In episode 218, we hear from lawyer and professor, Elizabeth Kirk. Elizabeth is the Director of the Center for Law and the Human Person, as well as a research associate at The Catholic University of America. Her work spans a variety of law in child welfare, parental rights, and adoption policy. In addition to her career, her lived experiences as an adoptee and an adoptive parent, give her a unique perspective and voice to speak into the conversation happening around adoption today. She talks with Brandon about the role that infant adoption could play following last year's Dobbs decision at the Supreme Court, misconceptions around adoption, as well as insight on the decision making process for women that have an unplanned pregnancy.  Podcast Sponsor    Masters Program at Mulnomah University in Global Development and Justice   The M.A. in Global Development and Justice (MAGDJ) program prepares students to work across the nexus of justice, peacebuilding, and transformational community development work. The curriculum develops compassionate leaders and professionals, who are trauma-informed and prepared to support human flourishing in whatever context they work in.   Resources and Links from the show   LifeMark movie Show Notes    Elizabeth shares her background and what drew her into this work (5:20)  The role of adoption in a post Roe vs. Wade world (13:00)  Overviewing pro-choice arguments against adoption (14:52)  A view of pregnancy that includes communities (18:20)  Mothers and decision making in adoption (24:50)  A global south perspective (27:20)  Misconceptions concerning adoption (29:00)  Elizabeth’s adoption experience and a story from a birth mother (35:20)  Is adoption a viable option in a birth mother’s mind? (49:00)  

Elizabeth Kirk - Infant Adoption in a Post-Roe World

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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  

Alternate Economies and Climate Change (April 3+1)

"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  

Dr. Karen Fancher - Blessed Are The Peacemakers

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   

Eugene Cho - Advocating for the Hungry

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  

Malaria, Haiti, Slavery and "Aid State" (March 3+1)

 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 

Elizabeth Kirk - Infant Adoption in a Post-Roe World

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