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  • All is futility! Even in Christian nonprofits? We're changing it up a little for episode 265 as Brandon does a solo dive into the book of Ecclesiastes to gather wisdom from Solomon that can inform what we do and more importantly how we do the work of global justice. In an age of Big Impact, this is a word for the nonprofit leader that cares about the ethic of our approach and the opportunity for a compounding influence in a world where it seems that nothing ever changes.

    Get support for yourself or for your team with Canopy International

    Resources and Links from the show

    Scriptures shared:

    Ecclesiastes 1: 1-4; 8-11 Ecclesiastes 5: 8-10; 18 Ecclesiastes 9: 7-10

    Andy Crouch Tweet 1; Tweet 2

    Conversation Notes

    "All is futility!" - Solomon The work of oppressors and corrupt politicians ends in futility, but what about our work that counters their work? Brandon shares some of his own global nonprofit futility The grace of recognizing how the world works even in it's vanity "Eat, drink and experience good" Andy Crouch throws shade and "impact" and Brandon says "Amen" Does our work matter? Getting our priority (singular) in order

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

  • The number of forcibly displaced people in the world are at an all-time high. On every populated continent, we are seeing conflicts and climates that lead to people fleeing their homes. Our guest today is Myal Greene, who is the CEO of World Relief and he says that the global displacement crisis is the most significant issue that we face in the world today. We look at the last eighty years of how God has used World Relief to meet needs of people from war-torn areas and look at some of the most gripping conflicts today (Ukraine, Sudan and others). Myal has worked with World Relief for nearly two decades both within the US and in Africa. He walks us through what Christians should be aware of when it comes to displacement and how we can be instruments of welcome and support to global neighbors next door and abroad.

    Get support for yourself or for your team with Canopy International

    Resources and Links from the show

    Good News About Injustice by Gary A. Haugen

    Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang

    Walking with the Poor by Bryant Myers

    Rich Christians Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider

    Refuge by Alexander Betts and Paul Collier

    Refugee Stats from the UNHCR

    The Evangelical Immigration Table

    World Relief Online

    Conversation Notes

    9:40 - In the west, we don’t have a full conception of the level wealth and privilege that we have 12:20 - Remembering the last eighty years of what God has done through World Relief 15:25 - Finding ways to work with the church and give sacrificially to help the hurting 16:45 - A story about the need for both eternal salvation and the restoration of the present 24:40 - The impact of the 2021 Haitian earthquake and the fall of Kabul as Myal stepped into his role of CEO at World Relief 31:35 - The current displacement crisis is the greatest issue of our time 34:15 - “A smaller set of nations in the world are experiencing far greater suffering while the rest of the world is making continued and sustained progress in poverty alleviation” 36:55 - Contrasting the Ukraine case study with most other areas of poverty and ensuing conflict 38:45 - "Vulnerability is the likeliness that you will experience suffering as a result of shock" 40:50 - World Relief sets their focus on the global displacement crisis 43:00 - The church can be God’s instrument of welcome to those that have been forcibly displaced 46:12 - The importance of understanding underlying issues when discussing the arrival of refugees in a host country 52:40 - Working with the church under a biblical vision of community engagement 56:00 - Being inspired by God’s Word as a starting point for a life of justice

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

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  • The Great Commission and making disciples is for all Christians, but do we really live that way? We've had a classic understanding of what missionaries ought to be doing, but is that exclusionary? In episode 263, we have Luke Perkins from Crossworld to help us sort it out. Luke served as a missionary professor in Haiti for several years and today is the President at Crossworld where they emphasize that all professions have a role in the work of the Great Commission and the imperative of making disciples throughout the globe.

    Podcast Sponsor

    No matter your role in caring for vulnerable children and families, you’ll find wisdom, grace, encouragement and community for the road ahead at CAFO2024 in Nashville. It's the go-to spot for those working in Christian orphan care and global child welfare.

    Learn More and Register for CAFO 2024

    Resources and Links from the show

    Crossworld Website

    African Friends and Money Matters by David Maranz

    Conversation Notes

    5:25 - What would good helping even look like 8:10 - Starting from the beauty and goodness of God in pursuing mission 10:00 - Emphasizing all professions beyond the classic missions archetypes 17:11 - Defining what disciple-making is all about 18:20 - Understanding business as mission with the quadruple bottom line 29:35 - Distinguishing between disciple-making and church planting 32:20 - The North American church is not designed to make disciples 36:00 - The essence and the rhythms of making disciples 38:00 - Key questions to ask yourself for disciple making 41:00 - Discussing the current state of Haiti

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

  • We're heading to Kenya for episode 262 as we connect with Steve Kariithi who is the Kenya Program Director at Hope's Promise. Steve talks with Brandon Stiver about what it looks like to do kinship based family care in Kenyan communities. We cover the effects of changing child welfare policy on families and juxtapose that with actions of the government that adversely affect families living in informal settlements. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to work in a slum, this is a good conversation to jump into.

    Podcast Sponsor

    No matter your role in caring for vulnerable children and families, you’ll find wisdom, grace, encouragement and community for the road ahead at CAFO2024 in Nashville. It's the go-to spot for those working in Christian orphan care and global child welfare.

    Learn More and Register for CAFO 2024

    Resources and Links from the show

    What can we do about injustice? : Blog by Colleen Briggs

    The Star Kenya : Families in pain as houses demolished in Mathare

    YouTube : Residents of Mathare Lament

    YouTube : Over 6,000 households forcefully evicted along Mathare River

    Conversation Notes

    Understanding what life is like for families living in slum areas and what causes slums to form on the margins of urban areas Bridging impact expectations of western donors when working in severely impoverished areas Meaningful interventions that support children to grow up in families The effects of 2022 legislation in Kenya that promoted child care reform and changes for organizations serving children The Kenyan government is destroying homes and displacing families in the Mathare informal settlement of Nairobi

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

  • For our July news and recommendation episode, we're joined by orphan care leader Kristen Lowry of Shelter Yetu to dive into a range of topics including the recent anti-virus update that sent the Blue Screen of Death around the world, the unintended results of making education free in Zambia, the legal trials of the Nobel Laureate father of micro-finance and dive into a book on being a whistleblower amidst corruption. There's a lot going on in the world, it's not only the American election we should care about, so jump into these other stories with us!

    Podcast Sponsor

    No matter your role in caring for vulnerable children and families, you’ll find wisdom, grace, encouragement and community for the road ahead at CAFO2024 in Nashville. It's the go-to spot for those working in Christian orphan care and global child welfare.

    Learn More and Register for CAFO 2024

    Resources and Links from the show

    BBC : How a single IT update caused global havoc

    BBC : Zambia made education free, now classrooms are crammed

    The Guardian : Under threat of jail, microfinance pioneer vows to keep lending to poorest Bangladeshis

    It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower by Michaela Wrong

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

  • Joining the podcast for episode 260 are global child welfare leaders Christopher Muwanguzi from child’s I Foundation, Elli Oswald from Faith to Action Initiative and Jared Scheppmann from Ekisa Ministries. Our guests speak with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about the status of moving people’s mindsets in the west to focus on the need for children to be in families, as opposed to orphanages. We zero in specifically on the country of Uganda and juxtapose the good work being done by organizations like child’s I and Ekisa with the common practice of needlessly placing kids in residential care. With the backdrop of larger cultural narratives and specific stories about orphanhood that are promoted in media.

    Podcast Sponsor

    No matter your role in caring for vulnerable children and families, you’ll find wisdom, grace, encouragement and community for the road ahead at CAFO2024 in Nashville. It’s the go-to spot for those working in Christian orphan care and global child welfare.

    Learn More and Register for CAFO 2024

    Resources and Links from the show

    The World : American Missionary Accused of Abuse At His Organization, AidChild (First Article)

    Barna and Faith to Action : Study on Christian Giving to Orphanages

    Faith to Action : Family Care in the News

    Conversation Notes

    The deliberate work of Faith to Action and partner organizations to change the western media narrative around orphan care The environment within the UK in regards to Global South orphanages The country of Uganda has been up and down in supporting care reform, is it currently progressing or regressing The setbacks in promoting better care in the Global South when stories like Ghetto Kidz comes out on Britain’s Got Talent Comparing the perceived realities for children in orphanages versus the actual realities for such children The reality of abuse and corruption within orphanages covered in the media in Uganda The role of local governments to meet the needs of the community – capacity and enforcement Continuing gaps in coverage even in media that promotes care reform

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

  • There is no escaping the reality that much of what we're familiar with in global missions and development has some roots in colonialism. There is no better person to help us disentangle God's work from worldly power structures than Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst. Dr. Padilla DeBorst is the Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity at Western Seminary. She describes how integral mission addresses gaps in many traditional approaches to missions and what it looks like to live out a contextualized gospel in Latin America.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference is now open for changemakers seeking a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Register for OneAccord 2024 Today

    Resources and Links from the show

    Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst's Work Online

    Good News From Latin America Book

    Conversation Notes

    An introduction to integral mission and what deficiencies it was addressing in world missions Disentangling God's work in Latin America from European colonization How neocolonialism continues to affect Christian missions and development work Ethical practices in global partnerships for missions and development organizations Contrasting Jesus' proclamation of the Gospel against the backdrop of Roman imperial rule Exiting our echo chambers to hear from Christian leaders in other global contexts

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

  • Today on the show we are weaving in and out of various topics, largely surrounding Africa and that touch areas of malnutrition (continent-wide) and trafficking (Congo) and even some really beautiful solutions for helping babies (Uganda). We have Dr. Lauren Pinkston of Kindred Exchange on the show with us to make sense of the news and provide critical insight. We dive into questions like if the resource curse is real, the long-term effects of colonialism and the challenges of addressing corrupt supply chains.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference is now open for changemakers seeking a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Visit The Accord Network Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    Fox News : UN report says 27% of children under 5 live in severe food poverty, many in Africa

    AP News : A growing community of breast milk donors in Uganda gives mothers hope

    CBS News : African nation threatens Apple with legal action over alleged "blood minerals" in its gadgets

    King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild

    The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

    Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

    Upwardly Dependent Podcast

    Faith to Action Webinar feat. Dr. Lauren Pinkston : Caring for Orphans

    Conversation Notes

    2:20 - An update on the Upwardly Dependent podcast 6:45 - The high propensity of kids in Africa and around the world that are experiencing food poverty 18:45 - The establishment of a breastmilk cooperative organization in Uganda and how it is saving the lives of children 33:25 - The supply chain of blood metals in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Apple's role within it 40:00 - Supply chains that shift to go through countries that don't have the same ethics that come from a Christian worldview 47:25 - Phil's recommendation of Jonathan Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation

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

  • In episode 257, Brandon welcomes author and nonprofit director Tiffany Bluhm back to the show. Tiffany is the Executive Director at Made for Pax, a Christian foundation which provides mentorship and vocational development for BIPOC leaders following Christ. The work is specifically employing contemplative formation for those that are engaging in peace and justice work, and that's what we talk about! Tiffany provides us with biblical insight and spiritual practices that can help us sustain the work of community development and justice leaders for the long haul.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference is now open for changemakers seeking a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Visit The Accord Network Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    Made for Pax Online

    Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman

    Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys by Richard Twiss

    Leading from Your Knees with Peter Greer and Ryan Skoog

    Conversation Notes

    The link between contemplative formation and sustaining an action-oriented lifestyle Stories of civil rights leaders and how they remained rooted in the midst of justice The importance of intentional investment of BIPOC Christ followers Contextualization and diverse cultural expressions of Gospel embodiment The story of the Old Testament is uniquely tied to the migrant experience

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

  • In episode 256, Brandon and Phil get a crash course in global health from Yasmine Vaughan. Yasmine has her Master's in Public Health and serves as the Technical Advisor for Global Health and Missions with Helping Children Worldwide. Beyond sharing words and conditions that we can't even pronounce, Yasmine shares about the context in West Africa in which their work is centered and we learn the commonalities and differences in public health across different global contexts.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference is now open for changemakers seeking a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Visit The Accord Network Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    View and Join the Together for Global Health Coalition

    Watch Phil's Sermon on Family Strengthening

    Conversation Notes

    Zeroing in on the history and current day realities of Sierra Leone Navigating partnerships between western organizations and their corresponding organizations in the Global South Integrating current programs and initiatives into broader partnerships at the village level Working towards sustainability and reducing outside investment or management Together for Global Health Coalition Common health conditions and healthcare gaps in the Global South, including those that are oblivious to westerners The Global South increasing in conditions that had previously been more represented in the West Innovative ways that health practitioners in the Global South meet needs

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

  • Joining the podcast for episode 255 are nonprofit leaders Dave LeVan and Jon Allen with Water For Good. Dave and Jon speak with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about the status of worldwide access to water and what it looks like to implement Water, Sanitation and Hygiene projects in the Global South. We talk through the tremendous needs as well as acknowledge some of the shortfalls of the WASH sector. Our conversation concludes around what it looks like to merge two good-sized global nonprofits as Water For Good and Lifewater International recently underwent that very process.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference is now open for changemakers seeking a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Visit The Accord Network Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    View Water For Good/Lifewater Merger Information

    Conversation Notes

    Taking in the big picture of water access globally and what the implications are on people's lives The similarities and the differences when implementing water, sanitation and hygiene projects in the Global South What about all the broken wells in Africa? Is sustainability even possible? The reasons that led to the decision for the two organizations to merge into one The operations and logistics of merging and integrating two different teams along with their activities The post-merger opportunities that are presented to the newly formed Water For Good The importance of staying curious and not losing heart in the work of global justice

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

  • In this month's 3+1 episode, we're diving into conversation around the current refugee crisis being fueled by conflict and displacement worldwide, jump back into recent conversation on Haiti and the challenges that pregnant mothers are facing in the midst of tumult and also look at the controversy surrounding mass weddings in northern Nigeria that includes underage orphan girls. We've got Kelly Strong on the show with us today who is the CEO at Safe International and also an associate providing support to practitioners through the Canopy International coaching collaborative.

    Podcast Sponsor

    The Accord Network is a place to connect with like-minded organizations in pursuit of being the hands and feet of Christ around the world. Registration for the OneAccord Conference opens soon for a time of inspiration, collaboration, and transformation within the field of international relief and development.

    Visit The Accord Network Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    Check out the services and support offered by the team at Canopy International

    World Relief Blog : The Drivers of Mass Displacement: Ukraine and Beyond

    The Guardian : ‘It is simply best not to get pregnant’: women left terrified as Haiti’s maternity services collapse

    BBC News : Mass wedding for Nigeria orphans sparks outcry

    Book : Refugee - Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World by Paul Collier and Alexander Betts

    2017 Refugee Crisis Series : Welcoming the Stranger with Krish Kandiah

    Conversation Notes

    3:50 What it looks like to change the name and rebrand an international charity 9:15 Checking in on the current state of "record breaking" forced displacement throughout the world and what to do when the world shows up on our doorstep 25:45 The reality of gang violence in Haiti that has collapsed medical clinics and hospitals that women have used to deliver their children 36:15 Evaluating a controversial story of mass wedding of orphan girls in Nigeria and what the implications are regarding child rights and international definitions 50:40 Brandon's recommendation of a page-turner book that covers modern refugee policy

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

  • On the show today, we're joined by missionary Matt Rhodes who is the author of No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions. He talks with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about trends within missions that emphasize speed and big numbers, but often lack the depth of discipleship that characterized Jesus' ministry. Matt shares about the mission that he is engaged in a majority Muslim country Northern Africa and what he's learned from being on the field and what faithfulness (even success) can look like for those spreading the Good News abroad.

    Podcast Sponsor

    Child Hope International reunites families in Haiti by providing pathways for children in orphanages to return home with the necessary support to thrive. If you need help transitioning your orphanage or are looking for an organization to support in Haiti, reach out to Child Hope International.

    Visit Child Hope International Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions on Amazon

    Conversation Notes

    The primary differences between how missions are approached currently as opposed to the days of William Carey and Hudson Taylor Current trends in missions work Approaching missions with professionalism and being enculturated Is professionalism opposed to being relational? The trajectory of the relatively recent phenomenon of short term missions and it's increasing share of the overall missionary force Not everyone that is a Christian is also an ambassador of Christ, or are they? The implications of the center of Christianity moving to the Global South Charting milestones for successful missions

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

  • We are joined today by global nonprofit leader Gaston Warner who is the Global North CEO of Zoe Empowers. Gaston talks with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about their work among vulnerable families, especially child and youth headed households. Over the years, our show has talked a lot about the need for kids to be raised in families and communities and in this episode we learn about a comprehensive model that emphasizes the children's agency to overcome poverty. We talk empowerment, data, promising practices and it's an episode our orphan care diehards don't want to miss.

    Podcast Sponsor

    Zoe Empowers is equipping orphaned children and youth-led families with solutions to overcome extreme poverty—for good.

    Visit Zoe Empowers Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    Data and Research from Zoe Empowers

    Conversation Notes

    Understanding the reality of child and youth headed households in the Global South The empowerment model started by a Rwandan practitioner - how it works and how it's applied across countries Intentionally limiting partnerships and what it looks like for both beneficiaries and donors Defining the buzzword "empowerment" within global development The importance of integrating child rights throughout programming

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

  • In this 3+1 episode, we're getting into recent news about ways that Russia is getting around economic sanctions to buoy their economy during their war of aggression as well a couple Asian countries where pollution and contamination is having widespread effects on people's health and wellbeing. We've got Amanda Erne joining us for the conversation. Amanda is on staff with World Concern, is an associate with Canopy International and has a wealth of understanding around climate and sustainable agriculture. We discuss if the term "climate change" is still of use in Christian circles or if it turns too many people off and then get into a documentary recommendation focusing on a Malawian farmer advocating for change.

    Podcast Sponsor

    Child Hope International reunites families in Haiti by providing pathways for children in orphanages to return home with the necessary support to thrive. If you need help transitioning your orphanage or are looking for an organization to support in Haiti, reach out to Child Hope International.

    Visit Child Hope International Online

    Conversation Notes

    8:45 Alternate economies that Russia is setting up to get around sanctions 21:00 Widespread contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh 29:45 Are we overpoliticizing terms like climate change and shutting off Christians to real stewardship issues? 35:13 A vicious cycle of pollution, cancer and economic collapse in Lebanon 48:00 The Ants and The Grasshopper documentary focuses on the story of a farmer and an advocate in Malawi

    Resources and Links from the show

    Al-Jazeera : Parallel Economy - How Russia is Defying the West's Boycott

    Mongabay : Beneath the surface, a toxic tide threatens Bangladesh’s water lifeline

    The Guardian : ‘Where can you hide from pollution?’: cancer rises 30% in Beirut as diesel generators poison city

    The Ants & The Grasshopper Documentary

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

  • "We stand together at the foot of the cross and we will work for peace." Dr. Karen Fancher from Multnomah University joins the show today to walk us through the profoundly Christian field of peacebuilding. In her conversation with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke, Dr. Fancher walks us through what it means to promote peace within the humanitarian space with direct application to situations in Palestine and Sudan as well as explores the biblical foundation for Christians to be actively engaged in bringing God's Kingdom of peace and justice.

    Podcast Sponsor

    Child Hope International reunites families in Haiti by providing pathways for children in orphanages to return home with the necessary support to thrive. If you need help transitioning your orphanage or are looking for an organization to support in Haiti, reach out to Child Hope International.

    Visit Child Hope International Online

    Resources and Links from the show

    Visit Multnomah University Online and the Graduate Peacebuilding Certificate Program

    Strategic Peacebuilding by Lisa Shirch

    Combatants for Peace Online

    Conversation Notes

    6:20 How God intertwines our work and our passion into a life story 11:05 “Reconciliation takes place when we step across difference” 16:00 Honoring those that have been traumatized and not making assumptions as outsiders when trying to understand conflict in other countries 19:20 Understanding the biblical concept of shalom 24:15 Peace as a central theme for Jesus and his followers 29:10 The primacy of being citizens of the Kingdom of God in contested times and situations. Should we be pro-Israel or pro-Palestine? 34:00 Common drivers of violence and conflict - disparity, feelings of powerlessness, trauma and redemptive violence 43:05 Considering the history of conflict in Sudan and the impact of war trauma on the populations 51:10 The difference between peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding in the humanitarian space 56:55 Proximity, skills and posture that promote peace 1:03:10 The role that foreign bodies, international entities and INGOs should and should not play in conflict resolution 1:09:00 Organizations and stories of peace: "We stand together at the foot of the cross and we will work for peace." 1:14:10 Learning from the prejudices and hurts in our own heart towards other people and seeking to better understand the Kingdom of God
  • We are privileged to be joined today by a Christian leader that really embodies the ethic that we are all striving for as we pursue justice, mercy and shalom in the nations. We're grateful to have Eugene Cho join Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke on the show today talking with us about the work of Bread for the World and what it looks like to advocate for the poor and hungry both in the US and throughout the world. Eugene shares a pastoral word for those of us engaged in global justice work and offers his own reflections of how he remains grounded in Christ in the midst of busy lives of pursuing justice.

    Podcast Sponsor

    Zoe Empowers is equipping orphaned children and youth-led families with solutions to overcome extreme poverty—for good.

    Visit Zoe Empowers Online

    Resources and Links from the Show

    Overrated by Eugene Cho

    Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk by Eugene Cho

    Visit Bread for the World Online

    Conversation Notes

    Conversation Notes

    5:20 - Finding your vocation through following the Holy Spirit and seeking first the Kingdom of God 9:30 - Living a Christian ethic and counteracting egoism, isolationism, scarcity and individualism 14:20 - "Right now, this is the worst global hunger crisis in the last fifty years" The gravity of worldwide hunger and where are we seeing the most acute hunger. 19:20 - The Five C's that drive hunger globally - COVID, Conflict, Climate Change, Cost, Corruption and how we respond with Compassion and Courage 28:30 - The difference between poverty and hunger within the US and poverty and hunger in the Global South 36:00 - What Eugene would do if he was a global dictator 41:35 - The importance of avoiding apathy and cynicism and embracing learning and praying when it comes to global issues. 52:15 - What is true advocacy and should Christians be involving themselves in politics 1:04:50 - Humanizing the struggle of families to make ends meet 1:09:20 - Staying grounded in the midst of undertaking really big global nonprofit work 1:15:55 - Reflecting on Overrated a decade later and pastoring the global nonprofit community
  • In this 3+1 episode, we're talking the good (malaria vaccines), the bad (slavery) and a whole lot of Haiti. We've got Mac Archer back on the show to share with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke what she's seeing on the ground in Haiti and what's getting missed in larger media outlets. We talk through the utility of violence by those running the country and look at some potentially similar dynamics in other countries. We also discuss forced labor in Asia, the rise of malaria vaccines in Africa and get a book recommendation for a book that just released in the last couple of months.

    Conversation Notes

    3:00 - Podcast shoutouts for community members that are reviewing, sharing and sponsoring the show 8:40 - A good news story! Vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa are leading to a decline in infant/child mortalities caused by Malaria 21:00 - Looking at the situation in Haiti from someone in the country and with an article by a Haitian leader. Are these really "gangs"? In what ways is it similar to other conflict areas? Is there accountability for foreign interference? 37:55 - The exploitation of North Korean enslaved laborers in China and the nature and challenges of reporting on issues within totalitarian nations 48:58 - Understanding the context of Haiti and other majority world countries through the economic and anthropological lens of Jake Johnston

    Resources and Links from the Show

    Al-Jazeera : Could new vaccines end Malaria in Africa?

    NACLA : Haiti as Empire's Laboratory

    BBC : North Koreans working in China 'exploited like slaves'

    Aid State: Elite Panic, Disaster Capitalism, and the Battle to Control Haiti by Jake Johnston

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

  • Today, we're releasing our podcast collaboration with our friends at Theology in the Raw. Brandon had a chance to sit down with Preston Sprinkle and dive into all things global orphan care and discuss the realities of that children in orphanages face worldwide. Our conversation weaves between a theology of calling and mission and how American Christians intersect with orphans in the Global South. We discuss the reality of life within orphanages, why kids end up there and what risk factors and vulnerabilities arise when kids are raised in that environment. This is a good Ethical Orphan Care 101 type episode and we're grateful for the chance to collaborate with Theology in the Raw to raise awareness and education.

    For additional follow-up check out Brandon's four part orphan care blog series on Theology in the Raw. Here's the link.

    Resources and Links from the show

    When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett

    In Pursuit of Orphan Excellence by Phil Darke and Keith McFarland

    Check out our friends at Cherish Uganda

    Get help to transform your orphanage with Canopy International

  • Global nonprofits are notorious doers, always thinking, planning and taking action. In all of our intentionality for programs and justice endeavors, are we being equally intentional to pray? Peter Greer is back on the show, along with new friend Ryan Skoog, to share about the new book that they wrote (along with Cameron Doolittle) called Lead with Prayer. This is a conversation for everyone, because without God's intervention, nothing would happen anyway. And here's the secret that our guests share with us, "even better than answered prayer, is the very presence of God." Let's think, let's do, but let's also pray.

    Resources and Links from the show

    Join us for the first ever CarePortal Conference

    Lead With Prayer Website (Includes Free Prayer Tools)

    Echo Prayer App

    Conversation Notes

    4:25 - Ryan’s background in entrepreneurship and fundraising 9:55 - Connection of themes between The Gift of Disillusionment and Lead with Prayer 13:10 - The impact of the global church on our lives and taking the Gospel locally and to the ends of the earth 17:00 - Why is prayer so overlooked within Christian nonprofits. Peter asks, “Do we think that we have more to do than Jesus?” 22:35 - Diving into the research of different leaders around the world and what their prayer lives look like 26:35 - Leaders have a friendship first approach to their prayer lives 30:03 - It requires intentionality to set up prayer rhythms both personally and as an organizational 37:50 - The importance of leaders to repent and avoid the common story of Christian leaders that fall from grace 44:20 - Stories of people’s prayer lives