Simply127

Episode 31

In this episode Sara Beth has a conversation with the newest partner of 127 Worldwide, David Lara. David is the pastor of a church outside of Guatemala, in Escuintla, that was planted by his father. His wife and three daughters work together in ministry. He comes from a big family of five brothers and one sister. His father always had a passion to serve the Lord. David shares how he learned to care for the vulnerable through the example of his father and how he is now leading his church towards discipleship and care for the vulnerable. 

David also shares how the pandemic has affected his ministry and life this past year and what partnering with 127 Worldwide has looked like for him.

Resources:

Have any questions about the Simply 127 podcast? Email [email protected]

Book:

When Helping Hurts : written by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

In this episode Sara Beth has a conversation with Chrispine (Chris) Omondi, Director of Swahiba Networks in Nairobi, Kenya. Swahiba shares the truth of the gospel through meeting temporal needs in Kibera, Africa’s largest slum.

Chris grew up in Kibera and participated in programs offered through Swahiba Networks. He was mentored by founder, Peter Abungu, and is now directing the day to day operations at Swahiba. 

 Resources:

Have any comments or questions? Email [email protected]

Swahiba Networks

https://swahiba.org/

Prayer Document:

https://127worldwide.org/pray

In episode 29, Sara Beth has a conversation with Jason Johnson, National Director of Church Ministry Initiatives for Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). Jason’s background is in church planting and ministry. He and his wife have 4 daughters, one of whom was adopted through foster care. 

Jason shares about his work through CAFO and how everyone has a unique role to play in caring for vulnerable children and families.  He also shares the heart of how to engage more churches and people to care for vulnerable children; through discipleship. The message central to action is that the gospel changes the questions we ask ourselves. Instead of asking why to do something, the new question becomes ‘why not?’.

Resources:

CAFO- Christan Alliance for Orphans

Jason Johnson email:

[email protected]

Jason Johnson Blog

Books:

Everyone Can Do Something

Reframing Foster Care

Finding Your Fit in Foster Care

Have any questions about the Simply 127 podcast?

Email [email protected]

Raleigh Sadler is the Executive Director and Founder of Let My People Go and author of Vulnlerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking. Growing up in church, he talks about his experience with Christianity at a young age and how he never felt like he mined the depths of the Gospel. Raleigh reached a turning point in his faith journey where he started to look outside of himself and to his neighbor. He began to see that we can not just declare the gospel, we must declare and demonstrate the gospel. 

Listen to hear Raleigh’s faith journey and the path God has laid for him in caring for the vulnerable through Let My People Go.

Resources:

• Have any comments or questions? 

Email [email protected]

•  Let My People Go 

https://lmpg.org/

• Book:

Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking

By: Raleigh Sadler

• Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

S2E7 Part 2 of 2

In the second of this two part series, Sara Beth continues her interview with Manny and Jillian Prieto. As a recap, together the Prieto’s have four children, including two through adoption after a long period of foster care. In this episode Manny and Jillian share more information about fostering and adoption, share advice for families looking to foster and adopt and offer encouragement to those who are on this journey. Listen through to the end to hear from some special show guests! 

Resources:

Have any comments or questions? 

Email [email protected]

CAFO: 

OVC Essentials course

https://cafo.org

In the first episode of this two part series, Sara Beth interviews Manny and Jillian Prieto. Manny is the Director of Operations at 127 Worldwide. Together the Prieto’s have four children, including two through adoption after a long period of foster care.

Together they share their story of foster care and adoption and how the grace of God ultimately has led them to where they are now as a family. Listen to their transparency and honesty as parents and how the gospel drives and guides their lives.

Resources:

- Have any comments or questions? Email [email protected]

- Article on the Prieto’s answering the call to foster and adopt: Gathered: How one family answered the call of community. In choosing to adopt, the Prietos committed to upholding the dignity of a whole family.

https://www.brnow.org/news/gathered-how-one-family-answered-the-call-of-community/

In this Simply127 Podcast Season 2 episode, Sara Beth has a conversation with Odongo Geoffrey (Geoffrey) from Acres of Hope Uganda. This conversation was recorded between the two, who are oceans apart. There may be slight pauses due to internet connectivity. This podcast was also pieced together from a much longer conversation, that was narrowed down into a few short clips. Listen to hear Geoffrey’s amazing faith journey and life story.

Continuing with the theme of how the Gospel is central to the work of 127 Worldwide, Geoffrey, local leader who lives in Northern Uganda, shares how his life experiences and relationship with Christ prepared him to start and run Acres of Hope Uganda.

Growing up in war torn Uganda, Geoffrey faced tremendous challenges as a child. Orphaned at a young age, he was left without a home and lived along the Nile River. He shares the difficulties he faced until one day when a missionary came to plant a church, took notice of Geoffrey and then advocated for him.

Geoffrey faced some of life's most difficult challenges, yet his story paints a picture of how God delivered him and is using him today through his ministry at Acres of Hope Uganda.

Resources:

Have any questions about this podcast?

Email: [email protected]

Acres of Hope Uganda

More show notes with Ugandan civil war history.

In this episode, Sara Beth continues her conversation with Michele Suffridge, Executive Director of Refugee Hope Partners. One of 127 Worldwide’s key distinctives is healthy engagement that encourages empowerment and preserves human dignity. This episode takes a deeper dive into this topic as Sara Beth and Michele discuss healthy engagement with vulnerable communities. Michele shares her journey of working with the vulnerable and how Refugee Hope Partners engages with refugee families in healthy ways.

Resources:

Refugee Hope Partners

When Helping Hurts

Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

In this episode, Sara Beth has a conversation with Michele Suffridge. Michele is the Executive Director of Refugee Hope Partners. Refugee Hope Partners exists to love refugee neighbors with the hope of the gospel in partnership with the local church. 

Michele, mom of 5 kids, shares her story of  parenthood, adoption and how God made connections in her life to minister to refugees. She discusses how God opened doors to start Refugee Hope Partners and how Covid-19 has impacted our refugee neighbors this past year. Listen to hear God’s activity in Michele’s life and how she responded. 

In episode 22, Sara Beth continues the discussion on how we are motivated by the gospel and how the gospel is central to the work of 127 Worldwide. The guest in this episode is Ashok Nachnani. Ashok is a husband, father, foster dad and member of the 127 Worldwide board of directors.

In this episode you will hear how Ashok tangibly lives out James 1:27 by fostering and the giving of his time, talents and financial gifts. He also shares his testimony and about his life changing trip to Kenya with his teenage daughter.  Listen to his story to see how God uses the lives of ordinary people to advance his kingdom.

Have any questions? Email [email protected]