Think Global, Do Justice Canopy International

"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