Faith to Action at CAFO 2015
This week Faith to Action is attending the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Applied Research & Best Practice Symposium and Christian Alliance for Orphans’ CAFO 2015 Summit. The Symposium looks at evidence-based practices for OVC researchers and practitioners and the Summit brings together nearly 3,000 orphan care advocates, pastors, leaders, and foster and adoptive parents from over 35 countries. The event seeks to inspire and equip Christians to care for orphans with wisdom-guided love through exploration family preservation and global orphan ministry, foster care and adoption. The CAFO Summit has become the national hub for what Christianity Today called, “the [...]
International Wholistic Missions Conference in Peoria, AZ this week!
The International Wholistic Missions Conference will commence for a third time April 29th through May 1st in Peoria, AZ with the goal of equipping Christians, churches and organization for word and deed ministries that transform lives and communities. This year's theme is "The Whole Church on Mission" with tracks for On Mission to the Poor, the City, the Workplace and more. As part of the track for On Mission to a Broken World, Leadership Council member Elli Oswald will represent Faith to Action. Elli will facilitate a workshop on Orphans and Vulnerable Children: How Churches Can Support Family and [...]
OVC Resources for you!
Faith to Action is excited to share a great resource with our networks. Since the relaunch of OVCsupport.org in July of last year, there has been a rejuvenated sense of collaboration and sharing of additional resources produced by the OVC community. OVCsupport has been hard at work in their mission to make as much of it as possible easily accessible through their What’s new? blog, featuring articles, announcements, and their expanded news of the week feature, as well as through our ever-growing resource database. Sign up for the OVCsupport bulletin in order to bring some of the highlights directly [...]
Out of Isolation and Into Families
Tags: Transitioning | Economic Empowerment In Armenia there are around 4,500 children living in residential institutions, a situation caused by the weak social protection system, an insufficient number of community-based services and lack of gate-keeping mechanisms due to overall weakness and inefficiency of the system, leftover from the Soviet Union. In the last decade, the Government of Armenia (GoA) initiated the process of reorganization of residential institutions for children and began making significant investments in the development of social services and program alternatives to residential care. However, Armenia faces multiple difficulties in sustaining various initiatives [...]
Global Leadership Network (GLN) 2015
This week Faith to Action will be participating in The Chalmer Center's GLN 2015. Chalmers' work focuses on helping churches understand poverty, poverty alleviation, and equips churches to better understand how to shift toward a healthier framework of engaging low-income communities in order to empower the poorest of the poor. The GLN 2015 conference will explore helping without hurting in short-term missions as well as church-centered poverty alleviation approaches that empower the poor. Faith to Action is excited to join the conversation and establish relationships with churches and other leaders focused on poverty alleviation best practices. We are also looking forward [...]
God’s Word: The Heartbeat of Love for the Orphan
Tags: Community Strengthening “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 Where in the world today is the church responding to the orphan crisis? Ethiopia, home to one of the largest orphan populations in the world, has over five million orphaned and vulnerable children. Bethany Christian Services (BCS) is answering that call by using the power of God’s Word to support local Ethiopian Christians to provide [...]
Upcoming Webinar from CAFO on February 25th!
Every month, Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), hosts a webinar series in order to give local advocates access to the knowledge and experience of top Alliance member churches and organizations nationwide. Webinars cover key topics on adoption, foster care and/or global orphan care. Each webinar is hosted by a local church orphan ministry and co-presented by one or more national experts on the subject matter. This month's webinar is entitled, "Telling Your Story," and it will focus on the importance of how you tell the story of your ministry to engage others in the work of caring for children. This [...]
Faith to Action Annual Meeting & Task Force Meeting
Faith to Action will hold its annual meeting with the Leadership Council and Advisory Group this Thursday, February 5, 2015 in Washington, DC. Leadership Council and Advisory Group members will share their expertise, skills and resources through active engagement, feedback and action planning. This is an opportunity for Faith to Action to give full reports on projects and deliverables happening over the last year as well as discuss strategic engagement opportunities and plan for the year ahead. Following Faith to Action's annual meeting, Faith to Action will host the Better Practice Network and Referral Task Force Meeting on Friday, [...]
Promoting Family Life, Not Orphanages
Today marks 5 years since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The earthquake left much of the capital and surrounding area in ruins in one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. Although the government said more than 300,000 people were killed, the exact toll is unknown because there was no systematic effort to count bodies amid the chaos and destruction. In the midst of the chaos, families were separated and children orphaned. Following the earthquake, teams poured in from around the world to try to help respond, making it one of the most complicated emergency responses to date, [...]
The Invitation and Hope of Advent
The season of Advent is upon us. Advent, which means coming in Latin, invites us to slow down and actively wait with great anticipation for the birth of Christ. The rhythm of Advent draws us closer to God in hope, preparation, joy, love, and through the presence of Christ Himself. In the midst of the holiday season, we are also reminded – through daily headlines and through our care for and connection to others – that we live in a world of profound brokenness. With more than 153 million children that have lost one parent and 18 million that have [...]
Responding to the Ebola Epidemic
With the largest Ebola epidemic in human history continuing to unfold before the world’s eyes, we have seen the toll it has taken on many aspects of several West African nations. Death is only part of this tragedy. With nearly 5,000 deaths and rising, the question demands an answer- what does this mean for children impacted by this epidemic? According to UNICEF, more than 3,700 children in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have lost one or both parents to Ebola since the outbreak’s start, with over half of these cases coming from Liberia alone. These numbers [...]
Now Available – Key Research on Orphanages and Family Care!
The Faith to Action Initiative’s newest publication Key Research on Orphanages and Family Care: An Annotated Bibliography is available online for download. This resource – a companion to Children, Orphanages, and Families: A Summary of Research to Help Guide Faith-Based Action (Summary of Research) is provided as a working bibliography of key research and evidence-based policy papers on the care of orphans and other vulnerable children separated from parental care. Most of the documents in this bibliography are recent research studies, published within the last seven years. These studies include a range of research methods and approaches, from case studies [...]
The Concentric Circles of Strengthening Families
Millions of children around the world are orphaned. I feel helpless to take action in terms of these staggering facts. What can I possibly do to help with the problem? I feel so overwhelmed by the issue. But, understanding the importance of strengthening families is something I can wrap my mind around. In fact, it is something I am already doing in my everyday life. I spend a lot of time with children. During the week, I am with my own three preschool-age children all day (they are 5, 4 and 2 years old). I clean up crayons and [...]
Gotcha Day: Local Churches Support Adoptions and Families
Tags: Adoption | Foster Care | Transitioning | Community Strengthening | Economic Empowerment In our family we have “Gotcha Day” celebrations for our two adopted children. It’s a special day each year when we celebrate and relive the story of bringing home a baby from Russia to become a part of our family. We have fun with cake and a special meal then sit together and go through the photo album. We remember all the special events surrounding the adoption and becoming a new family. I believe our Gotcha Day celebrations [...]
Considering Poverty in Orphan Care
For many orphans, poverty is a common denominator. Some children become orphans because the lack of adequate food, clean water, or health care resulted in the death of one or both of their parents. Other children have been placed in the care of orphanages by living parents who cannot supply for their children’s needs because of poverty. Because poverty is a factor in so many children becoming orphans, understanding orphan care requires an understanding of poverty. In fact, the Bible beseeches us not merely to fight poverty, but to understand poverty. Psalm 41:1 reads, “Blessed is he who considers [...]
Now Available for Download – Summary of Research!
Faith to Action's latest publication, "Children, Orphanages, and Families: A Summary of Research to Help Guide Faith-Based Action" is now available online for download! This exciting resource for the faith-based community regarding care for orphanages and vulnerable children includes: Current global estimates and key facts about orphans, vulnerable children, and separation from parental care; Compelling evidence demonstrating the importance of family care; Research on the limitations of orphanages (as well as residential care); and A concise overview of family-based care (reunification, kinship, foster care, and adoption) and strategies to strengthen families. Read more and download your copy here: Children, Orphanages, [...]
The Importance of Caring for Adolescents
When supporting orphans and other vulnerable children our attention and resources often focus on the youngest children. And rightly so — they are developmentally vulnerable and depend on adults for their survival and well-being. But what about adolescents? These young people are also at a vulnerable stage in their lives. This period of rapid physical, cognitive and socio-emotional changes can lead to needs and behaviors that place them at risk, such as: Impulsiveness and risk-taking Intense sexual urges that can be difficult to control A need to “fit in,” to be accepted by peers Exploration of new roles and experimentation [...]
Lessons Learned from Peter and Paul – Not the Ones You Imagine!
Peter and Paul were the first two children I remember meeting in Kenya 10 years ago while there on a social work trip with students from Baylor University. Having my photo taken with them felt truly apostolic, I must say. Their names had a profound enough of an impact, but the tenderness of their smiles and affection was nothing if not spirit-filled. At the same time, there was an emptiness I saw in these children. It may be the result of living with an HIV+ status in an impoverished country. It may be the fact that this disease resulted in [...]
Journeys of Faith: Changing the Way Churches Do Ministry
Hundreds of other pastors, laypersons, ministry and mission team leaders, faculty and students have found participation in a Journeys of Faith study group to be a great way to engage and learn together. Susie Reeder, Minister of Missions at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, shared her personal, positive experience leading a Journeys of Faith study at her church. Read her blog here. You can organize a study group through your church, school, mission team, or with friends and family. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us at info@faithtoaction.org. You can also click here [...]
The Call of a Missions Pastor- Pastoral or Prophetic Responses to Orphan Care
Tags: Community Strengthening In the three years I’ve worked as a missions director in the church, I have heard hundreds of people describe the experiences they’ve had visiting orphanages on various mission trips. And in spite of differences in location and culture, their stories are all similar. These stories usually go something like this: someone on a mission trip visits an orphanage for a day or two to ‘minister to the kids’ and do some work projects. While there, this person bonds closely with one particular child who wants to be held the whole time, [...]
Announcing our New Website
We are proud to welcome you to our new Faith to Action website! Launched on September 23, 2013, www.faithtoaction.org is designed for ease of use whether you are connecting from your computer, tablet, or mobile device. Our goal is to provide the Christian faith community–churches, mission groups, and individuals–with valuable resources, inspiring stories, and practical tools to inform and support your ministries in response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. We invite you to explore the special features below, to share our website with others, and to give us your feedback so that we can continue to improve our site to better serve you.
Who is the Faith To Action Initiative?
The Faith to Action Initiative (formerly called the Better Care Network Faith-Based Outreach Committee) was first formed in 2006 in response to a growing concern about the high number of orphanages being funded and built in response to a growing concern about the high number of orphanages being funded and built in Africa in the wake of the HIV and AIDS crisis. We are a collaborative initiative made up of a group of individuals representing a range of Christian faith-based and child-focused organizations working to support the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Africa (and beyond) and committed to [...]
My “aha” moment. The story of a learning curve.
Tags: Community Strengthening It kept me up nights and made my head ache…not to mention my heart and my belly. I couldn’t wrap my head around the staggering numbers--millions of children who had been orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS and other causes. My heart was drawn again and again to Sub-Saharan Africa – the epicenter of the crisis – even though I had never been there. I began to dig deeper and the stories, as Kay Warren often says, were “seriously disturbing.” I was moved to action. I began to join forums, attend meetings [...]
Faith To Action Initiative Partners with CAFO
Faith to Action Initiative Partners with the Christian Alliance for Orphans to host Moving Forward: Transitioning, Transforming and Creating New Models of Orphan Care workshop. On May 1, 2013 the Faith to Action Initiative, in partnership with the Christian Alliance for Orphans, hosted a daylong workshop for over 90 individuals committed to caring for orphans and vulnerable children around the world. As a group, workshop participants represented nearly 60 churches and faith-based organizations working in 51 countries. Experts from the field shared their experience with identifying and implementing better practice in supporting family and community-based care. One highlight was a panel [...]
Staying Engaged Throughout the Year
Burke Presbyterian Church is a 600-member church located in Burke, Virginia, within commuting distance of Washington, DC. In 1988, Burke began a partnership with the churches near the rural village of Kibwezi, Kenya, to minister to those in greatest need. This relationship, now spanning over two decades, has become integral to Burke’s identity. Everyone at Burke Presbyterian Church knows the word Kibwezi! Over the years, Burke’s engagement, coupled with resources mobilized by Kibwezi area churches, has supported a range of locally led initiatives helping hundreds of children and families. These initiatives have included the building and staffing of a primary [...]