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

In honor of the World Without Orphans Global Forum and in honor of awesome work being done in the Philippines, we've got Chrina Cuna Henson joining the show. Chrina runs the Manila-based organization Generations-Home and talks with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about what it's like to promote foster care and adoption in the Philippines. We discuss the reality of violence against children and the pervasive online sexual exploitation of children in the country and learn how Generations-Home is promoting the care and protection of Filipino children.

Resources and Links from the Show

Join us for the first ever CarePortal Conference

Generations-Home Website

"Constance" by Mr. J Medeiros (Music Video)

Conversation Notes

• 2:30 What's great about the World Without Orphans Global Forum
• 7:50 About Generations Home and their work in the Philippines
• 10:15 How God led Chrina from personal tragedy into running a nonprofit focused on orphans and vulnerable children
• 15:00 Overview of orphanhood and childhood vulnerability in the Philippines including online sexual exploitation of children
• 22:42 Starting a church based, family focused movement in an orphanage and exploitation heavy context
• 34:35 The art of being gracious with people that have good intentions that are just trying to do what they think is best
• 39:30 Foster care and adoption in the Philippines
• 46:10 Getting the local church involved with vulnerable children and families
• 50:35 Being an OVC organization that is based financially in Asia rather than the West
• 55:53 Embracing our own brokenness as we faithfully serve vulnerable communities

In this 3+1 episode, we're catching up on some global stories that you might have missed and have a recommendation of the pop variety. We're continuing last month's conversation on elections by looking at El Salvador, talking through localization efforts in global development, the scandal surrounding UNRWA-Hamas and then get Brandon's take on Bono's recent biography, Surrender. Dr. Greg Burch of Multnomah University joins Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke for the conversation.

Get support for your nonprofit team or project with our team of professionals at Canopy International

Resources and Links from the show

Foreign Policy : What Bukele's Rise Means for the Region

World Relief : Three Trends We're Seeing in Global Development in 2024

USAID : Communicating through a Localization Lens

The Media Line : Hamas Sacrifices Gaza Children, and UNRWA Complicit in Crimes

Bridgely

The Locust Effect by Gary Haugen and Victor Boutros

God of the Empty-Handed by Jayukumar Christian

Conversation Notes

• 2:12 - Discussion on Christian Higher ed
• 8:23 - Considering security, freedom, violence and democracy as El Salvador goes through changes and the leadership of Nayib Bukele
• 22:00 - Why even bother bringing politics into the podcast conversation?
• 26:10 - Trends in global development, localization and the place for outsiders
• 40:30 - Violence against children in Israel-Palestine and the Hamas-UNRWA reports
• 52:34 - Surrender by Bono and reflections on the celebrity activist

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

What does it look like to meet the needs of very vulnerable people in the face of glaring global disparity? What does it look like to bring God's Kingdom through improving access to healthcare in the Global South? These are the questions we're looking at today as we dive into conversation with CEO of CURE International, Justin Narducci. Justin and his team CURE are distinctly rooted in Luke 9:2 where Jesus commissioned His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. For them that means running hospitals in eight countries, providing over 330,000 surgeries and sharing the gospel with 1.5 million people. We get to learn from their experience in this episode of the podcast.

Resources and Links from the show

Cure International Website

Get Support for Yourself or Your Team with Canopy International

Conversation Notes

• 1:40 - Update on Brandon's work with CarePortal
• 4:05 - Think Global becoming Think Global, Do Justice
• 9:50 - The work of Cure Intl. and how God led Justin into the global nonprofit space
• 12:00 - How scripture points us towards caring for people both locally and globally regardless of ethnicity and upbringing
• 13:20 - The history and the founding of CURE to meet healthcare and spiritual needs of vulnerable children and communities
• 15:20 - The environment in which CURE is working and the harsh realities for families and children
• 21:20 - The feelings of a parent whose child is in need of serious medical care
• 25:40 - The imperative for CURE to provide healthcare to vulnerable children specifically
• 29:30 - Addressing the tremendous disparity when looking at healthcare in Africa versus other areas of the world
• 33:15 - Promoting sustainability and professional development through CURE's hospitals and partnerships
• 39:00 - How should we think about scaling solutions especially in the face of such tremendous needs throughout the world
• 45:24 - Seeing an organization grow from the founder to subsequent executives without mission creep
• 48:50 - Incorporating Christian ministry care with the medical care to heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God
• 53:35 - The importance of having a specialized skill that you can transfer and train others in

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

You cannot have a conversation around global issues without considering the state of the earth itself. We are talking today with educator, author and climate advocate Dr. Forrest Inslee to learn, "what on earth is happening with the earth?" Dr. Inslee brings a distinctly Christian viewpoint to the conversation as we consider the damage being done to the environment and how Christians that are engaging vulnerable communities around the world have a role to play in supporting not just people, but all of God's creation.

Resources and Links from the show

Earthkeepers Podcast

Re-imagining Short Term Missions

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe

Agrarian Spirit: Cultivating Faith, Community, and the Land by Norman Wirzba

Conversation Notes

• 7:10 - Remembering that God loves all ethnicities and nationalities the same and Jesus making us into family
• 10:15 - Blood relation, family and adoption in Turkey
• 15:15 - A snapshot of climate change, extreme weather, ecosystem loss and how a Christian should think through these realities
• 19:45 - The link between poverty and ecological degradation
• 23:40 - Christians believe that people matter most, but is it the case that people are all that matters.
• 27:57 - The way that people divide even in the midst of having something they could agree on (and also Parks and Rec)
• 34:45 - Is there a role for technology to solve our problems or is that just magic thinking that won't bear enough fruit
• 38:40 - Urbanization is a historic long term trend and how can people do something to take action
• 46:15 - The need to reimagine how we do short term missions
• 52:00 - Promising practices in short term missions and cross-cultural ministry
• 57:45 - Practicing humility and learning as we engage in justice work