focused on loving orphaned and vulnerable children with excellence. Join us for this episode where we bring back former hosts, hear from past guests and current listeners and of course look forward to the many more episodes to come. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com
Jul 05, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 200
In episode 199, we're talking with old friend and President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, Jedd Medefind. With his years of leadership in the OVC space, we pick Jedd's brain on what trends he's seeing and what the future might hold for advocates and practitioners alike. We then get into a longer conversation on Roe v. Wade and the practical implications if federal legislation on abortion changes. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 10Ep. 199
In episode 198, we're speaking with Alycia Pinizzotto of Story International in Guatemala about piloting foster care in a new context, parenting teens and ministering in the midst of tragedy. Alycia brings a lot of first-hand experience and thoughtful reflections on ministering to orphans and vulnerable children, not only in Guatemala but in the US system as well. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com
Jun 07, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 10Ep. 198
In episode 197, we're speaking with author, professor and mother Brittany Salmon about the in's and out's of cross-cultural and trans-racial adoption. We learn not only from her family's experience but also research and writing that she's put together in her new book, It Takes More Than Love . After the interview, Brandon and Phil discuss race a little further and emphasize the importance of listening and building towards unity. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 10Ep. 197
In episode 196, we're talking with Tori Hope Petersen. Tori is an author, speaker and foster care advocate with lived experience in the system (oh, yeah, she's also Mrs. Universe). We discuss what foster care looks like from the inside, what changes ought to be made and what compelled Tori to go from being a foster youth, to now welcoming kids in to her home as a parent. Full show notes can be found at thinkorphan.com
May 10, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 10Ep. 196
In episode 195, we're talking with Dr. Scott Moeschberger. Scott is the Director of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Degree Program at Taylor University and a leading expert globally on violence against children. We discuss the program at Taylor and dig into his upcoming book "Building Cultures of Peace: Psychological Perspectives on Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Children".
Apr 26, 2022•59 min•Season 10Ep. 195
In episode 194, we're talking with Morgan Wienberg about her organization Little Footprints Big Steps, serving vulnerable children in Haiti and the new feature documentary Not About Me . Our conversation centers around eager volunteers, maturing into better practice and the prevalence of for-profit orphanages. Full show notes for the episode can be found at thinkorphan.com
Apr 12, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 10Ep. 194
In episode 193 we're talking with Ruslan Maliuta about the war in Ukraine and the tragic realities for children in the country and those that are fleeing the country. Ruslan is a Ukrainian and a founding leader for World Without Orphans. He currently works for OneHope, a global ministry that helps children engage with God’s story, supporting several networks, including the 4/14 Movement and the World Evangelical Alliance.
Mar 29, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 10Ep. 193
In episode 192, we're talking with Author and Advocate, Jamie Finn about foster care, adoption and reunification. Jamie has written extensively on her blog Foster the Family about how God has been working in their family's life and we get to glean from the lessons that they've learned along the way. Jamie's new book "Foster the Family" is available on Amazon or wherever you buy your books. Full show notes for the episode can be found at thinkorphan.com
Mar 15, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 10Ep. 192
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 co...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 10Ep. 191
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.
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 10Ep. 190
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.
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 10Ep. 189
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
Jan 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 10Ep. 188
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
Jan 04, 2022•38 min•Season 10Ep. 187
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
Dec 21, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 9Ep. 186
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...
Dec 07, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 185
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...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 9Ep. 184
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
Nov 09, 2021•56 min•Season 9Ep. 183
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.”
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 181
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
Sep 28, 2021•57 min•Season 9Ep. 180
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. S...
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 179
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
Aug 31, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 9Ep. 178
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.
Aug 17, 2021•56 min•Season 9Ep. 177
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.
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 9Ep. 176
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.
Jul 20, 2021•51 min•Season 9Ep. 175
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.
Jul 06, 2021•41 min•Season 9Ep. 174
In Episode 173, you will hear from Jenn Hook, Founder and Executive Director of Replanted, and author of the book also called Replanted.
Jun 22, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 8Ep. 173
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.
Jun 08, 2021•59 min•Season 8Ep. 172
