Allison Coble, Author at Faith to Action

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 [...]

Responding to the Ebola EpidemicAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:30:18-05:00

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 [...]

Now Available – Key Research on Orphanages and Family Care!Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:29:52-05:00

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 [...]

The Concentric Circles of Strengthening FamiliesAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:29:11-05:00

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 [...]

Gotcha Day: Local Churches Support Adoptions and FamiliesAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:28:25-05:00

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 [...]

Considering Poverty in Orphan CareAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:27:48-05:00

Staying Engaged Throughout the Year

Tags: Community Strengthening 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. […]

Staying Engaged Throughout the YearAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:37:58-05:00

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, [...]

Now Available for Download – Summary of Research!Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:26:38-05:00

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 [...]

The Importance of Caring for AdolescentsAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:26:12-05:00

Partnering to Make a Difference in Ethiopia

Both demographically and chronologically, City Church is a young church. Founded in 2007 and based in Tallahassee, Florida, the church’s membership is made up mostly of students and young professionals. City Church’s passion for outreach “in an ever-changing culture” is reflected in its meeting places, beginning with the high school auditorium where services were first held, to its current home in a warehouse and the local nightclub where Easter and Christmas services meet each year. […]

Partnering to Make a Difference in EthiopiaAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:25:40-05:00

From Church to Child, Church and Community

Tags: Community Strengthening The Journey Church, a 175-member church in San Jose, California, is a small church making a big difference for orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe. It all began when The Journey’s pastor joined a fellow church member on a trip led by World Vision to the rural community of Limpopo. Returning to their home church, the men shared what they had seen: heartbreaking loss due to poverty and HIV/AIDS, as well as life-saving work being done to address the issue. The Journey was inspired to take action and [...]

From Church to Child, Church and CommunityAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:24:35-05:00

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 [...]

Lessons Learned from Peter and Paul – Not the Ones You Imagine!Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:23:53-05:00

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 [...]

Journeys of Faith: Changing the Way Churches Do MinistryAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:23:33-05:00

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, [...]

The Call of a Missions Pastor- Pastoral or Prophetic Responses to Orphan CareAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:23:00-05:00

Partnering with the Local Church & Supporting Families to Care for Their Children

Tags: Transitioning | Economic Empowerment Meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children is often best accomplished through partnerships with the local communities and ministries who are leading the day-to-day responses. The Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) supports this principal in their work on behalf of children and families in Zambia. ACE is a Christian nonprofit child welfare organization in Tucson, Arizona that was founded in 1969 by Virginia “Jennie” Woods. ACE’s overarching approach to caring for orphans is to empower professionals, families, churches and communities to care for and support children and families in crisis within [...]

Partnering with the Local Church & Supporting Families to Care for Their ChildrenAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:22:24-05:00

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.

Announcing our New WebsiteAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:21:58-05:00

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 [...]

Who is the Faith To Action Initiative?Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:21:39-05:00

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit 10

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit 2014, May 1-2, 2014. The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ annual Summit inspires, equips and connects participants for adoption, foster care, and global orphan ministry through workshops and plenary sessions. Each year thousands of pastors, grassroots advocates, organizational leaders, church ministry heads, and other global leaders attend.

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit 10Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:21:13-05:00

2014 OVC Applied Research & Best Practice Conference

2014 OVC Applied Research & Best Practice Conference, April 30, 2014. The Conference will unite top academic OVC researchers with leaders of faith-based NGOs serving children around the globe. Practitioners will gain exposure to incisive research and empirical data on key issues, innovations and best practices in the field. Researchers will have a rare opportunity to directly strengthen frontline practices worldwide. This first-of-its-kind conference will precede CAFO2014 Summit.

2014 OVC Applied Research & Best Practice ConferenceAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:20:52-05:00

North American Association of Christians in Social Work Convention

North American Association of Christians in Social Work Convention, November 6-9, 2014. This conference is designed to help Christians who are social work practitioners, educators, students, as well as church ministry staff, and those interested in social work and social change.

North American Association of Christians in Social Work ConventionAllison Coble2024-01-17T19:20:26-05:00

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 [...]

My “aha” moment. The story of a learning curve.Allison Coble2024-01-17T19:20:06-05:00

Allison

About Allison Coble