Over the last year and a half, immigration in the US has been completely upended. With refugee resettlement effectively closed and mass deportation instituted throughout the country, it's immigrant families that are getting the brunt of these policies. In this episode, Brandon Stiver interviews Matthew Soerens from World Relief about US immigration policies, refugee resettlement, family separation, and biblical perspectives on immigration. They explore the impact of current policies, stories of affected families, and how the church can respond biblically and practically.

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Resources and Links from the Show

World Relief Online

Joined Together, Torn Apart : Family Separation Report

Seeking Refuge: The Human Face of the Global Refugee Crisis (Amazon)

Jump into more conversations around creation care, environmental justice and community development on the Earthkeepers Podcast - Link

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

• 02:21 Matthew Soerens' Journey with World Relief
• 04:58 The Global Refugee Crisis and Its Impact
• 07:41 World Relief's Approach to Refugee Resettlement
• 09:27 Current U.S. Immigration Policies and Their Effects
• 10:24 Reflections on Recent Immigration Challenges
• 12:27 Family Separation and Its Consequences
• 17:25 Real Stories of Affected Families
• 21:43 The Broader Implications of Family Separation
• 24:48 The Scale of Family Separation in Trump's Second Term
• 26:52 Challenges of Reuniting Families That Have Been Separated
• 29:48 The Economic Impact of Immigration Policies
• 31:10 Advocacy and Political Engagement In Modern America
• 41:11 Biblical Perspectives on Immigration

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

Are all global justice issues created equal or are certain causes worth more of our attention and funding? Is it possible to get more bang for our buck by prioritizing certain geographic areas when it comes to missions and economic development? Joining the show today is JD Bauman of Christians for Impact. He is the co-author of the new book "All the Lives You Can Change" which explores how Christian principles intersect with the modern movement of effective altruism and global impact. In this episode, JD shares insights on prioritizing charitable efforts, the importance of data-driven giving, and pursuing a life of maximum global impact.

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Are you ready to take your impact to the next level? Then join this year's OneAccord conference October 13th-15th in Washington, DC! Use Code "Global" for Discount

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Resources and Links from the Show

All the Lives You Can Change by Bauman, Roser and Zhang (Amazon)

Christians for Impact Online

GiveWell

The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer

80,000 Hours ITN Framework

Jump into more conversations around child protection, global health, and ethical mission on the Optimistic Voices Podcast – Link

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

• (01:22) – JD's background and the role of faith in his work
• (02:38) – Effective altruism and evidence-based good deeds
• (03:23) – JD's missions family and background
• (04:36) – Connecting faith, service, and career impact
• (08:11) – Insights into Christian impact and career advising
• (11:51) – Funding effective global health interventions
• (18:03) – Examples of cost-effectiveness in charitable work
• (23:52) – Reframing local giving and global giving
• (28:43) – Using the ITN framework for impactful careers
• (48:07) – Top global causes to prioritize through effective altruism
• (50:45) – The connection between creation care, a plant-based diet and animal welfare
• (52:21) – AI risks and opportunities for advocacy
• (56:29) – The radical opportunity when Christians donate 10%

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

There is a bit of dissonance when it comes to the trajectory of Christian support of global orphan care. More Christians are accurately understanding that kids in orphanages have families AND they are increasing the amount of financial support towards that residential care. In this episode Brandon Stiver is joined by Elli Oswald of the Faith to Action Initiative and Julie Walton of the Martin James Foundation. Together, they explores the recent Barna study on U.S. Christians' perceptions and support of orphanages and family-based care, highlighting shifts in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors over the last five years. If you have a heart to see kids in families and Christian orphan care progress beyond putting kids in orphanages, you've gotta listen in on this important conversation.

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Podcast Sponsor

Are you ready to take your impact to the next level? Then join this year's OneAccord conference October 13th-15th in Washington, DC! Use Code "Global" for Discount

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Resources and Links from the show

Faith to Action Online

Martin James Foundation Online

Barna Report on Residential Care: U.S. Christian Giving and Missions (2026)

Jump into more conversations around child protection, global health, and ethical mission on the Optimistic Voices Podcast - Link

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

• 03:19 Understanding the Barna Study and Its Goals
• 05:24 The Importance of Family-Based Care
• 09:17 Knowledge Gaps and Misconceptions
• 14:22 Support and Funding Trends in the U.S.
• 21:14 Behavior Change and Emotional Connections
• 26:09 Next Steps for Care Reform and Donor Engagement
• 34:07 The Role of Faith and Cultural Mindsets
• 41:44 Impact of Global and Political Changes
• 51:49 Practical Strategies for Application and Collaboration
• 01:01:07 Personal Stories and Case Examples
• 01:05:16 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

The podcast is back from a break over Lent and we're diving straight in to the most relevant event happening globally right now. The war between the US/Israel and Iran is over five weeks old now and has had a profound impact regionally and around the world. Is peace possible at this point? What would it look like to negotiate and build towards a sustainable future in the Middle East? Dr. Josh Weiss joins the show to explore the complexities of international negotiation, back channel diplomacy, and the shifting landscape of global diplomacy, especially in relation to this current conflict. Dr. Weiss is a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Negotiation Project, co-founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University and also directs the MS in Leadership and Negotiation program at Bay Path University.

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Resources and Links from the show

Joshua Weiss Website

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

• 05:50 Dr. Josh Weiss' Background in Negotiation
• 07:49 The Role of Back Channeling in Negotiations
• 08:54 Fundamental Elements of International Negotiation
• 12:50 Shifts in International Law and Diplomacy
• 17:20 The Consequences of Power Dynamics in Diplomacy
• 18:51 Long-term Effects of Military Actions
• 21:30 The Importance of Negotiation in Conflict Resolution
• 24:22 The JCPOA: Pros and Cons
• 28:33 The Dynamics of Compromise in Negotiation
• 31:10 Challenges in U.S.-Iran Negotiations
• 33:11 Challenges of Ceasefires and Regional Dynamics
• 35:21 The Role of Gulf States and Regional Players
• 38:00 Israel's Military Calculations and U.S. Support
• 40:42 Negotiation Challenges Amidst Rhetoric
• 44:50 Economic Pressures and Their Impact on Negotiations
• 50:27 Broader Solutions for a Sustainable Peace

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

In this season of Lent, we're on a break from new episodes and are re-running a conversation from 2023 that we had with 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.

Note that all podcasts before 2024 were under our old podcast name, Think Orphan.

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Conversation Notes

• Recurring cases of exploitation in overseas volunteerism (voluntourism) (14:00)
• The risk in naivety (17:00)
• Harming, not helping (21:30)
• The power dynamics that add to vulnerability (24:00)
• White saviors, colonialism, paternalism (27:00)
• Establishing policies and systems that mitigate risk (31:00)
• Creating cultures of awareness and protection (41:00)
• Developing national safeguarding processes (47:00)
• Risk involved with child sponsorship (57:00)
• How do we create reporting mechanisms for children (1:05:00)

Resources and Links from the show

SFAC Safeguarding Course

SFAC Homepage

Safe International Online

Jessup University Masters in Global Development and Justice

The Roys Report : Romanian Lawsuits Multiply Against Harvest Christian Fellowship and Pastor Greg Laurie

Research Paper : Child Sexual Exploitation in East African Orphanages

In this season of Lent, we're on a break from new episodes and are re-running a conversation from 2023 that we had 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?

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Conversation Notes

• Hunter brought back to faith in Congo (4:50)
• Defining missions (10:00)
• The three stones framework (15:00)
• Cultural humility and learning posture (20:00)
• Problematic attitude of giving without receiving (24:00)
• Creating spaces of connection and horizontal learning (40:00)
• Unintended consequences of child sponsorship (42:00)
• Redeeming short-term missions (51:00)
• Key differences in cultures (57:00)

Resources and Links from the show

Freeing Congregational Mission

Village Reach

Quiet

The Power of Introverts

As we head into the Lent this week, Brandon offers a reflection on the justice work that God calls us into and the opportunity to slow down, reflect and pray as we begin the approach to Easter. If you feel weary, burnt out or frustrated and are looking for a reminder of who God is and how we can connect into the everlasting grace that sustains, please join for a listen.

Resources and Links from the Show

Brandon's Top Worship Song for Lent : Where Would I Go? by Micah Dalton

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Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License

A multitude of orphanages in the Global South continue to be supported by well-meaning Christians throughout the world. Research and scripture both indicate that God's design for children is to grow up in a family, but what do we do when it's the church that needs to be convinced of this? Brandon Stiver is joined today by Tony Lewry who shares his experience in orphan care and cross-cultural ministry over the years as we dive into what it looks like to change mindsets and practices in these global chains of care. Tony leads The Homecoming Project and coordinates across a coalition of organizations tackling the issue of children outside of parental care. In our conversation, Tony and Brandon discuss the evolution of family-based care, the challenges and successes of implementing foster care, and the vital role of the church in advocating for vulnerable children.

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Resources and Links from the Show

The Homecoming Project Online

The Homecoming Project Instagram

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

03:00 Introduction to Tony Lewry and His Journey
05:56 The Evolution of Family-Based Care in Brazil
09:13 Challenges and Successes in Implementing Foster Care
11:57 The Role of the Church in Foster Care Advocacy
14:54 Reintegration and Community Support for Children
17:54 Navigating Reentry to the UK
20:52 The Homecoming Project: History and Vision
23:47 Collaborative Efforts in Care Reform
27:03 Addressing the Funding Dilemma in Child Care
30:05 Engaging with Orphanage Supporters
32:59 The Coalition Approach and Its Impact
36:11 Next Steps for the Homecoming Project
39:08 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License