Millions of children live without the care and protection of a family. And yet, even in the presence of so much of the world’s brokenness, God is joining people and organizations together to offer hope to vulnerable children and families. 

We are happy to share that between now and Dec. 31, you can multiply your generosity thanks to a small number of passionate and committed CAFO givers who have agreed to match all gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $525,000. 

As we move boldly into a new year, we’re confident God is at work bringing His people together to offer hope to vulnerable children and families.

Will you consider supporting this Kingdom work of pouring love into the lives of vulnerable children and families by including CAFO in your year-end giving plans?

When you give to CAFO, you aren’t just supporting one organization.

You’re strengthening an entire movement of God’s people working to provide safe, loving homes to millions of children. 

The work of this movement includes:

• Helping children experience God’s unfailing love by mobilizing a united movement of churches, families and ministries to care for them.
• Caring spiritually, emotionally and physically for children by equipping nonprofit and church leaders with the best research, tools and resources to serve more children more effectively.
• Ensuring children worldwide have access to Christ-centered care through coordinated action and collaborative community.

Your gift to CAFO unites the collective strength of an entire field of committed Christian ministries, churches and leaders working together toward a future in which every child experiences God’s unfailing love in a thriving family. 

Will you help children and families thrive today? 

– If you have any questions about CAFO, the match or your gift this year, please contact Michael Mitchell, CAFO’s Director of Development & Discipleship, at michael.mitchell@cafo.org.

The post Every gift to CAFO between now and Dec. 31 will be doubled appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Recently CAFO’s president, Jedd Medefind, had the opportunity to spend time in Ethiopia visiting several CAFO member organizations while also preaching, speaking and meeting with local church leaders. For Thanksgiving, we are sharing some of his thoughts with you as a vivid reminder of the many quiet yet powerful ways God’s Kingdom is advancing among the vulnerable. As Jedd reflects on his time in Ethiopia, he shares glimpse after glimpse of God’s transformative work. Though seemingly small, these acts of faithfulness by God’s people are yielding abundant fruit over time. It’s our hope that you’ll be encouraged as you read about the transformative work God is doing every day through believers in Ethiopia.

Small seeds take root and grow

My family and I had the privilege of spending time with many CAFO member organizations in Ethiopia in November, including: Hope for the Fatherless (where our children volunteered tutoring English, math and music); Lifesong for Orphans (where we visited their tremendous school in Zawai); Make Your Mark (doing great work with street children in Addis Ababa); Alliance Care Now (helping churches host after-school programs for youth); and a number of other incredible organizations doing good, God-honoring work. 

In addition to gaining a deeper understanding of the great challenges leaders in Ethiopia face, our time also got me thinking a great deal about all that Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God. 

In the face of the expansive need and brokenness that surrounded Jesus in his day – and that surrounds us still today – Jesus never described the advance of the Kingdom as being like a conquering army or massive earthquake or sweeping tidal wave. Rather, he always described it with the smallest things imaginable … grains of salt, minuscule bits of yeast, tiny seeds. Each of these things, though so easy to dismiss or miss entirely, carry a truly transformative power over time. 

I saw that power at work in Ethiopia. Amidst such vast need, each small action provided a glimpse of the Kingdom breaking forth, taking root and transforming lives in ways that ripple and rise, spread and grow.  

My family and I spent part of an afternoon in one of the many family homes created by CAFO-member Selamta Family Project for a widow and six former orphans. Each of those children could be in one of the heartbreakingly-inadequate government orphanages, on the streets or worse.  Instead, thanks to many caring Americans who support this work and many devoted Ethiopians who lead it, these children are now part of a family that is so clearly full of love, belonging and God’s living Word. 

Like little seeds, it is seemingly small and undramatic … and truly beautiful.

Strengthening the movement for the local church

CAFO always wants to encourage and strengthen a true movement of local churches and believers in every nation stepping up to serve the orphaned and vulnerable children of their country. Thanks be to God, that is just what is happening in Ethiopia. 

One of the events I was a part of during my month in Ethiopia was the DEBO Summit. While aided and encouraged over many years by CAFO, it is entirely owned and led by tremendous Ethiopian leaders, including our board member Belay Gebru. In fact, my wife Rachel and I were the only non-Ethiopian speakers and workshop instructors. The DEBO Summit drew 400+ Ethiopian pastors, leaders and other believers who desire to live out that vision for the Church and to spread it across the country.  

If you’d be willing, will you please pause and take a moment to pray for the Ethiopian church and the dear believers in that country? May God continue to draw their hearts nearer to His and to cause His kingdom to break forth all the more here through them!”   

–Jedd Medefind is the President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. 

The post The quiet work of God’s Kingdom appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Christians around the world have labored with a remarkable unity in the work of welcoming orphaned and vulnerable children for the past two decades. Together, the entire Christian Alliance for Orphans community works to see “the people of God overflowing with the love of God so that every child will experience God’s unfailing love in a thriving family.”

It’s a worthy vision – worthy of my life and yours. Yet, to be a thriving family is no easy task in our day. 

Reports on the status of mental health reveal a steep decline in well-being, especially among young people. Divorce, absent fathers, perpetually overscheduled and worn-out families, and broken or distant relationships – these and other signs of family fracturing are everywhere.  Parenting in this era feels complex and challenging. 

Indeed, individuals and communities are experiencing a fracturing of the wholeness and enduring intimacies that God intends. 

And foster and adoptive families are no exception.  

In recent years, many foster and adoptive parents have expressed that they are struggling to help their children heal in mind, body, and relationships and to flourish as disciples of Christ. They’re trying their best but feel as though they have very little to offer other than transporting their child to other experts, often many times a week. 

This can leave them feeling exhausted and disheartened. 

A vision for thriving families is always an uphill aspiration, perhaps all the more so in the times we live in. Families that are part of the healing and grafting work that comes with foster care and adoption can feel this especially acutely.

And yet, it remains God’s tenacious purpose for parents and children to grow and thrive together. Healing within families has always been central to God’s restorative action in the world. 

And foster and adoptive families are no exception. 

A new CAFO Initiative for families

Throughout history, faithful Christians have sought to uphold and strengthen the family, recognizing that God means for the loving, determined Christian home to be the ideal growing ground for our children … and for adults, too.

CAFO is committed to carrying forward this good work and strengthening parents who are in the thick of it.

In response to the deeply-felt needs of Christian foster and adoptive parents to nurture the healing and health of their children, CAFO  has begun a new initiative, the Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health. 

We want to curate and create excellent resources for parents, organizations, and churches that serve foster and adoptive families. These tools will be grounded in the wisdom of scripture and the best of contemporary research. 

The Institute will serve as a dynamic hub for experts, practitioners, and parents that can nurture fresh insights and practices across the field. 

Foundational truths guiding our work

Here are a few Foundational truths that will guide the Institute. 

The nurturing home is an essential environment for healing and health. 

The measurable effects of being welcomed into a caring home are so notable that it is understood by many researchers to be an intervention itself. Parents need not be perfect.  The simple reality of a decent family opening their lives to a child produces powerful changes over time. When things get tough, we want to remind parents that for a child who has experienced early adversity, no intervention can match that of being enveloped within a loving family.

Life lived unto God is distinctively good for us. 

We have confidence that the committed Christian home – supported by a healthy church –  is the epicenter for the day-to-day process of healing and growth for children who’ve faced adversity. Again, the standard is not perfection but an earnest commitment to living out together the core commitments of the Christian life. When families practice confession, forgiveness, and gratitude – when they serve and honor one another and bear with each other’s shortcomings and cultivate humility – good things happen. Research now affirms the age-old Christian understanding that there are deep and lasting benefits for both individuals and communities when these sorts of practices are woven into the fabric of daily life.  The Institute will work to help parents integrate the basic practices of daily Christian life and habits within their homes.

True health involves the whole person – the body, mind, spirit, and relationships. 

Easy-to-overlook things like sleep, diet, physical activity, time outdoors, and cultivating strong relationships with God and others impact our mental health significantly. Even small, intentional shifts in physical habits make a remarkable difference in our emotions and our perceptions of ourselves and others.  So, when we want to help someone heal mentally or emotionally, we must take a view of the whole person. The Institute will offer guidance for practical ways to apply this understanding in the habits of the home.

Most positive growth involves small, daily practices patiently sustained over time. 

Some challenges may require the involvement of specialists, counselors, and other professionals. At times, crisis interventions are needed. However, even in the most difficult situations, the real work of transformation usually needs to be worked out in small, countlessly-repeated actions guided by loving parents amidst daily life. This, in fact, is how Christian discipleship happens as well – it involves all of life over a lifetime. So, the Institute stresses the vital work of cultivating and maintaining simple practices – for both parents and kids – that contribute to healing and health over time. 

Confidence in the unending work of God in our lives

Every generation faces the challenge of helping the next generation – we worry, try our best, and inevitably find our efforts to be less than perfect. Parenting in this generation is fraught with complexities. Deep cultural and relational fractures impact our homes. Often, foster and adoptive parents feel this in an amplified way, including unique challenges and a lot of learning. 

As followers of God, parenting means entrusting outcomes to the Good Shepherd, knowing our best efforts do not provide a guarantee. Like the Loving Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, many godly parents experience deep pain and uncertainty over the choices their children make. Even so, as Christian parents, we seek to be faithful and wise, cultivating God’s heart and ways within our hearts and our children’s … and anticipating God’s gracious work in our lives. (Deuteronomy 6:7) 

Despite the fracturing, challenges, and uncertainties of our time, we believe that the Holy Spirit desires to dwell with us in our homes. He makes Himself continually available to each family member, providing a more-than-natural wisdom and power for healing and growth. Despite all our frailties, He invites us to participate with Him in this work.  

It is upon this conviction and hope that the CAFO Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health is established – confident that together, we can help parents to play the most central, indispensable role in their children’s healing and health over time!

– Rachel Medefind, the Director of the CAFO Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health.

The post How can we help foster and adoptive families thrive?  appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

The Biden Administration has proposed new Federal regulations that would re-shape how states and counties must approach issues related to the sexuality and gender identity of children and youth in the foster system.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra described these and other regulatory changes as “game-changing,” and expressed, “This is going to change the complexion of how we view foster care treatment for our foster kids, but more importantly, how we look at the people who we rely on to care for foster kids.”

The proposed rule is titled, “Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B.” As required by Federal law, the public may submit “comment” letters on these proposed regulations through November 27, 2023. The department that has proposed the regulations – HHS – must review and respond to all comments before issuing a final rule.

• An information sheet on the proposed rule is available here. 
• A deeper exploration of the implications of the proposed rule is provided below, written by Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.
• Organizations and citizens may share their concerns and propose alterations until November 27, 2023.

Biden Administration Proposed Rule: “Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B”

New Federal regulations proposed by the Biden Administration – titled “Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B” – would fundamentally re-shape how states and counties must approach issues related to the sexuality and gender identity of children and youth in the foster system. 

This new framework would replace the current legal paradigm and the present relationship between the Federal government and states. While Federal law currently requires that all states ensure “safe and proper” care for children in foster care, states are generally free to decide how best to do so.  This allows for America to hold shared national commitments alongside a diversity of values, approaches, and creative solutions within individual states. The proposed rule would replace this current diversity with a single highly-prescribed, Federally-directed approach.

A new two-tier system of “safe” and “unsafe” government partners

At its essence, the proposed rule would redefine “safety” to require foster parents, group homes, and social workers to actively affirm and support the current inclinations a child expresses regarding their sexual preferences and gender identity. If an agency, staff, or foster family were to question or suggest alternate interpretations of a child’s present feelings or inclinations, they would no longer meet the new regulation’s standard for “safety”

On the one hand, it is clear that the writers of the proposed rule have earnestly sought to avoid Constitutional religious liberty problems. In its unanimous 2021 ruling in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the Supreme Court rebuked the city for refusing to accommodate the religious commitments of faith-based organizations regarding sexuality and gender. To try to avoid a similar legal challenge, these regulations place the burden of ensuring “safe” placements on state and local governments, not private agencies. 

State and local governments would be required to establish a system that certifies placement agencies and their foster homes as “safe” by the rule’s new definition of safety. Meeting this standard would require substantive training in LGBTQI+ affirming practices and also guarantees from partner agencies that their staff and its foster families would provide nothing but unequivocal agreement with and support of a child’s current sexual preferences and sense of gender identity.  Governments would also be required to ensure that children who identify as LGBTQI+ would receive “services that support their needs related to their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression,” presumably including medical treatments.  

Faith-based nonprofits that hold to a different definition of what safety means would be “free” to not seek certification as being safe for LGBTQI+ children. Theoretically, state and county governments would still be able to place children that do not express LGBTQI+ identity (including “questioning”) in homes through these non-certified agencies.

Despite these attempts at religious accommodation, it is important to recognize the deeper consequences the proposed regulations would likely have over time. Almost certainly, they would create two distinct classes of partner nonprofit agencies: those certified as “safe” because they have embraced the Biden Administration’s new definition of this term and those viewed as less safe because they have not. While some governments may continue to place some children in families through these agencies, it seems likely that the new two-class system would promote both implicit and explicit bias against these agencies and increasing exclusion by government, foundations and other funders, fellow nonprofits, and others. 

“Affirmation” will require the absences of alternative perspectives

At a deeper level, the rule will place the force of law behind the idea that a child’s current inclinations and feelings are, and must be, the final word when it comes to questions of sexuality and gender. The proposed rule would lump together the most harsh and coercive efforts to alter a child’s sense of sexual identity with virtually any attempt to suggest to a child that they may want to question or rethink their current assumptions. 

Under the new regulations, both abusive actions and loving and patient discussions would render a home “unsafe.” As the rule describes, safety for a child means that they would “never be subjected to any attempt to… change their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.” 

Will unquestioning affirmation heal children’s deepest needs?

The proposed rule argues that such an “affirming” approach is necessary by referencing an array of studies that show substantial correlations between LGBTQI+ identity and myriad tragic outcomes, from mental illness to social isolation to suicide. 

Indeed, no caring individual can read these studies and statistics without grieving for these children and the degree to which such heartbreaking outcomes so often come side-by-side with LGBTQI+ identity. Coming to a full and accurate understanding of the reasons for such correlations should be a concern for all Americans, whatever their convictions about sexuality and gender.  

Most Americans would agree with the claims expressed in the proposed rule that abuse, bullying, manipulation, or other mistreatment of a child based on their identifying as LGBTQI+ are unequivocally wrong and can indeed cause detrimental impacts upon a child, including the negative outcomes mentioned above. 

However, the proposed rule goes much further, suggesting that a – or even the –  primary problem faced by foster youth who identify as LGBTQI+ is a lack of full affirmation for their current sexual and/or gender identity. The proposed rule implies that if such total endorsement were to be provided, the tragic outcomes that are associated with the LGBTQI+ identity of children in the foster system would largely disappear. 

Sadly, this unidimensional outlook fails to recognize the complex web of other challenges that most of these children have faced, from early sexual and physical abuse, to drug exposure, neglect and abandonment, serious mental health issues, and much more – often long before questions of sexuality and gender identity became an apparent factor in their lives. 

This outlook also overlooks the high correlations between these other adversities and non-traditional gender and sexual expression, even for those who’ve not experienced foster care. For example, while 26% of straight adults report having experienced 3+ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), that number doubles to 52% for those identifying as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or queer. 

To imply that foster youth who identify as LGBTQ+ will flourish if any questions or caveats regarding their current sexual identity or feelings are removed is not merely simplistic.  Tragically, it almost certainly divert our focus away from the deepest needs that must be met if these children are to truly thrive.

Space for both common ground and differing opinions

It should be expressed very clearly that no one who is truly guided by Christian commitments would ever want a child or adult to be exposed to abuse, mockery, or any other mistreatment because they are grappling with questions of sexuality or gender identity. On the contrary, earnest followers of Jesus Christ want every person to know, before anything else, that they are made in the image of God and infinitely valuable – regardless of the identity or desires they express, choices they’ve made, or any other factor. 

Likewise, the Christian religion – when it faithfully reflects the example and instructions of Jesus Christ – uniquely affirms the liberty of each individual to make decisions of faith and conscience free from coercion, manipulation, or mistreatment of any kind. Jesus did not coerce belief or behavior, and neither should we. 

But to say that a young person should never be encouraged to question or rethink their present feelings or inclinations is a very different matter. This is not only opposed to the way of Jesus – who always met people without judgment right where they were but never left them as they were – but also counter both to the American tradition and to the common sense of virtually every religion and culture across time.

Consider, for example, a 12-year-old who was born male but has concluded that his affinity for playing with dolls necessarily means that he must be a girl and thus must begin taking puberty blockers. Should this child never be encouraged by a caring foster parent to consider alternative interpretations or paths forward? Today, many of the nations that pioneered “affirming care” for children — including Finland, Sweden, France, Norway, and the UK — are voicing serious concerns regarding their prior policies and actively reversing them.  Yet even as Europe is decidedly stepping back from dogmatism in questions of gender identity and transitions, this proposed rule would enshrine an unquestioning and dogmatic approach in Federal policy.

Certainly, there is a healthy tension to be kept here. On one hand, most every American would desire for children to possess freedom to make choices and decisions appropriate to their age and maturity, especially in matters of conscience. On the other, most Americans would also agree that no child is likely to thrive without some measure of adult guidance – which necessarily includes helping a child to question or rethink their current assumptions at many points in their journey to adulthood. 

To define such efforts to questions or challenge a child as “safe” when it comes to helping them, for example, rethink their body image or feelings of need for plastic surgery, but as “unsafe” when it comes to their feelings of sexual desire or identity as a boy or a girl is both contradictory and profoundly problematic. 

An alternative solution

If the Biden Administration’s objective is to ensure that children in foster care are never belittled, mocked, or mistreated because of their present inclinations in regard to sexuality and gender identity, it can do so in a much simpler and direct way than the currently proposed rule.  Such actions can be clearly proscribed – and arguably already are – without requiring states to create a two-tiered system of “safe” and “unsafe” agencies based on a new and highly questionable definition of safety. 

Nor is it necessary to preclude reasonable, respectful efforts by caring foster parents and other adults to help children think through their current feelings and assumptions about these things. Actions that are truly harsh and hostile can be clearly established as entirely out of bounds.  Meanwhile, caring foster parents can still be free to offer alternative viewpoints with kindness.  They could, for example, ask respectful questions and even encourage caution, especially when it comes to emotionally-charged sexual experiences or chemical and surgical treatments that would alter a child for a lifetime. Most Americans would strongly affirm such a balanced approach. 

There is no need to further divide Americans on this point nor to depreciate faith-motivated organizations and foster families. Doing so would certainly contribute to the growing polarization of our society. It would also bring much other unintended harm as well – not only to the conscience rights of many foster care organizations and foster parents, but also to an already-struggling foster system and the children it seeks to serve. 

The invaluable contributions of faith-motivated partners in the foster system

Studies consistently show that people motivated by deep faith are among the most willing to welcome and serve children and families in the foster system. This rule would push many of them away. In a time when children in the foster system desperately need more caring families, this rule would almost certainly lead to fewer.

As the proposed rule acknowledges, faith-motivated individuals and organizations provide an outsized portion of America’s social safety net. For example, regular church-attenders donate to charity more than three times the percentage of personal income compared to that given by those who don’t attend church. These people give more not only to religious organizations, but to non-religious organizations as well. They also volunteer, give blood, and serve neighbors at notably higher rates. (See, for example, the expansive findings reported in the book Who Really Cares? by Dr. Arthur Brooks). 

These contributions of faith-based actors are particularly vital in the US foster system. For example, in Arkansas, for many years a network of churches has recruited and supported roughly half of all non-kin foster placements in the state – a portion that has risen to 2/3rds in recent years. A private 2014 analysis of the contributions of a single faith-based organization in Florida found it contributed $4.5 million in savings annually to the foster system and other state programs via partnerships that were almost entirely privately funded. Similar agencies, church networks, and organizations make a difference across the country every day of the year, from Oklahoma to Oregon, Colorado to Arizona, Florida to Washington, DC.

What is true on an organizational level is true of families as well. For example, 2013 research by Barna Research reported in the book, Becoming Home, found that practicing Christians are twice as likely to foster and to adopt as the general population. They are also more likely to welcome sibling groups and children with special needs. Little wonder that while under 40% of Americans attend church services weekly, a full 65% of foster parents do. 

People of faith contribute to the foster system in other ways as well. For example, faith-motivated individuals provide significant donations to supplement any funds faith-based agencies may receive from government, thus multiplying public funds and increasing the quality of services. Church communities also provide critical material, emotional, and spiritual support to adoptive, foster, and biological families. According to Barna Research, more than 40% of congregations offer some form of organized foster and/or adoption support, and most all provide at least some form of this help organically. This is likely part of why a 2002 study found that people who learn about fostering through a church or religious organization foster for 2.6 years longer than others.

Faith-based organizations offer other critical services also, from family reunification and preservation programs, to mentoring of aging-out youth, to foster family retention. For example, while it is estimated that 50% of foster families drop out within the first year, church-based support for foster families has been shown to result in more than 90% of supported families continuing beyond the one-year mark. The point in this is not that faith-motivated organizations and foster parents are always “better,” but that they are invaluable partners in any serious effort to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families. It is to the benefit of our entire society that these individuals and organizations continue to be welcomed as full and equal partners in service.

Avoiding the hazards of the current proposal and embracing a better way forward

The proposed rule in its current form would create a very different sort of future. It would demean and marginalize many of these devoted partners, establishing a two-tiered system that classifies many organizations and families of earnest faith as “unsafe” simply because they do not agree with all aspects of present orthodoxy regarding currently-contested issues of sexuality and gender. 

In this, the rule would go far beyond protecting children who identify as LGBTQI+ from belittling and mistreatment, and instead would require a total absence of questions or caveats to their current feelings or assumptions as a condition of “safety.” 

Perhaps worst of all, it would rob the foster system and the children it serves of dedicated and caring families, including those who are among the most ready to receive and love children coming from very difficult backgrounds. This would not be good for anyone, least of all the hundreds of thousands of children who need caring foster homes today. 

Thankfully, the proposed rule can be re-written to achieve its stated ends without this immense collateral damage. It can clearly and explicitly prohibit actual expressions of abuse, belittling, and coercion of children by foster parents, caregivers, and social workers for any reason, including LGBTQI+ identity.

It can do this without creating a two-tier system that devalues religious nonprofits and foster parents. This more targeted approach would save the projected $40 M cost for implementation of the regulations – allowing the funds to be devoted to many other critical needs.  

This alternative approach would also preserve ample space for devoted agencies and foster families who may not agree with current sexual orthodoxy on every point – allowing youth to benefit from a variety of perspectives, including both unconditional endorsement of and respectful alternative viewpoints to their current inclinations.  

In all of this, a re-written form of the proposed rule can serve to strengthen – not destroy – a truly diverse and pluralistic social safety net. This would reflect the best of the American tradition.  Best of all, it would serve well the hundreds of thousands of children who need caring foster homes today. 

-Jedd Medefind is the President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.

The post New Regulations Proposed by Biden Administration Seek to Reshape How State Foster Systems Approach Questions of Sexuality and Gender appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Since 2013, global leaders from more than 50  countries have come together in-person for Collaborate, a pre-Summit intensive hosted by the CAFO Global Network. 

Collaborate began as a gathering for child welfare leaders to encourage one another in sharing expertise and best practices to grow vibrant, locally-led networks worldwide. 

With the temporary closure of international travel in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our leadership team prayed and sought direction from the Lord on how to best serve leaders and their growing networks in this new season. We wanted to help leaders foster relationships locally, in addition to helping them connect with leaders in other networks. With this, a new vision began to take shape with Collaborate+. 

As an extension of the in-person gathering, Collaborate+ brings the structure and spirit of Collaborate to global networks worldwide as they gather together for local content and discussion in conjunction with the live connection to the annual Collaborate event. 

Networks hosting Collaborate+ events apply to receive matching mini-grants and participate in a six-month Cohort offering coaching, resources and information for hosting a successful event. 

Ten years and a growing network of leaders 

What began in 2013 with 50+ leaders attending Collaborate at CAFO Summit has now grown to more than 1,000 attendees from more than 40 networks in 48 countries during our 10th anniversary event this year.

Dozens of leaders traveled to CAFO2023 Summit in Oklahoma City, while hundreds joined virtually from their homes or offices via Zoom and hundreds more attended their locally-led Collaborate+ event.

While the numbers continue to grow, we believe the relationships that are born from and develop through these events are truly where change begins to happen. Shared experiences and learning in community fosters meaningful change with a ripple effect for improving the lives of children and families in communities worldwide. 

Stories of impact through Collaborate+ events 

In order to give you a glimpse of how these locally-led events have impacted our leaders, we’d like to share some of their stories below. 

“During our Collaborate+ event, we got connected with the Family Life International Fellowship. They are an organization that deals with street kids. They reconcile street kids with their families or foster/adoptive families. A week after the event, we partnered with them and connected five children with their biological families.”

Abraham, Sierra Leone

“What really stood out for us was the talk on equity and inclusion given by an activist who is a person living with a disability. The topic had a great impact on us all as she was able to explain passionately about inclusion in relation to children with disabilities in our everyday activities and ensuring they have access to resources and opportunities in ways that are similar to their non-disabled peers. This will inform quality programming for vulnerable children with disabilities.”

Koko, Nigeria

“For the first day, we had a social worker speak to us on how we can mobilize the church for foster care. On the second day, a family lawyer gave us insights into the legal processes for adoptions. This was followed by a psychologist who presented how the church can fulfill the Pure Religion Project. She shared a stirring story of how she grew up in kinship care and subsequently adopted a child after years of childlessness in marriage. In the afternoon, we switched to watching the streaming sessions. One common thread that ran through our local session and the one in Oklahoma was that we had to engage in adoptions because we were adopted children of God, as shared by the pastor from Ethiopia. We had church and ministry leaders who came from outside our region (province) in attendance.”

Kingsley, Ghana 

“This meeting was a turning point for many pastors, leaders and local government authorities who changed their attitudes and mindsets towards vulnerable children. A new relationship was formed with a local doctor who attended our event. He was motivated by the CAFO online conference and has now opened the door for volunteers and vulnerable children to receive free treatment in his private clinic.“

Jonathan, India

“Family care and church leaders started to respond to small needs. Church members started to raise money via small contributions so as to give vulnerable children education and good health services. More than 32 churches and member governments started thinking about how they could improve their work in the community to give their assistance.”

Gilbert, DRC

We believe Collaborate+ is a catalyst for relationships. When cultivated, these relationships can produce lasting change for vulnerable children and families worldwide. 

Learn more about joining the CAFO Global Network and supporting children and families worldwide through your investment and sponsorship of Collaborate+ events. 

-David Hennessey is the Director of CAFO Global Network.

The post When global leaders collaborate, change happens  appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

A Message from CAFO President, Jedd Medefind:

The new edition of Evangelicals Magazine spotlights foster care and adoption from a rich variety of perspectives, including the president of CAFO-member Focus on the Family, Jim Daly, who experienced foster care firsthand as a child.  I also wrote one of the articles: “Theology of Foster Care.”

An old friend shared with me this week that a couple in his small group has been hit hard by the challenges of fostering. From shortcomings of the system to the reality that a little girl they’d come to love would be leaving soon, it has left them bruised and dispirited.  My friend sensed that although the couple was motivated by much love, they weren’t well-prepared for what they’ve faced. This was not so much in the practical realities of foster care – for which they’d taken plenty of classes – but especially in the lack of a deeper vision that made sense of all they’ve faced. They understandably wonder, “Were we wrong when we thought God was inviting us into this?”

The article, “Theology of Foster Care” highlights three core truths that I believe are critical for any journey into this realm – whether foster care, adoption or work with struggling families.  They include:

• A theology of restoration
• A theology koinonia (Christian fellowship)
• A theology of suffering

These aren’t heady, abstract ideas.  They’re a gritty bedrock from which we can start our work.  Even more, they’re a foundation that won’t give way in the thick of the beauty and brokenness we’ll inevitably experience along the way.  

Theology of foster care

This article was originally published on Oct. 16, 2023 by National Association of Evangelicals in Evangelicals Magazine.

Protection and care for vulnerable children has been a defining mark of Christianity since its first days. Even as a persecuted minority in the Roman Empire, Christians were known for rescuing and raising children abandoned by their pagan neighbors. Early church documents required that candidates for leadership be known as “lovers of orphans.”

This practice flowed from clear biblical commands. The call to look after “the orphan” and “the fatherless” included any child who lacked the full protection, provision and care that God intends families to provide — whether due to the death of one or both parents, abandonment, incapacity or otherwise. 

For Christians today, this ancient commitment often takes the form of foster care. Foster care is meant to be temporary — providing a supportive home with hopes that in time children will be able to return safely to their biological family. 

But foster care and all that surrounds it is no light endeavor. The foster system itself can be deeply frustrating for all involved. Meanwhile, caring for children who’ve known much hurt can require an immense outlay of body, mind and emotions.  

Such an undertaking calls for a robust theology. The costliness and complexity will quickly crush wishful thinking like a bicycle struck by a car. Little wonder why more than half of new foster parents quit within the first year. To persevere with joy, we need strength and wisdom far beyond our own. Happily, Scripture offers both.

Essential roles for both the government and the Church

“Government makes a terrible parent,” a friend of mine observed. For 30 years, she’d helped lead public systems capable of protecting children from harm and providing certain material goods and one-size-fits-all services. But what about the deeper stuff — the personal care and belonging — that children need most? She increasingly recognized that had to come from somewhere else.

Scripture points in the same direction. The Bible affirms a vital role for government. As Romans 13 describes, God has established governing authorities to uphold justice, maintain order and protect the weak. That certainly includes children who lack basic safety and care.

But while public systems can do much to protect children from abuse and severe neglect, government alone can rarely enable children to thrive. As study after study reveals, the outcomes are dismal for children who grow up in government systems. 

That’s because the deepest needs of human beings cannot be met by assembly line. Children require the kind of personal attention and caring relationships that can only come from a loving home. That’s why God’s people can’t outsource this calling. Both government and church have a vital role to play.

Not just a requirement, but a revealing of God’s character

Christian care for vulnerable children is rooted in biblical mandate. “Defend the cause of the fatherless,” commands the book of Isaiah. “Pure religion,” says James, is marked by showing up on behalf of “orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

But this call is not merely a requirement of God’s people. More profoundly it is a revealing of God’s nature. The same words that Isaiah used appeared hundreds of years before in the Torah as a description of God himself: “He defends the cause of the fatherless…” (Deuteronomy 10:17). To care for the most vulnerable is ultimately a reflection of God’s character. As Psalm 68:5–6 puts it, “A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. He sets the lonely in families.” 

For the Christian, the wellspring runs even deeper. This is not only the story of a child without protection or care. It is our story, too. For what is the gospel if not that God welcomed us into his family when we were most in need? When Christians welcome and serve vulnerable children — whether through foster care or adoption, mentoring or support of struggling families — we are simply giving a small, humble reflection of the way he first loved us.

Three mooring truths for foster care

A theology of restoration. Not every child in foster care will return to their biological family. But that’s the hope. The trouble is, it’s sometimes hard to desire that, especially when the child you’ve come to love has been harmed by the family. I Corinthians gently rebukes: “Love hopes all things.” No matter how far a person has fallen, the gospel insists they are never beyond the reach of God’s redemptive love. This grounds Christians in a hope deeper than wishful thinking and calls us to work for the restoration of struggling parents whenever possible. 

A theology of koinonia. The challenges of foster care are more than anyone can bear alone. Thankfully, God gave us the local church. The true fellowship — koinonia — that God intends for his people is far more than Sunday services. It bears burdens (Galatians 6:2), shares hospitality and resources (Romans 12:13), and rejoices and mourns together (Romans 12:15). Not everyone is called to foster or adopt or work with struggling parents, but each of us can play a vital part.

A theology of suffering. Children and families involved in the foster care system have tasted the world at its most broken. When we welcome them into our homes and our hearts, we share in that hurt with them. This makes no sense if life’s purpose is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. As Paul described, “I want to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). It’s not that we want to suffer. But we trust that amidst the trials we can experience an unparalleled fellowship with Christ. In God, even the very hardest things can be the source of great good — both in our own lives (Romans 5:3–5) and for others (i.e., Genesis 50:20).

Grounded in these truths, we have a foundation sturdy enough to weather the strains we’ll face if we answer the age-old call to care for vulnerable children and families today. Along with great challenges, we’ll experience joys we’d have tasted no other way. As a great many foster parents have expressed to me — and I’ve experienced firsthand as well — we’ll someday look back and say, “One of the hardest things I’ve ever done. One of the very best things, too.”

– Jedd Medefind is the President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.

The post Theology of foster care appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Every year thousands of Christians around the world participate together on the second Sunday in November in a beautiful honoring of God’s heart for the most vulnerable children and families among us. 

It’s a both/and expression – of both the diversity and the unity of the Body of Christ – a powerful demonstration of the Church at its best when it is, together, reflecting God’s heart for the orphaned and vulnerable.  

Beginning in the early 2000’s, the second Sunday in November has been long and widely known as Orphan Sunday. This name is more than just a name, it is an ebenezer pointing to the legacy story of the good work God started through one local church in Lusaka, Zambia. This is a story that will forever be told, creating ripple effects of good fruit through the Church for the good of orphaned and vulnerable children that continues to impact lives around the world to this day. 

Orphan Sunday is a beautiful story to tell, and a name that will always be honored and celebrated.

As that good fruit began to produce wider and more varied expressions of action through churches around the world, the need for more specific ways to describe that work became necessary. The biblical implications to care for the vulnerable are simple and clear… but the practical applications are full of nuance and diversity. So too, sometimes, is the need for our language to be both clear yet reflective of the unique expressions of not only our work but also of those it is intended to love and care for. This work is important; so is the language we use to describe it. 

In light of that, several years ago, the name Stand Sunday was introduced as a co-laborer alongside Orphan Sunday to be utilized by churches who felt their focus and efforts were more aligned with an application slightly outside of that which was primarily serving true orphans around the globe. For example, many churches whose efforts are specifically focused on caring for and supporting families in their communities affected by foster care found the Stand Sunday language and story to be most fitting for their second Sunday in November. 

This name, Stand Sunday, just like Orphan Sunday, is tied to a rich legacy story in which one church in a small town in Texas responded to the call of their pastor to “stand” together on behalf of vulnerable children in their county. One by one they stood, and together made a significant impact that will continue to bear good fruit for generations to come. 

Stand Sunday is a name, and a story, that will forever be utilized and honored.

These two names have run concurrently for a handful of years, providing churches with options to choose from and adapt in ways that fit their unique focus and intent. God has used these two avenues to move His people in significant ways toward practically caring for vulnerable children and families around the world. 

A new season and the story behind the Pure Religion name

While these two names (Orphan Sunday and Stand Sunday) have served churches well, there has always been a desire to identify a single name that could be utilized as the primary emphasis for this day – a name that does three primary things: 

1. Reflects the unique expressions of what James 1:27 describes as “pure religion”;
2. Grounds the second Sunday in November in deeply rooted biblical language; and
3. Aligns the day with a unified voice using simple, clear, shared vision and language.

In early 2022, leadership at CAFO – alongside faithful servants from the Orphan and Stand Sunday teams and trusted advisors within the broader CAFO community – all began prayerfully exploring how God might want to grow and guide this movement in the future. Among the top of priorities was to work toward identifying a name and language that accomplished the three above goals. 

This was an immensely important process and not taken lightly. Expediency was never the priority – seeking the wisdom of the Lord, the counsel of others and sensing together the Holy Spirit’s guidance was – no matter how long it took. And it took a while! All involved wanted to get it right, not just get it done. 

In early 2023, after months of discussion and prayerful consideration, it felt as if the Lord provided what was needed. And rather than leading our community to something new entirely, He actually directed us back to language that has always been the undergirding and infrastructure of what this entire movement rests upon. It was right in front of us the whole time; He simply needed to give us eyes to see it. 

Throughout the remainder of 2023 and into 2024, CAFO is excited to roll out the Pure Religion Project – a focused initiative inspired by the members of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and the broader CAFO community, aimed to inspire and equip God’s people to live the “pure religion” described in the book of James and invited throughout Scripture. 

Drawn directly from James 1:27, a verse we are all keenly familiar with, the “pure religion” language is both striking and substantive. It draws us into the essence of God’s heart reflected throughout Scripture, grounds us in the truth of Scripture and provides us all with a unified language and vision to individually and collectively invite our people into considering how God might have them care for the vulnerable among them.  

Ultimately, this vision is not merely about a social cause or activism.  Most of all, it is a response to the gospel that leads us to live lives that are holy and helpful, both pure and poured out.  It is about God’s people living very differently from their neighbors and yet also giving ourselves in service to our neighbors, including the most vulnerable. 

A unifying vision for the second Sunday in November

The global gathering of God’s people around the world on the second Sunday in November will continue to be a critical resource for the broader CAFO community within the Pure Religion Project. 

Moving forward, we believe a great way to frame this day is as a Pure Religion Sunday, through which the options are many as to how you choose to coordinate and focus your efforts. This of course can be done in an integrated way with the legacy stories of Orphan Sunday or Stand Sunday, as well as any other creative ways you choose to recognize and leverage this powerful, globally unified day of recognition, celebration and action. 

Increasingly at CAFO, we will be utilizing the language of Pure Religion Sunday moving forward.

We believe this language provides the greatest expression of unity for all while also allowing for diverse applications and expressions that can continue to be used in each church and community.

This year, Pure Religion Sunday will be celebrated on November 12, 2023. We know you are excited and anticipating all God will do in your church and community and we want to make sure you have the resources and support you need. 

You can visit the Pure Religion Sunday landing page to learn more and discover all the different tools available to your church and community. There you will find the 2023 Field Guide, Marketing Toolkits and the new Leverage booklet, a framework for leveraging the power of your Pure Religion Sunday events. 

What a joy and privilege it is to get to participate in a global community of churches, organizations and individuals all driven by the heart of God and laboring in the same direction on behalf of the orphaned and vulnerable. We are deeply grateful for your involvement and for your shared commitment to standing in unity together as we each faithfully respond to the unique and diverse ways God is calling all of us to live out “pure religion” in the world around us. 

We are excited about this new season and the growing movement in the global Church to reflect God’s heart for the orphaned and vulnerable, rooted in the vision of James 1:27 – together. 

– Jason Johnson is the Director of Church Mobilization and Engagement at CAFO. To receive updates and information about the Pure Religion Project in the future, join the email list.

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When we planned the first simulation lab on transitioning to family care at the 2017 CAFO Summit, we had no idea that 130 people would show up.

Science and scripture affirm that children grow best in families. Yet around the world, millions of children live separated from family care, often in residential programs like orphanages and children’s homes. Many of these programs long to see children in healthy families, but they don’t know how to get there. 

Family is possible for these children, and there is a growing trend of residential programs successfully moving toward family care. 

And yet, the process of changing care models is not easy. 

It requires resources and support. It requires a trustworthy guide to walk alongside you.  

For some time, a handful of faithful, experienced transition coaches did all they could to support one orphanage here and one children’s home there as each summoned the courage required to take their program in a different direction. These coaches parachuted in and out of countries around the world, doing what they could to serve programs in need… but the need always exceeded their capacity. 

We felt that gap, and we saw it at that first workshop at Summit. With 130 leaders gathered in one room – all needing personalized support – we wondered: could there be a better way?

What if there was a way for qualified leaders in Zimbabwe and Haiti and the Philippines to fill this transition coach role? Coaches who knew the language, culture, government and key contacts of the region, who would be familiar with local laws and standards, and could bring important relationships with them? 

We believe the best way to grow the movement from orphanages to family care is to train the next generation of leaders to serve as experts and local guides.

With this, we launched the Care Transition Accelerator Academy (or CTAA) to create a world in which any program can find a well-trained local coach to walk alongside them in the process of moving toward family solutions for the children in their care. 

CAFO piloted the two-year program in 2020, consisting of weekly teaching from global experts, a peer-learning cohort and a one-year mentored practicum supporting a real-world program to expand their model of care. 

Our first cohort hailed participants from 10 countries around the world: Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Thailand, Uganda and Ukraine. They called in at all hours of the day and night and met diverse and pressing needs in many challenging contexts. They were relentless, training thousands of program staff and advocates, and supporting programs to move hundreds of children into families. 

But this is just the beginning. God is moving His people to care for children in families.  Organizations are realizing their need to move toward family solutions for children. Millions of children have the potential to be impacted by this movement. If we are to see adequate family care options for children in every nation, we need transition coaches trained in every nation. Maybe He is calling you to be part of this.

Are you ready to join the movement? 

 – Dr. Nicole Wilke serves as the Director of the Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families.

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Applications for the next round of the Care Transition Accelerator Academy are open until November 15. Learn more about the program, qualifications and requirements and prayerfully consider applying here.  

The post How do we move from orphanages to family-based care? appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

When Ramona Dudas approached the stage on the final day of CAFO2023, she shared her testimony of the long, unhurried road to recovery she faced after being found in horrific conditions in a Romanian orphanage known as Cighid.

Cighid was exposed by Western reporters and broadcast to the world after the fall of communism in 1989. Between 1987-1990, there were 138 deaths recorded at Cighid. Ramona was one of dozens of children removed from the home and taken to a nearby pediatric hospital. Weighing less than 11 pounds at the age of 3, Ramona could not sit, speak or walk. 

Her prognosis was deemed “irrecoverable,” she said. “But God had a different plan.”

Ramona would soon begin to slowly gain abilities with the help of a 19-year-old volunteer named Corina, who came daily with home-cooked food to care for Ramona, help her exercise and comfort her while she slept. With permission from the hospital, Corina took Ramona home and never looked back. Years of therapy, a loving home filled with good food, music, siblings and lots of prayer, helped Ramona to not only recover but thrive. She was adopted by Corina at the age of 10, graduated from college and nursing school, and is now a mother to three children and working as a registered nurse.

“At times the road of my life has been very difficult for me and my mother,” she said. “She was just a teenager when she began caring for me. I imagine her with her hand on my head praying for me the long hours of night. And I’m sure she was tired. But she had this long view, she wasn’t in a hurry and she wasn’t thinking about the hours of the day or even the years. She had eyes for eternity. She had eyes for what she believed – that even if that little girl didn’t survive, God was still at work.”

Ramona’s story was one of many shared from the stage this year at the CAFO2023 Summit in Oklahoma City Sept. 20-22, where almost 3,000 leaders, practitioners and caregivers – 2,000 in person and about 900 online – gathered together.

Leaders committed to leaving their logos and egos at the door to strengthen one another…

Practitioners equipped with insights and research to provide better care and see better outcomes for children and families… 

and

Caregivers leaving refreshed and encouraged to continue on the long, unhurried road of healing and health for those in their care.

Listen to the full keynote, Unhurried: Living with the Long View, by Jedd Medefind.

We receive – and give – good gifts at Summit.

CAFO Summit is often referred to as a “giant gift exchange” – and this year was no exception! From corporate worship, to dynamic main-stage speakers and an intercessory prayer room, CAFO2023 gathered God’s people from over 50 countries to unite a growing movement to care wisely and well for vulnerable children and families.

We are strengthened the wisdom we share with each other.

CAFO2023 featured 230 presenters and facilitators leading 100+ workshops and coaching tables in six major tracks, including: help for foster and adoptive families … guiding and leading church-based ministries … effectively engaging for youth in foster care … maximizing the impact of your organization … effectively serving children worldwide … and strengthening the soul for lifelong service. These presenters and facilitators represented the best-in-class in available knowledge and expertise, strengthening their co-labors and helping shape the future trajectory of our work.

When we live “unhurried,” we keep the long view before us.

Embracing the long view of eternity when the needs around us are so urgent requires both the discipline of pruning our commitments and an examination of the taskmasters that drive our relentless, anxious and hurried lives. Hidden motivations fall away when examined closely with the help of our Good Father. When we live our life unhurried, we are freed to pursue our work – even quickly – and go deeper where God is calling us to go. 

Did you miss out on CAFO2023?

You can now download audio from the experience! 

Listen to the workshops and sessions you missed, and share them with others in your organization or community! The full audio bundle contains the General Sessions and Workshops that were recorded during the CAFO2023 Summit. The price is $159.00 for the bundle, or each workshop can be purchased individually for $5. Also, new this year, Audio Bundles by Track! Purchase the most relevant content for your role or community, starting at just $19.99. Find all these options at cafo.org/audio.

The post Unhurried: A Look Back at CAFO2023 Summit appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

The CAFO Summit is a unique experience in the field of Christian conferences. It involves hundreds of organizations and churches coming together to connect and share in community, setting logos and egos aside, to help one another grow and guide a global movement on behalf of the vulnerable – together. 

Much like the burgeoning branches of a tree ripe with fruit, Summit represents a plentiful harvest – a pouring out for one another, and a receiving of good gifts, too. It’s a chance to meet other leaders and caregivers who know what it’s like to walk near the brokenness in this world and find beauty along the way. 

So whether you’re traveling across continents or simply driving I-35 to Oklahoma City, we want to help you prepare for your time at CAFO2023. Below is a list of helpful tips and recommendations to make the most of your time at Summit! 

Travel planning

If you are still needing to plan your travel, book hotels or find car rentals, we have some special discounted rates to consider as your prepare. 

Download the App

The CAFO2023 App is now available for you to download and start planning how you want to spend your time. The app is the only place to find workshop descriptions when you’re on site at Summit. Instructional Workshops include teaching while Better Together workshops involve more creative brainstorming and conversation. Meet-ups are scheduled for groups of people who are like-minded or working in the same areas to connect. Download the app through Google Play or Apple Store today – or view it online here. (The app is for attendees only — please use the same email you used upon registration!)

Prioritize sleep & daily rhythms

Science is only beginning to understand how every part of our bodies are connected – our intellect, emotions, body, spirit and even relationships. Sleeping at least 8 hours a night in the week leading up to Summit will help your body prepare for the rich days ahead. This may require powering down sooner than usual, so try to make a plan to prioritize your sleep. We also recommend practicing the rhythm of shutting down your phone at least 30 min. before bedtime and prioritizing time in Scripture and prayer before powering your phone back on in the morning. These are simple rhythms to protect your heart and mind in those first and final hours of the day so you can focus on what matters the most. Listen to Building Rhythms of Spiritual Health and the Wonderful Freedom of Feeling Small – both from the Justice & the Inner Life Podcast – to help you think about these practices. 

Even if you can’t make it to Oklahoma City this year, we still have several ways for you to stay connected…

Pray for Summit

We invite you to join us in prayer for CAFO2023, inviting God’s spirit to bring unity and fresh wisdom, rest and connection to the entire CAFO community. In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We want to invite everyone to experience God’s goodness at Summit!

Listen to the official CAFO2023 playlist

We’ve created an “official” CAFO2023 Summit playlist available for free on Spotify. We’ll be listening to these songs all week, so join in and enjoy wherever you are! 

Join the Live Stream on YouTube

We will live stream the General Sessions on Facebook and YouTube! Sign up here to be notified when the sessions go live on YouTube through the Premiere.

The post Making the Most of Your Time at CAFO2023 Summit appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

We are excited to announce the launch of both the new CAFO website and logo, as well as our updated Identity, Vision and Mission statements – a culmination of much earnest prayer, planning and hard work by the Board, staff, and the entire CAFO community.

CAFO President Jedd Medefind expressed:

From the very first gathering of 38 leaders in 2004, the bedrock commitments that would form the core of CAFO were clear.  This would be a community committed deeply to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to integrity and effectiveness in service to orphaned and vulnerable children.  The leaders pledged to “leave logos and egos at the door” and work together for an impact bigger than any one organization could achieve alone.  The Alliance has grown a great deal over the years, but the foundation holds unchanged.  The new website and logo and refreshed Identity, Vision, and Mission statements give fresh language and clarity to the timeless commitments that will always be the foundation of the CAFO community.

Jedd Medefind

The statements below articulate the comprehensive identity, mission and vision of CAFO.  Critically, we believe that mission flows from identity, not the other way around.  What we do as Christians comes from who we are – the beloved children of our heavenly Father, long before we’ve accomplished anything at all.  The healing we desire to help effect in the world (vision) and the way we are called to advance that work (mission) spring naturally from our deepest identity.  Put more simply, “We love because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19)

• Identity: We are first a community of Christian spiritual formation, seeking to grow more like Jesus together each day – confident that healthy trees bear good fruit. (Matthew 7:17)

• Vision: To see the people of God overflowing with the love of God, so that every orphaned and vulnerable child will experience God’s unfailing love in a thriving family.

• Mission: We unite an alliance in shared initiatives that inspire and equip God’s people to care effectively for vulnerable children and families, rooted always in Christian discipleship and the life of the local church.

The story behind the CAFO “wreath” and new logo

In geometry, two or more objects are said to be concentric when they share the same center. The golden wreath in the new logo was created using the C from the CAFO logo, duplicated and rotated exactly 38 times to represent the original 38 leaders who first gathered in 2004. 

Like the original 38 members of CAFO – who sensed God’s calling to rouse the Church to care for the orphaned – our logo represents the member organizations, churches and networks that work together through CAFO today – continuing to share the same center, weaving their talents and skills together to wisely and effectively care for children and families. 

Find all the details in our new CAFO Brand Book here. 

The post Brand New Logo & Website… Same Enduring Commitment  appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

After an inquisitive and fruitful discovery process, the CAFO Research Center is honored to be partnering with the Peruvian government and CAFO member organization, Buckner Peru, in launching a customized training program comprised of eight electronic courses. This program was thoughtfully designed to equip professionals working in the field of child welfare with essential skills and knowledge to enhance the quality of care they provide.

Buckner Peru worked closely with MIMP (the Peruvian government’s Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Populations) to identify solutions to the need for professional staff in the child welfare sector to have access to world-class training in an easily accessible format. Together they recognized the opportunity to elevate the level of care provided throughout Peru by utilizing CAFO’s Core Elements of Success program. The resulting collaboration represents a significant step towards enhancing the capacity and expertise of child welfare professionals in Peru and beyond.

The initiative officially launched on Friday, July 21, 2023, as Nancy Tolentino Gamarra, Minister of MIMP, spoke about the ways in which this program reflects the government’s dedication to safeguarding the welfare of its most vulnerable citizens, including orphaned and vulnerable children. She announced that this training program will not only be rolled out on a national level to equip government professionals working with vulnerable children but will also be made available to NGO leaders and other individuals working with vulnerable populations.

Claudia Leon, Executive Director of Buckner Peru, spoke to the importance of professional staff having access to training that equips them with evidence-based practices and practical strategies,  empowering them to make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families they serve. Dr. Nicole Wilke, Director of the Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families, shared about the strategy and structure of the program and how individuals supporting child welfare can access and benefit from the courses. Representatives from Peru por los Niños, a CAFO Network member, and Luz de Vida, another CAFO Member Organization serving in Peru, were also in attendance, showing their support for this significant step toward equipping professionals in many different roles to serve vulnerable children with excellence. By combining the government’s commitment to social welfare with CAFO’s expertise in developing impactful training programs, this initiative promises to make a significant contribution to the development of dedicated professionals committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children and families in Peru.

By combining the government’s commitment to social welfare with CAFO’s expertise in developing impactful training programs, this initiative promises to make a significant contribution to the development of dedicated professionals committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children and families in Peru.

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Are you a CAFO Member Organization or Network Partner with a desire to see governmental collaboration in a similar way?

Do you work with local or national government leaders who demonstrate an interest in pursuing a similar vision as they work toward positive outcomes for vulnerable children in their communities?  The CAFO Research Center would be happy to discuss how you might be able to leverage our research, resources, and courses to serve child welfare professionals and NGOs in your nation.  Please inquire by completing this request form and we will follow up with you directly.

The Core Elements of Success courses equip individuals and teams with the knowledge and resources needed for the work of caring for vulnerable children and families. Learn more about the Core Elements program and determine your next steps for moving toward better care for children and families…together. 

El gobierno peruano se asocia con el Centro de Investigación CAFO para presentar cursos electrónicos innovadores para profesionales que trabajan a favor del bienestar infantil

Después de un proceso de descubrimiento inquisitivo y fructífero, el Centro de Investigación CAFO tiene el honor de asociarse con el gobierno peruano y la organización miembro de CAFO, Buckner Perú, en el lanzamiento de un programa de formación personalizado compuesto por ocho cursos en línea. Este programa fue cuidadosamente diseñado para equipar a los profesionales que trabajan en el campo del bienestar infantil con habilidades y conocimientos esenciales para mejorar la calidad de la atención que prestan.

Buckner Perú trabajó estrechamente con el MIMP (Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables del Gobierno Peruano) para identificar soluciones a la necesidad que tiene el personal profesional en el sector del bienestar infantil de acceso a una formación de primera clase en un formato fácilmente accesible. Juntos reconocieron la oportunidad de elevar el nivel de la atención prestada en todo Perú mediante la utilización del programa Elementos Medulares para el Éxito de CAFO. Esta colaboración representa un paso significativo hacia la mejora de la capacidad y la experiencia de los profesionales del bienestar infantil en el Perú y traspasando fronteras.

La iniciativa se lanzó oficialmente el viernes 21 de julio de 2023, cuando Nancy Tolentino Gamarra, Ministra del MIMP, habló sobre las formas en que este programa refleja la dedicación del gobierno a salvaguardar el bienestar de sus ciudadanos más vulnerables, incluidos los niños huérfanos y vulnerables. Anunció que este programa de formación no sólo se pondrá en marcha a escala nacional para equipar a los profesionales del gobierno que trabajan con niños vulnerables, sino que también se pondrá a disposición de los líderes de ONG y otras personas que trabajan con poblaciones vulnerables.

Claudia León, Directora Ejecutiva de Buckner Perú, habló de la importancia de que el personal profesional tenga acceso a una formación que les dote de prácticas basadas en pruebas y estrategias prácticas, capacitándolos para marcar una diferencia positiva en las vidas de los niños y las familias a quienes sirven. La Dra. Nicole Wilke, Directora del Centro de Investigación Aplicada para Niños y Familias Vulnerables, habló de la estrategia y la estructura del programa, y de cómo las personas que apoyan el bienestar infantil pueden acceder a los cursos y beneficiarse de ellos. También asistieron representantes de Perú por los Niños, miembro de la Red CAFO y de Luz de Vida, otra organización miembro de CAFO que trabaja en Perú, que mostraron su apoyo a este importante paso para equipar a los profesionales que desempeñan diferentes funciones para que atiendan a los niños vulnerables con excelencia.

Al combinar el compromiso del gobierno tiene con el bienestar social y la experiencia de CAFO en el desarrollo de programas de capacitación impactantes, esta iniciativa promete hacer una contribución significativa al desarrollo de profesionales dedicados y comprometidos a salvaguardar el bienestar de los niños vulnerables y sus familias en Perú.

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¿Es usted una organización miembro de CAFO o un socio de la red con el deseo de ver la colaboración gubernamental de una manera similar?

¿Trabaja con líderes gubernamentales locales o nacionales que demuestren interés en perseguir una visión similar mientras trabajan para obtener resultados positivos para los niños vulnerables de sus comunidades?  El Centro de Investigación CAFO estará encantado de discutir cómo podría aprovechar nuestra investigación, recursos y cursos para servir a los profesionales del bienestar infantil y a las ONG de su país.  Complete este formulario de solicitud y nos pondremos en contacto con usted directamente.

Los cursos de los Elementos medulares para el Éxito dotan a las personas y a los equipos con los conocimientos y los recursos necesarios para el trabajo de atención a los niños y las familias vulnerables. Obtenga más información sobre el programa Elementos Medulares y determine sus próximos pasos para avanzar hacia una mejor atención de los niños y las familias… juntos.

The post Peruvian Government Partners with CAFO Research Center to Introduce Groundbreaking eCourses for Child Welfare Professionals appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

After an inquisitive and fruitful discovery process, the CAFO Research Center is honored to be partnering with the Peruvian government and CAFO member organization, Buckner Peru, in launching a customized […]

The post Peruvian Government Partners with CAFO Research Center to Introduce Groundbreaking eCourses for Child Welfare Professionals appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

There may be no more shocking juxtaposition in all of religious literature the world over. Deuteronomy 10:17 describes God’s utter transcendence this way. “For the Lord your God is God […]

The post What is the Pure Religion Project? appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Hurry corrodes all that is best in life. Gratitude. Calm. Attentiveness. Joy. Love. Hurry eats them like acid. They steadily wither beneath anxious, relentless motion. “Hurry,” observed Dallas Willard, “is […]

The post Unhurried: Living with the Long View appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Once again, Orphan Sunday + Stand Sunday this year unleashed a cascade of prayer gatherings, Sunday sermons and messages, engagement events, and other activities in churches and communities around the […]

The post Orphan + Stand Sunday Highlights appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Few things transform a human life like giving thanks.  Scripture calls us to it.  Science confirms it. The Bible overflows with invitations to thanksgiving:           “Always […]

The post The Remarkable Benefits of Giving Thanks appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Planted. Not Buried. Watch the Keynote 2,000+ participants gathered for CAFO2022 – Sept. 27-30 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. We experienced together what it means to be […]

The post 3 Big Takeaways from CAFO2022 appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

This week The Signatry is highlighting the great needs and opportunities likely to rise with the end of Roe v. Wade.   Included is an article by Jedd Medefind titled, “Renewing […]

The post The Needs and Opportunities of a Post-Roe v. Wade America appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.

With Labor Day upon us, a new episode of the Justice and the Inner Life podcast takes a look at questions of work and Christian vocation.  Do you long for […]

The post Just in Time for Labor Day — New Podcast Episode on Work, Purpose, and Vocation appeared first on Christian Alliance for Orphans.