Around The World With The Archibald Project: Recent Episodes
The Archibald Project
Caring for orphaned and vulnerable children is one of the most important jobs in the world, but often people are too overwhelmed to get involved or lack the support they need to keep going. Our podcast is a place where the powerful stories of real people will inspire, encourage, and support you in your journey. Because when you thrive, children thrive.
Changing the way we care for orphaned children, getting kids back into families, and lifting up community….it all sounds great on paper, but is it actually possible? This is an important question because theory doesn’t necessarily mean it works. This is why we are talking with our friend, Phil Aspergren, who has been helping children’s homes from all over the world change their model of care…and it’s working!
In most of our minds, orphanages are viewed as a protector of vulnerable children. This can be true, but often an orphanage can be a deceptive place that is using it’s position and power to serve selfish interests and even harm the children it claims to protect. This is why is so important to understand the warning signs.
Our guest, Rebecca Nhep, is an expert in this field and has even been a part of closing down multiple nefarious orphanages. She is here to share her invaluable knowledge and wisdom and help us all understand the urgency behind reimagining the way we care for vulnerable children.
All over the world there are people who felt clearly called by God to either fund a children's home, serve at one, or leave everything to start an orphanage. But now that we know that orphanages and children's homes are not the way we should be aiming to care for vulnerable children, how are we supposed to view that very real and clear calling?
Thankfully our friend Brandon Stiver walked this journey. From being called and moving overseas to work at an orphanage to now being one of the biggest advocates for getting children in families, Brandon is perfectly positioned to help us unpack these important and complicated questions.
All over the world there are people who felt clearly called by God to either fund a children's home, serve at one, or leave everything to start an orphanage. But now that we know that orphanages and children's homes are not the way we should be aiming to care for vulnerable children, how are we supposed to view that very real and clear calling?
Thankfully our friend Brandon Stiver walked this journey. From being called and moving overseas to work at an orphanage to now being one of the biggest advocates for getting children in families, Brandon is perfectly positioned to help us unpack these important and complicated questions.
Travel with us to Maesot, Thailand to hear from the Thai Director of Global Child Advocates on what it looks like to run 4 children’s homes to closing them all down and finding safe family for each child.
This is a complex question that thousands all over the world are trying to answer. We all want children in families but it’s not as simple as just sending them all home. Thankfully our friend and colleague Jedd Medefind joins us to talk through how we address the complexities and nuance of each child’s situation while still keeping family as our goal.
Are orphanages the best way to care for orphaned children? Is there actually a better way?
The answers to these questions could define the next generation of vulnerable children. Join us as we dig deeper into these complicated issues and the origins and motivations behind our recently released video series called Reimagine Orphan Care.
Are orphanages the best way to care for orphaned children? Is there actually a better way?
The answers to these questions could define the next generation of vulnerable children. Join us as we dig deeper into these complicated issues and the origins and motivations behind our recently released video series called Reimagine Orphan Care.
We spoke with Oleg and Andrey, two Ukrainian men working to help bring children to safety. They share about the realities of what is actually happening on the ground and how children living in orphanages are being impacted the most.
Visit Orphan Outreach to learn how you can support Together for Children in Ukraine.
If you're like most people, the war in Ukraine weighs heavy on your mind but you don't know what to do about it. Fortunately, Ronne Rock and Mike Douris have been working with vulnerable children in both Russia and Ukraine for years. Their wisdom, insight, and humility will help guide us toward ways that can make a difference during this unprecedented time.
Keri spent the first 20 years of her life surviving. She went into foster care at 3 days old and was adopted by age 5. This was supposed to be her happy ending but instead she endured abuse and more broken relationships. This pain and trauma could have defined Keri's life, but instead she chose to find healing.
Late one night in a Los Angeles hotel room, Brenna had her kids unexpectedly removed from her care and taken back to Michigan. Now, with COVID lockdown just starting, she found herself stuck, homeless, and hopeless. This could have crushed most people, but Brenna loved her children more than anything and would do whatever it took to get them back.
After an unplanned pregnancy her senior year of high school, Emma placed her baby for adoption. Today, 5 years later, Emma and adoptive mama Rachel are here today to tell us about the ways they have been able to heal and grow together through open adoption for the sake of their daughter.
Prince Hayward had every reason to become another statistic of the foster care system, but instead he is using his experience to advocate for the next generation.
People can help vulnerable children and families at any stage of their life and our guest today, Bob Rogers is here to prove just that. Bob is near and dear to the Archibald family as he is Whitney's dad and is here to talk with us about how he is using his retirement time to care for vulnerable children and families in his local community.
Cindy was born in South Korea but she was raised by a black family in Jackson, Mississippi. Like many transracial adoptees, this collision of race, ethnicity, and culture sent Cindy on a complicated journey to find her identity and sense of belonging.
As a child, very few adults took the chance to help Gaelin in his situation. This resulted in over 20 foster homes, homelessness, and abuse. But despite all that was against him Gaelin did not become another statistic of the system, and his story is further proof that kids in foster care are more than what their case file says. They are strong, resilient, and healing is possible.
Cathleen Bearse is a licensed therapist who decided to become a foster parent, yet before she even received her first placement she started therapy herself. Cathleen shares with us the power of having a safe place for your feelings and emotions during foster care.
Ashlee and her husband had what so many people work toward; a mostly controlled and comfortable life. But when they were confronted with the reality of children and families in need, they knew they were being called out of their comfort and into something greater.
Jason Johnson and his wife had talked about foster care for a while, but she was ready and he wasn't. What he didn't know was that his decision would change the direction and trajectory of his entire life in ways he never expected.
Travel with us from the busy streets of Bangkok to a border town dump to hear the work of a man and his team who are empowering families and protecting vulnerable children from trafficking.
At the time this episode was recorded, the organization was called Compasio. They are now called Global Child Advocates.
Sri Lanka is strikingly beautiful, but it has a complicated history. This has had the greatest effect on the vulnerable children who call this place home. We travel from the oceans to the mountains to hear the compelling stories of children and the people working to help them thrive.
Get immersed in the busyness of Beijing as we document something extremely rare; the adoption of a 13 year old boy who is visually impaired.
Travel with us to a country that marks the southern edge of the Sahara Desert to witness the adoption of a 13 year old boy with hearing loss.
Travel with us inside the borders of Western Romania to hear the story of a woman who has been rescuing vulnerable children since the fall of communism.
Become immersed in the sounds of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as we hear the stories of vulnerable children and the people working to provide them with family.
One of the problems with foster care is that the cycle tends to repeat itself. A child who doesn't have a consistent family has a child of their own and then isn't equipped or supported to care for that child. But you know what can help break that cycle? A loving family. This is why Jaymi and her husband continue to say yes to fostering teens.
Finding a foster home for a teenager is almost twice as unlikely as finding a home for children 12 and under. Yet, despite this trend, Maranda Karenbauer and her husband have welcomed four children (ages 17, 16, 13, and 11) into their home. Despite the stereotypes and fears around fostering teens, Maranda and her husband have instead found deep love and even their first son.
Brittaney Allen's experience in foster care made her believe that no one could love her. But a foster family said yes and eventually became her family through adoption. Now Brittaney is a foster and adoptive parent herself.
When a child in foster care must transition out of your home, (hopefully to be reunited with family) it can still be difficult for everyone involved. But we can help the children we love and set them up to thrive in their new home by creating something called a transition plan. Hallie Graves is here to share how a successful transition has helped her foster children continue to heal.
From the age of eight Kylee had children from foster care in her life and her home. Her parent's decision to make this a part of the DNA of their family had major effects on Kylee's childhood, teen years, and who she is today. Her story and experience may not be what you expect.
Even though Ligia Cushman was an adoption social worker when she adopted, she still wasn’t fully prepared for all the feelings of grief and loss that her son would experience. But over the years she has never stopped leaning in, listening, and learning. She now knows that adoption requires deep love, compassion and action. She is here to show us what love in action looks like.
If you aren't able to foster or adopt, one of the most important and impactful roles you can play is supporting someone who is. But it’s not always clear what you should do or how to best help. To help with this we sat down with our own friend and employee Allie Chandler who has been supporting us in our adoption for 3 years now. Our candid discussion will better equip you to truly help the foster and adoptive families you love.
Angela Braniff is a mother to 8 through domestic adoption, international adoption, special needs adoption, embryo adoption and birth. Angela’s passion for justice, ethics and ensuring that all children are in a safe and loving family is contagious.
Julie and Brian Mavis had been foster parents, raised bio children, and even started an amazing organization called America's Kids Belong. And as recent empty nesters, they were poised for some well deserved R&R. But the Mavis' had seen too much. So when they were confronted with the opportunity to care for an older child who had aged out of foster care, they said yes. Their "yes" changed everything.
Embo Tshimanga edured 25 plus moves, 20 schools, 6 homeless shelters, 2 women’s shelters, and 2 group homes during her time in foster care. When she aged out, she had every reason to become another statistic, yet Embo began a journey of healing that included becoming a college graduate. She is here to share her story and how we can all do better at supporting our youth in and out of foster care.
Organizations Mentioned:
America’s Kids Belong
Dream Makers Project
After suffering a tragic spinal cord injury that left him in a wheelchair, Chris Norton and his wife Emily had every reason to just focus on themselves; navigating life and marriage. Instead they chose to do foster care and adoption. The Norton's have fostered 18 kids and adopted 5. Chris's story of perseverance and selflessness will inspire you to do the same.
In many countries orphaned girls are some of the most vulnerable members of society. Then, once they age out of care they are opened up to a whole new world of dangers with no family or knowledge of how to navigate life and stay safe. Our friend John Marshall saw this problem and decided to tackle it by providing a quality, free college education for these girls. You have to listen to this podcast and learn more about how Teach Her is changing lives.
Sally's journey began when she was 6 months old as she entered the foster care system. Although adopted by loving parents, her journey of abuse continued when she was sexually abused and treated terribly by family and her peers. Her own healing came when Sally adopted her daughter out of foster care and has since had to learn how to help her daughter overcome her own trauma. This beautifully tragic story of healing is a must listen.
Something you may not realize is that a large number of adoptive parents enter into adoption with trauma of their own. Jordan Tate was no exception as she experienced incredible loss before quickly entering into a domestic adoption. She is here to help us understand how we can better navigate our own pain and trauma which will allow us to more healthily help our children heal from their trauma.
This episode contains sensitive content as we discuss infant loss, miscarriage and infertility.
Our guest today, Julie Kouri, is an adoptive mom and founder of an adoption and foster care organization called Fostering Hope. In this podcast Julie shares wisdom that only comes after years of being in this field and we learn how Fostering Hope is restoring broken families.
When looking for a preschool when a child has experienced trauma you will want to consider the environment, type of care, whether state subsidies will be accepted, and many other factors, which can all be overwhelming. Enter Petra Preschool! Our guest today, Mindy Jones shares how she and her team at Petra have created a community for families in the foster system so that everyone can find the support they need to thrive.
Sometimes it can feel like the only way to help vulnerable children is by fostering or adopting, but nothing could be further from the truth. One of the most practical ways you can start getting involved is by becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA volunteer. Our guest Maddy Wellum is here to tell us about her experience with CASA and the impact it’s had on the lives of children and even more so her own.
Websites mentioned:
CASA
The Archibald Project
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Email info@thearchibaldproject.com to let us know how our work and this podcast has impacted your life!
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Jacari Harris endured an unstable home, two years in foster care, an adoption, and the death of his father. His anger, depression, and pain caused him to call the police on his adoptive parents and get kicked out of class. But through the consistency of his adoptive mother and a new found determination, Jacari has become an inspiration to foster parents and foster youth.
Visit Jacari's Website here.
What happens at the U.S. and Mexico border is complex and highly debated. But no matter your opinion it doesn't change the fact that there are vulnerable women and children living there that need help. Our guest today, Alma Ruth has fully embraced that call and is using her time and resources to support the people living in these desperate circumstances. Alma’s story and experiences will open your eyes and challenge your heart.
Susan Harness faced many complexities and challenges growing up as an American Indian transracial adoptee in the 1960’s and 70’s. From years of experiencing racism, poor U.S. policies, an abusive father, and a journey to meet her mother, Susan has become gracious and an important voice for the adoptee community.
If there is anyone out there who has advice to give it is author, TBRI Practitioner, and certified Enneagram coach Lisa Qualls. She carries with her the wisdom that comes with being a mother to 12 through birth, adoption, and foster care. But she is also well acquainted with the deep pain that accompanies being a birth mom and losing another child to unexpected tragedy. Lisa is a calm and encouraging presence for anyone who is looking for hope.
When acclaimed author Nefertiti Austin started her journey of parenting, she bravely chose a challenging path. Being a single, black, adoptive mom was not easy but the lessons she learned were invaluable. Nefertiti shares the importance of community and finding support as well as her desire for parents everywhere to connect with one another despite their different cultures and experiences.
When Ian and Brittany Bently adopted from Ethiopia, they had no idea that they would soon return to start a leather products company called Parker Clay. Through it they are empowering locals, keeping families together, and showing all of us that what we buy affects children around the world.
We all have predisposed ideas about adoption, especially around birth moms and placement. But what if the narrative you have isn't the whole truth? Our guest Ashley Mitchell, who is a birth mom herself, will quite possibly change everything you thought you knew, and we promise you will be better for it. She has wisdom for not just birth moms, but for adoptive parents, adult adoptees, and for anyone willing to listen. If you know anyone thinking about adoption this podcast is a must listen.
Monica was adopted out of foster care at the age of 5 and now she plays a vital role in her family. Monica has been a foster sister to over 300 hundred kids. She has been able to show each child coming through their home that she understands what they are going through and that she is always going to be there for them.
It's been almost four years since we had the privilege of telling the powerful story of a birth mom and adoptive family. This film has been viewed almost 2 million times and has impacted thousands of lives, but there is more to this story. Four years later so much has changed and there is still so much to learn.
Patty, her sister Angelica, and their two other siblings didn't want to be adopted out of foster care. But faced with a difficult choice that could separate the group, they decided that permanently joining another family was the best option. Patty and Angelica share their struggles, their joys, and how healing is possible even in the face of really difficult circumstances.
After becoming an adoptive mom to black children, Gina Fimbel began to recognize that some things needed to change if she wanted her children to have the best chance at thriving in her family. Through friendships, education, and working with Be The Bridge, Gina has become a part of a movement of racial reconciliation that includes amplifying transracial adoptee voices. In a conversation that can often feel overwhelming, Gina's story and wisdom offers space to take this journey one step at time.
What is one of the best ways to learn how to be a better adoptive parent? By listening to the people who have already lived it. Tiffany and Jenn were both transracially adopted as children, but now they are adults who have insight on what helped and what hurt. They are here to share their stories, experience, and highlight the need for the adoptee voice.
We're so honored to be featured in the Top 25 Adoption Podcasts on FeedSpot.
What started off as a lonely journey full of unknowns has culminated to Brittney and Kevin Borders fostering over 20 children and adopting their two sons. Their invaluable experience that includes infertility, fighting to reunite a child with her father, and adopting both a white and black son has left them with incredible wisdom to share.
We're so honored to be featured in the Top 20 Adoption Podcasts on FeedSpot.
Christine Beliard founded FAB Moms, Fabulous Adoptive Black Moms, when she noticed a need in her own adoption journey for more resources and community for Black families going through the adoption process. Christine's passion and wisdom dismantles stereotypes about Black families involvement in the adoption/foster care world, and also sheds light on the need for more people to get involved in caring for vulnerable children.
We're so honored to be featured in the Top 20 Adoption Podcasts on FeedSpot.
Despite an abusive home, living in foster care, and being adopted only to have his adoptive parents pass away far too soon, Steven has never given up. Today he is a professional athlete and an advocate for foster kids. Whether you are a foster or adoptive parent or spent time in foster care yourself, Steven's story will give you hope.
We're so honored to be featured in the Top 20 Adoption Podcasts on FeedSpot.
As a lawyer, Carrie Murray Nellis had a front row seat to see how often the Juvenile System fails our children and birth parents.This ignited a fire inside her that eventually led to her starting Abiding Love Adoptions where they work exclusively with birth parents. As a professional who has seen the beautiful, the heart breaking, and the complicated sides of adoption, she has so much wisdom to share on how we can continue to improve our systems and play our part in best caring for the vulnerable. We're so honored to be featured in the Top 20 Adoption Podcasts on FeedSpot.
It's no secret that parenting through adoption can be difficult and make you feel isolated and alone. But, there is help and hope and today it comes through Melissa Corkum. Melissa is not only a Korean adoptee and adoptive mom herself, but she is a parent coach that helps families find brain-based solutions to challenging behaviors.
One of the devastating experiences in adoption is dissolution. Amber and her son Shea almost found themselves in this situation, yet today they are thriving as a family. Amber and Shea are with us today to share how they pushed through such a difficult experience.
Brother and sister, Jace (11) and Jordyn (8), lived through four different placements as they bounced around the foster care system. Then, in early 2019 they went into their 5th placement. But this one was different because it would be their last. In this season finale episode you'll travel with us to Houston, Texas to meet the Sonnier family. Over the course of two days we hear how a child experiences foster care and witness an adoption from inside the courtroom. MB018HQN7EVWVG2
Peter Mutabazi was born in Uganda where he was forced to leave his home and fend for himself. But through the kindness of others Peter got a second chance at life. Today Peter is returning that same kindness as he has fostered 12 children and recently adopted one.
Chrystal Smith had a difficult childhood that included brokenness and abuse, but she was not defeated. Instead, Chrystal started an organization that creates opportunities for the community to be a "village" of support for underserved children and families. Through her personal experience and work with Foster Village, Chrystal shows us how we can all come alongside children and families and show them they are not alone.
Keia Jones Baldwin is a proud, strong black woman with experience in adoption, and foster care, and raising children in a multicultural family. So when she got a call for another foster placement Keia didn't hesitate. But when she got to the hospital and the nurse pointed to a little white baby, Keia knew she was embarking on a whole new journey of racism, family, and love.
When Kylie decided to become part of a unique program that allows her to foster refugee children, she never expected to become a mom and a grandma in less than 3 months. But her willingness to say yes has changed lives and given her the most beautifully diverse family.
Cam Lee was adopted from South Korea at the age of 3. Years later he decided to search for and meet his birth mother. It was through this journey that he realized his life's calling was to help others navigate their own adoption story. Cam's personal experience and education as a counselor give him infinite wisdom that he shares with us today.
Have you ever wondered what an international adoption looks like once you get home? Our good friend Rachel Baxter shares what she has learned and what her family has been up to for the past 4 years since their special needs international adoption from China.
Having grown up in 12 different homes, sleeping on floors and couches, living in a group home, and eventually aging out of the system, Tori Petersen offers an inside look at growing up in foster care and reminds us that it's never too late to find someone to call family.
Heather Avis and Mercedes Lara from The Lucky Few both have adopted children with Down Syndrome. From their incredible wisdom and experience they show us how to create a more inclusive world and shift the narrative around Down Syndrome.
Sixteen years after her adoption, Mary Grant received a message from a relative in Ethiopia who had been searching for her. This message would launch Mary on a journey that would eventually lead to her speaking to her mother for the first time. Mary's story of pain, healing, and family has wisdom and lessons for us all.
When Martha Bonneau's 4 year old daughter said she wanted to find her birth family, Martha and her husband didn't know what to do other than to say "Okay" and hope that they would be able to give their daughter some answers. Little did they know that 6 years later their family of 4 would be on an airplane headed to China.
Lori Dortch was 17 years old, pregnant, and facing one of the biggest decisions of her life. Now, 25 years later, that decision has turned her into an advocate for birth moms across the country. No matter who you are, Lori and her husband Matt have wisdom you need to hear.
When Heather Oram and her husband started pursuing adoption, they never imagined they would have two kids and two different birth moms within 4 months of each other. It would have been easy to close themselves off, but instead they chose open adoption.
Suffering...It's one of those things we all want to avoid but inevitably finds its way into our lives. So how do we suffer well? Can we endure more than we think? Few people have as much to share in this area than our guest Liz Griffin.
After suffering through a complicated six year adoption process, Liz and her husband finally brought their two children home. Two years later, at the age of 33, Liz suffered a stroke. This led to the discovery of brain aneurysms, a thyroid tumor, a heart defect, and a long road to recovery. But with incredible suffering comes incredible wisdom, and Liz is gracious enough to share it with us.
What is the best way to care for vulnerable children around the world? The answer to this simple question has huge implications on the lives and futures of millions of children. And if you plan to adopt internationally, this could be impacting your future child. Even as you read this, decisions are being made and global policy is being changed about how to best care for vulnerable children. Although the questions seem simple enough, the answers are much more complicated than you think. This is why it is important that we educate ourselves and attempt to do what is best for each child. This also why we talk to experts like Mick Pease. Mick is the co-author of the book ‘Children Belong in Families, he has 40 years of experience as a social worker in the UK, and if that’s not enough… he helped start the foster care system in Brazil. Mick has seen it all and that's what gives him such wisdom and authority around very complicated issues. You can feel his love for children and families and we are honored to have the opportunity to learn from him.
Who am I? This is a question many of us ask for a variety of different reasons. But often this question gets amplified and infinitely more complicated with adoption. So how do we navigate these complexities as a parent guiding an adopted child, or as someone who was adopted? You talk to someone with experience.
Our guest, Zawadi, was born in rural DRC where his mother died in childbirth. He was adopted by white parents and lived in Eastern Africa for years before moving to America where he dealt with issues of identity, racism, and trying to fit in. Zawadi is now an adult with a wife and family that includes an adopted child of his own.
Now matter what side of adoption you come from, Zawadi's calm presence and personal story bring a wisdom, experience, and perspective that we can all learn from.
Have you ever thought about adopting an older child? How old is too old to be adopted? The answer might surprise you and our guest will challenge you.
Annie endured a difficult childhood and didn't enter foster care until age 17. This left her with little hope of having a stable family to visit on weekends in college, or holidays, or anytime she just needed it. But against all odds, Annie was adopted at the age of 26!
This podcast will open your eyes to the realities of life for teenagers in the foster care system, and it will show you that there is no age limit for needing the love of a family.
How do you view parents who've had to place their kids in foster care? Do you judge them or does your heart break for them? Do you write them off or do you root for them to get their kids back? Whatever your thoughts, our conversation with Vanessa Ramirez will change them.
Vanessa candidly shares the struggles she has been through that lead to her 4 children entering foster care and how, with the help of some amazing people, she courageously fought to overcome addiction to get them back.
If you’re a foster parent and have ever wondered what your foster child’s parents might be going through, we’d encourage you to listen to this podcast with an open mind and a willingness to learn how you can better help foster children and their families.
One of the most important parts of being a single foster mom is having support, but that is not always the easiest thing to find. For Bethany Moore, she looked to her dad Scott. Scott has stepped up to become “Dad dad” to his daughter's 3 foster children. This is not how he imagined becoming a grandpa, but there is no mistaking the love and joy he has found in his foster grandchildren. Our conversation with Bethany and her father Scott is full of insight and wisdom. Whether you are thinking of fostering on your own or with a spouse, we’d love to encourage you to send this podcast to your parents, friends, and family members.
Becoming a parent is hard enough, but becoming parents to multiple big kids and teenagers who aren’t much younger than yourself… well, that was a curveball foster parents Emily and her husband Brian didn’t know they would face.
Emily opens up and shares what it has been like fostering teenagers, why they love it, and how it has impacted their biological children. We are confident this podcast will open your eyes to fostering older children!
With all there is to do, remember, and learn around adoption, sometimes hair care is the last thing on your mind. But when adopting transracially, it's pivotal that we know and understand the importance and history of hair care. Fortunately there are incredible people in the world like LaShanna Bruce. She is the founder of Mommies and Curls, which helps adoptive and foster parents with black kids meet their hair care and culture needs.
We would love to encourage everyone, but especially foster and adoptive parents to black children, to listen to this podcast to learn from LaShanna as she shares invaluable wisdom on how to care for your child's hair, help answer questions about verbiage to use when speaking of your child, and how to help them confront questions of identity.
Surviving the holidays on their own can be hard enough, and helping your children with complex trauma can sometimes feel insurmountable. From lack of routine, to sugar everywhere, presents, new environments, and family that doesn't understand; the list just goes on. And, let’s be honest: keeping yourself regulated is hard enough. Fortunately, we had the pleasure of talking with adoption and trauma therapist, Robyn Gobbel, to learn healthy practices in keeping our children regulated (and happy) during the holiday season.
Not only does Robyn give actionable tips to address triggers, she encourages us to take care of ourselves as well.
We know this podcast will help your holidays be more enjoyable and memorable. Please take the time to listen and share it with your friends and family who may also be spending time with your children this holiday season.
“Why do you look different than your parents?”
“Are you black or are you white?”
The questions an adopted child may encounter from peers and even adults might shock you. And these questions, whether mean spirited or just from curiosity, can evoke deep feelings. Thankfully our guest, Kelly Curry, has personal and professional experience to share with us today.
Not only was Kelly adopted as a baby from South Korea and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, but she now works as a child and family therapist at an adoption agency. She shares about the personal success of her own family and areas where there was room for improvement, while also drawing from her experience as a professional. Whether you are adopting, adopted, or in process, Kelly has wisdom for you and your family.
Being a kid and trying to fit in is difficult. Now add being an adopted child from a foreign country and growing up in a town where you are the racial minority… fitting in would seem almost impossible right?
These are just a few of the challenges that Kiana Bosman faced after being adopted from Haiti as a baby. But with the help of her family, Kiana shares ways that her mom, grandpa and two adopted sisters from Haiti have helped her grow up to be confident in her identity and a successful young woman majoring in criminal justice. She has developed wisdom beyond her years and is kind enough to share it with us.
Have you ever been overwhelmed by the cost of adoption? Or questioned how your kids will respond to adding a new child to the mix? Or wondered how to celebrate World Adoption Day when adoption, at its core, is tragic and heartbreaking? Fortunately for us, Hank Fortener has experience in all of these things. Hank grew up with 36 foster siblings, 8 adopted siblings, 2 bio siblings, and is the founder of Adopt Together and world adoption day. His broad experience and unique perspectives will encourage you no matter where you are on your journey.
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started The Archibald Project! At The Archibald Project, we support people caring for orphaned and vulnerable children. Thank you for stopping by to listen to our podcast!
In today’s episode, we interview adoptive parents, Lauren and Adrian Mills. To say what these two have walked through over the past couple years has been challenging would not do their story justice. They began the adoption process from the Democratic Republic of The Congo, only to realize once their adoption was finalized and they were waiting to bring their daughter home that she had been trafficked by a corrupt orphanage director. Following the heart breaking but beautiful journey of working to reunify “their daughter” with her mother, they began a domestic adoption that later failed for unimaginably hard reasons…. This lead them through a wilderness season of absolute surrender, only to land them back in the international adoption process. This time with an ethical organization and a child that truly needed to be adopted.
Through the heart ache, Lauren and Adrian give such profound advice and tips for what flags to look out for when pursuing international adoption. They give hope to those waiting, and provide steps to take to see if the agency you’re working with is a good one or if they are actually trafficking children for money. We hope you come away having a greater awareness of the global orphan crisis and a deeper understanding of how to fight for ethical adoptions.
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started The Archibald Project! Caring for orphaned and vulnerable children is one of the most important jobs in the world, but often people are too overwhelmed to get involved or lack the support they need to keep going. Our podcast is a place where you can easily find answers, encouragement, and support. Because when you thrive, children thrive.
In this weeks episode we sat down with Ebie Hepworth! Ebie is an adoptive mama to two kiddos, Asa and Birdie. Ebie, her husband Zack, and Asa and Birdie have been home together for 2 years, and through all of the joys that come with adoption, their family walks through a very real suffering every day. After being matched with Asa and Birdie, they found out Asa was very sick. Ebie and Zack sold a lot of their things, including their couch, to fundraise for their adoption and move to Liberia to be with their kids until they could travel home. After 4 months of living in Liberia, nothing would prepare them for the news they received when they got back to their home in Boise, Idaho.
We are thankful for Ebie’s vulnerability as she shares with us what it was like finding out her son has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a terminal illness. Even in the pain though, Ebie carries with her a hope that is not of this world and is believing in full faith for her son to be healed. Our desire is that you would be filled with hope in the things that seem impossible in your own lives. Enjoy our podcast with Ebie!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project! We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today’s episode, Nick and I share an update about our life in the Republic of The Congo, what adopting three kids has been like while living in a developing country, and where The Archibald Project is headed! We answer questions about our own adoption including why we decided to temporarily move to the Congo and why we changed our kids names. We are so thankful for the incredible support we have received from you guys as we have walked through our adoption.
We hope you are encouraged by this podcast and enjoy our conversation!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project! We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today’s episode, we sit down with Oleg Lougheed, an inspiring young man who not only has started the non-profit Overcoming Odds, but he himself has indeed overcome many odds. Oleg entered an orphanage in Russia at age 9 to try and get his own life on track. Without a father present and an alcoholic mother, he did what he thought was the best option. Oleg's life is a testament to not giving up when times are tough. At the age of 12, Oleg was adopted from Russia and came to live with his new family in America. Since being in America, Oleg is helping other adoptees, foster youth, and adults find their voice and heal from their traumatic pasts.
We are beyond inspired by not only Oleg's adoption story, but for the way he is helping people heal. Oleg shares with us his emotions and feelings towards his own adoption, and how his adoptive parents helped him heal and really grow into the man he has become. If you know anyone who is adopted, is adopting or is thinking about adoption, we encourage you to listen to our podcast with Oleg as we think it will give incredible insight to an adopted child's thoughts and feelings. Thank you and enjoy our conversation with Oleg!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today’s episode, we catch up with our dear friend, and former media mission team member, Courtney Bolander. After our media mission in 2015, Courtney and her husband Ricky packed up their lives in New York and moved to Romania to start an organization called Radiant Hope that seeks to restore identity and dignity to youth that are vulnerable to human trafficking. Courtney shares with us how meeting one special girl in Romania changed the course of their lives and was a huge catalyst for starting Radiant Hope. Courtney talks about what a day in the life looks like for them in Romania and their desire to pour into youth and show them their worth and value.
I will mention, this podcast was recorded last August, so Courtney and Ricky have now been living in Romania for a little over a year. Alright guys thanks so much for tuning in, enjoy our inspiring conversation with our friend Courtney!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode, we have an inspiring conversation with former foster youth, Maryssa Vasquez, as she shares with us about her past, growing up in foster care, and how an organization she joined in college has changed the direction of her life! Now, as the president of PUSH, Persevere UNTil Success Happens, Maryssa supports former foster youth by encouraging them and creating a space for them to heal by surrounding them with community. Maryssa is helping these youth overcome the odds and make it through college! Make sure you stick around until the end to hear her advice about how you can help support former foster youth make it through college and empower them to have a voice!
Enjoy our encouraging conversation with Maryssa!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Daniel and Shellee Hyde! Daniel and Shellee went from 0 to 6 kids in just 3 years! They share with us how they made the jump from 0 to 6, and what becoming foster parents was like for them and how it lead to the adoption of 4 of their children! During our conversation, Daniel and Shellee open up and give us a front row seat to what it was like to just show up and be consistent with the kids that came in and out of their care, even when there wasn't certainty or permanency in their journey.
Enjoy our encouraging conversation with foster and adoptive parents, Daniel and Shellee!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode, we have the most inspiring conversation with foster mom Sherry, and her foster son's biological mom, Kami! We are thankful for Sherry's vulnerability as she shares how learning to love Kami and her family did not happen over night, as well as Kami's struggle to love and trust someone was hard at first, but so worth it. Although having had a rough start to their relationship, we see how loving a biological mom and cheering her on can change a family's outcome. After years of her son being in Sherry's home, Kami's son was reunified with Kami and her husband! Talk about inspiring and sacrificial love...
During our conversation Sherry and Kami talk about the awkward first car ride that Sherry offered after a visit, and the unexpected surprise visit Kami got on Christmas Eve from Sherry and her entire family. They share that listening and learning to press into love, even when it's hard, is always worth it.
I can pretty much guarantee that your hearts will be challenged to love harder after listening to our conversation with Sherry and Kami! We hope you enjoy our conversation with these two incredible women!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode, we interview not 1, not 2, but 3 sisters living together... and fostering together!!! We are inspired by their commitment to the betterment of vulnerable children and their willingness to sacrifice comfort to care for these kids. Life can be crazy with "3 bosses" as they like to call themselves in their home, but they are quick to express that although challenging at times, foster care is the most rewarding and beautiful thing they have ever done.
During our conversation, Grace, Joy and Hope, share with us what a day in the life looks like, how they balance working full time, crazy schedules, and the countless visitations, doctors appointments and meetings for their gaggle of foster kiddos.
We hope you enjoy our conversation with the inspiring 3 Sisters!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project!My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode, I catch up with 4 of my amazing friends and fellow adoptive mamas, aka the 'Mwana Mamas' as we like to call ourselves. When Nick and I traveled to Congo to meet our kids for the first time, we were with these women and their husbands! The leading up to traveling to Congo, while we were in country and in the waiing since returning from Congo, these women have encouraged me, laughed with me and cried with me through many different seasons.
During our conversation we share some memorable moments from our time in Congo, some difficult memories, and we cry and laugh a lot. Our hope is that you would feel encouraged to find people that you can walk through the adoption journey with.
I hope you enjoy my conversation catching up with the amazing Mwana Mamas!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project! The Archibald Project is using storytelling to spark and expand a movement of people to care for orphaned and vulnerable children in creative and educated ways, in order to combat and end the global orphan crisis.
In today's interview we have an inspiring conversation with one of our dear friends, Hallie Graves! We’ve known Hallie for a few years and have gotten a front row seat to her journey to becoming a foster mom. Hallie is wonder woman in our eyes. Not only is Hallie an intentional friend, but she is a full time lawyer and a single foster mom, just to name a few. Hallie shares really practical advice for how to set your life up to receive a foster child and walks us through what a day in the life looks like for her and her 3 month old foster son. Towards the end of our conversation, Hallie shares with us some easy ways that you can get involved in foster care without becoming a foster parent.
I can assure you that Hallie’s life and passion to help vulnerable children will most definitely inspire you. Enjoy our conversation with the amazing Hallie Graves!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project. My name is Whitney and together with my husband Nick, we started our orphan care advocacy organization, The Archibald Project. We've been working hard to tell inspiring stories about vulnerable children ever since and our goal is to ultimately end the global orphan crisis through storytelling! We believe that the more people who see and hear our stories then the more people who will be inspired to get involved and help end the orphan crisis!
In today's episode we have a fun time catching up with our old friends Smooth and Kelly Via. If you don't know who the Vias are then you're missing out. We'll cover our back story during our interview with them but in a nutshell the Vias were denied a VISA for their Ugandan daughter so they moved their then family of 5 to Uganda to be with their daughter. The Via's have been living in Uganda, doing regular life for the past 4 years and today we hear all about what life is like, how they feel about being in Uganda for so long, where they are in their adoption, how their kids have adjusted and what their future looks like as a now family of 8.
I do want to share that this was recorded last fall so if you know the Vias or follow the Vias on social media don't be confused when we talk about Kelly being pregnant or the fact that they've in the states. Since this podcast was recorded I'm happy to announce that Kelly has had a healthy baby boy named Corban (who was actually born on my birthday), and that all 8 Vias are back in Uganda and are doing well!
Enjoy our conversation with our dear friends Smooth and Kelly!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project! In today's episode we're talking with Julie Walton, an active, longterm volunteer and advocate for an organization in Sri Lanka. Not only has Julie visited Sri Lanka as often as she can for the past 6 years to serve a program called Kidz Net, she has also begun working towards her Masters of Arts in International Affairs. In 2015 after learning about a movement of global policy makers are starting called Deinstitutionalization, Julie being deeply troubled began thinking "Somebody ought to do something about this." She felt so passionate about the need for an educated person working towards helpful policies for those working daily to serve orphaned and vulnerable children that she quit her job and starting working towards becoming that person. In today's interview you'll hear Julie's passion for policies to be made through thorough research on the types of group foster homes that many organizations are running around the world verses data from Eastern Europe and Russian Institutions. Julie shares that policy makers are studying these Institutions and using the research found to push the movement of closing down all children's homes worldwide. Our podcast today is not us sharing our opinion rather we are interviewing someone who has become educated on the subject and who has devoted her life to understanding policies and their makers. Of course this episode doesn't solely focus on the deinstitutionalization movement, we discus our most recent trip to Sri Lanka with Kidz Net, we explain what Kidz Net is and why their work is so important and of course give you a little sneak into Season 2 of our Orphan Care Travel Show, The Advocates!
In our first episode of season 2 we connect with co-founders of The Archibald Project and learn what they've been up to over the past few months. We also introduce you to TAP's newest member, Amanda, and learn all about TAP's mission for ethical orphan care!
Through out the show we hear about TAP's newest webpage 'The 411 On The Global Orphan Crisis' and why anyone who is interested in caring for vulnerable children needs to go read this page now!
In today's interview we talk about how the Eicher family decided to enter into down syndrome adoption, how their family of 6 was affected by Hurricane Harvey and how feelings of love and attachment don't always come so automatically in adoption.
Lisa opens up about the hardships of bonding with her older daughter and how the loving emotions did just happen automatically and you guys she gives great advice if you're experiencing that in your own adoption and she talks about how important community is to their journey in life.
Welcome to our 6 year anniversary of the very first adoption we documented! 6 years ago today we photographed an adoption in a Bulgarian orphanage where the photos inspired another family to adopt. It was then that we saw the power of storytelling and realized that we could use our gifts to advocate for vulnerable children all over the world!
In today's episode of Around the World with The Archibald Project we get up close and personal while Whitney and Nick interview each other. We love interviewing outside guests but thought it would be special to interview one another about the past 6 years. We look back, laugh and share memories that you've never heard! We also share an exciting new project that we've been working hard on toward the end of the interview!
You'll hear Nick embarrass Whitney as he confesses what our organization was originally named, you'll find out what the Runyon's future hopes for The Archibald Project are, you'll laugh as the couple bickers about accuracy of memories and you'll be impassioned by their passion to see the orphan crisis eliminated!
Thank you guys so much for tuning in! YOU are apart of our movement and together we can all work towards ending this crisis!!!
In today's interview we hear about the Lee's lives before marriage and before taking Justice Rising full time, we hear about their passion to not just put a bandaid on conflict but how they are working towards bringing lasting peace in war torn areas, we hear how education directly impacts the orphan crisis and how education can literally keep children in their families and off the streets and we share bits of wisdom and advice about how YOU can get involved in changing the world without even leaving your home.
Welcome to The Archibald Project’s very first Blogcast! We've been toying around with the idea of recording our blogs for a while so that everyone who would like to participate in our stories would have an easy way to do so. We’ve found that people love blogs but often do not have the time to fully read a post. However, podcasts are on the rise and are an easy way to consume information. We won't be recording every blog post from here on out, as we don’t want to fill up you iTunes or blast your subscription notifications, but we are planning on featuring blogcasts as a way to introduce a new series or an important story that we believe needs more attention than a traditional blog post.
That being said, you can either download this blogcast and listen to it at a later date... such as while you’re driving, working out, cleaning etc, or you can opt out of listening and read the entry below. We’d love to hear your feedback on our new idea, so please comment below or on our social media and let us know if you like TAP incorporating blogcasts!
Thanks!
Welcome back to Around the World with The Archibald Project! In today's episode we bring you with us into Chinese foster home on the outskirts of Beijing, China!
Bethel China is a home for visually impaired orphaned and vulnerable children and they are doing wonderful work towards educating and equipping the up and coming generation. A few weeks ago we traveled to China to document the adoption of a 13-year-old boy who is blind and also grew up at Bethel.
While we were documenting the adoption we were able to sit down with two of the employees of Bethel, Anna and Tabitha and interview them!
In this podcast, we learn why children are abandoned in China, how Bethel's education for visually impaired children is working to keep families together, we help break down some of the fears and preconceived ideas around adopting special needs and/or boys and much more!
You will be so inspired listening to this podcast, and be sure to stay tuned until the end because Anna and Tabitha give you all ways to get involved with the incredible organization that is Bethel.
We have continued on from May's National Foster Care month to share even more inspiring foster stories. One huge part of the system are the children who age out without ever finding a forever home. Today we get to talk with one of those children, Carlina Shotwell.
During our time with Carlina we talk about the day when she and her four siblings were separated, the different homes she was placed, the raw emotions she felt and still feels today, her current relationship with her biological mother, and the book she wrote to inform and inspire people about the desire foster youth have for a family!
Carlina is honest and inspiring; she knows the system was created as a good thing to help children but also wants to shed light on the problems it holds within. This podcast will make you laugh while still informing you of how some youth deal with being placed and passed through foster care.
Definitely stay through until the end to hear about one of Carlina's recent accomplishments! Sit back, relax, and enjoy our interview with Carlina!
May is National Foster Care Month in the states and we’ve been bringing you first hand stories about the system all month long. On our blog we’ve had foster parents, siblings and volunteers share their wisdom and experience and on our podcast we’ve interviewed an adult who aged out of the foster care system and a single foster mom.
In today’s interview we hear how one successful couple opened their home to vulnerable children only to be changed for the better.
Today we hear Cara’s passion about giving her entire heart to her children, we hear the couple’s desire for more people to get involved in foster care, we discuss how foster care has changed their biological children for the better, we hear about what it was like bringing a 14 year old into their home and how they have fallen head over heels for her!
Cara and Nick are so honest and share their initial fears about foster care. If you or anyone you know has ever thought about fostering then this is the podcast for you!
In today's episode of Around the World with The Archibald Project we are so excited to introduce you to single Foster and Adoptive mom, Millie Holloman! Millie started her foster journey 3 years ago as a single 33 year old photographer living in North Carolina.
Through out 8 placements she found 2 of her children, a little girl who was adopted this past March and her son whom she will adopt soon!
During our interview with Millie we find out what prompted her to enter foster care initially, we find out what emotions and experiences she's had with children entering her home aging from 5 weeks to 20 years old and we hear her heartfelt wisdom about consistently showing and extending love to vulnerable children.
If you’ve ever considered getting involved in Foster Care, even as a volunteer and not a parent, this podcast is for you!
Oh, and yes, this sweet girl above might look familiar, as you've probably seen her on Good Morning America or a famous blog circulating your social media feeds :)
Below are the photos Millie talks about in the podcast that ultimately took her adoption viral and landed her and sweet Wren on Good Morning America and other news shows around the nation.
May in National Foster Care Awareness month and we are so honored to start the month off with our guest today, Meaghan Martin, who is a former foster youth. Megan shares with us today what led to her entering the foster care system on her 15th birthday, what it was like entering new homes and how she over came the odds and is a strong and successful woman today.
Certain websites claim that Burkina Faso, a small country in Western Africa, is the 4th poorest country in the world. And where you have extreme poverty, you have vulnerable families and orphaned children, often in excessive numbers.
This past April we spent 8 days in this desert country, sweating in the 107 degree weather, and learning as much as we could about it's orphan crisis. Now, 8 days may not seem like a lot of time to the average person, but we've spent the last 5 years developing a keen sense and particular knowledge in the world of ethical orphan care. We know the questions to ask and the signs of dishonesty or corruption. So let me say this: The people and organizations we met in Burkina Faso are honest, ethical and incredibly needed. Not they type of "need" that pushes its way into a community, unwelcomed and shouting how to "change", rather these organizations are coming alongside the government, local Burkina Bay leaders and communities and partnering together, hand in hand, and they are doing their best. Because let's be honest, there's not a lot of aid in this country and people are struggling.
However, Streams of Burkina Faso has an orphan care portion of their organization and they are raising up the local villagers to foster and care for orphans. They are not an orphanage, rather they find families willing to care for vulnerable children until that child can be safely resettled back with it's biological family!
We got an email months ago about an inquiry for what we thought was an orphanage in Ethiopia. However, the further we read on about Selamta Family Project, the more we came to realize that Selamta was not an orphanage at all.
Selamta Family Project is a holistic orphan care organization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capitol, working to ensure that orphaned children have forever families.
This means that instead of having an orphanage, Selamta employees marginalized women to be full time mothers and aunties to 8-10 children per household. Each mom becomes a real mom. They don't clock in or out, they don't leave after a few years. Selamta makes new families out of broken people so that they might find love, community and safety amongst each other.
Once we realized this was the model Selamta employed we knew we had to get to Ethiopia as soon as possible!
Enjoy our podcast interview with Executive Director, Marisa Stam, on the balcony of the community center in Addis! Lots of street noise will help you feel like you're right there with us!
To follow more of Selamta's journey, visit:
Selamta's Website: www.selamtafamilyproject.org
Selamta's Instagram: @selamtaproject
Selamta's Facebook: facebook.com/selamtafamilyproject
When I first received Wellon Bridgers' email about documenting their adoption, I was skeptical. We were living in Uganda and were in the middle of seeing so many hard and real situations of unethical orphan care. So we straight up asked Wellon why the children she was adopting needed to be adopted and how could she ensure they were truly operating inside an ethical adoption.
Her answers blew us away. She shared about how they came to find Mwana Villages, the organization in the Republic of the Congo where their children lived and how only after a broken adoption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo did they come to learn that many children living in orphanages and up for adoption had birth families who loved and wanted their children. Her love and admiration for Mwana was not centered around her adoption but how Mwana cares passionately for vulnerable women and works to keep families together.
Since we traveled with the Bridgers to the Congo, which you can see their adoption journey in photos here and in video here, Wellon has gone to work, stateside, for Mwana, advocating for vulnerable women and children and working to ensure that families can stay together!
In our podcast today with Wellon we hear why caring for birth families is a must, how Mwana ensures that they are operating ethically (they turned down an offer from an adoption agency for $10,000 a kid!!!), and how Mwana is making a lasting difference in the Congo!
**Mwana's Instagram: @mwanavillages
Mwana's Facebook: www.facebook.com/mwanavillages
Mwana's Website: http://mwanavillages.org
Listen to our first podcast with the Bridgers here: Episode 4
Watch the Bridgers' Adoption Video here: Adoption Video
Watch Mwana's Video here:**
In this wisdom filled interview with adoptive parents, Kayla and Jonny Craig you hear about their desire to love their kids well, how they've grown from seeing their son persevere through pain and why they choose a life of faithfulness over comfort!
If you've ever thought about adoption and wondered if you could do it, we know this podcast is for you! The Craigs help us understand what it's like to adopt and parent a child with needs and share knowledge from a road made by walking. You can find more of our inspirational orphan care stories at www.thearchibaldproject.com
In episode 20 of Around the World with The Archibald Project, you will hear profound wisdom spoken from a 20 year old woman who has known deep pain and experienced the power of healing, redemptive love. Julia was adopted from Russia at one years old and then placed into foster care after coming to the states. The pain she has known is unimaginable but we are so thankful for her willingness to share her story with us.
To hear more orphan care stories, please visit www.thearchibaldproject.com
An insightful interview with birth family advocate, Michelle Conner. During our time with Michelle, we discuss how you really can't judge someone when you don't know their whole story, how majority of the time parents truly do want to keep their children, and how you can help support vulnerable families! Enjoy our podcast with Michelle!
During our time with Kaley Eggers we share why she decided to foster as a single woman, why she believes its so important to care, love and support birth families and how she felt about adopting her son. Not to mention Kaley was on an episode of Fixer Upper and has a Youtube channel! All of the links and social media handles will be on www.thearchibaldproject.com/podcast
In today's podcast we introduce you to Jessica and Joe Honegger! Some of you might know Jessica as the founder of the incredibly successful fair-trade: Noonday Collection, but today we're taking you behind the scenes! Learn how Jessica and Joe met and fell in love, hear how they decided on international adoption and of course we talk about how Noonday was founded! The Honeggers also share some helpful advice about the adoption journey and share what was harder and what was easier in adoption than they might have anticipated.
Also, remember, we exist to end the orphan crisis but we can only do this together! Which means we would love to have you share our podcast with your friends and family so that other might be inspired to care for the orphan!
Thanks guys! Now enjoy our time with the Honeggers!
In today's interview we bring you Katie and Benji Majors. Katie is a New York Times Best Selling Author for her book Kisses From Katie. However, during our time with the Majors we take you beyond the book and bring you their perspective on getting married in Uganda, what it was like adopting 13 girls as a single twenty something, becoming a new husband and dad to 13 girls, running their organization, Amazima and some invaluable lessons they've learned along the way!
For the entire month of May, our orphan care nonprofit, The Archibald Project has been sharing real and raw stories of the U.S. foster care system with the hopes of educating and inspiring you to get involved in the lives of our country’s vulnerable children! So far we’ve brought you blog posts from foster parents, CASA volunteers, babysitters to foster families and podcast interviews with an adult adoptee, a foster care director, a foster care judge and now, to end the month, a foster care father!
We’ve been sharing new stories every week day on our blog www.thearchibaldproject.com/blog and have had such a wonderful response that we are going to continue the stories into June, so make sure you stick around!
However, today, we bring you a very insightful conversation with a foster care father by the name of Randy Doleman, who started a nonprofit centered around building community for foster and adoptive families.
In our interview with Randy we hear what made him take the plunge into foster care, what advice he would give parents just entering the foster care, what advice he would give to a friend of a foster family, why he believes community is essential in orphan care and about his amazing nonprofit, The Orphan Care Network!
So sit back, relax and enjoy our time with Randy!
In today’s interview we cover how Judge Martinez Jones actually became a judge, what the legal system is when a child is removed from their home, how the system works with biological families, why family visits and bonding are so important, and how to best approach a loving and healthy relationship with a child of trauma and their biological family.
In today’s episode we cover what you need to know about the foster care system works, why children are taken from their families, insight on birth parent’s perspectives, some beautiful moments of healing in children of trauma, how you can learn more about fostering in your state and what the first steps are to get more information on foster care!
Around the World with The Archibald Project kicks off National Foster Care Month with an interview with adult adoptee from foster care, Jeanette Jolley. Jeanette takes us through the emotions of growing up knowing she was adopted but not knowing where she came from or her family heritage. Jolly sheds an important light on using your life and skills to advocate for others and even shares about the time she met her birth mom on live T.V. with Richard Simmons.
Jeanette is a television producer and has worked on shows such as: Emmy award winning Extreme Home Make Over, Blue Collar Millionaires, the CMA Red Carpet and countless others! Jeanette is passionate about using her life to advocate for orphans and vulnerable children and we are so excited to bring you her inspiring interview today!
Some of you may know Jamie Ivey and her incredibly fun podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of listening to Jamie’s personal podcast and reading her witty blog posts, Ivey is a 37 year old mother of 4 who has learned how to walk through life, adoption, marriage and motherhood with a lot of grace and humor.
Today in our interview with Jamie we take you behind the scenes and ask her some personal and fun questions that will leave you surprised by her answers! Find out what advice this mom, who has adopted 3 children, would give to a newly adoptive family, what she wishes she would have known 6 years ago as she brought home two children from Haiti, what you would discover if you were a fly on her wall, and how she does it all! Seriously y’all, she does it all. Blogger, Podcaster, speaker, emcee, wife, mom, friend, AND to top it all off, she’s adding book author to the list!
We’ll also have links to Jamie's website and social media outlets on our website, www.thearchibaldproject.com/podcast under episode 11.
Enjoy!
In Episode 10 we interview Bryan and Sherry Lopez from the jewelry company, Lovishly. During this episode we hear how these young parents ended up adopting 3 identical triplet boys with some pretty severe needs...each was born weighing a pound and was smaller than a coke can. After 90 doctor visits in the first few months of having these boys the Lopez family began the adoption process of twins from Uganda. While Bryan was overseas bonding with the twins Sherry received the most shocking news, she was pregnant and her unborn child might now live past birth. Their story doesn't stop there, but to hear more, please check out our episode 10 podcast with Bryan and Sherry Lopez!
This is episode 9 where we interview birth mom, Callie Jett from Talk about Adoption. This interview is a little different than previous interviews because today, we get to hear a birth mom’s perspective of placing her child up for adoption. We know talking about adoption and abortion and a mother’s rights can be a hot topic so we just want to encourage you all to hear Callie’s heart and learn about her organization Talk About Adoption. If we notice any negative remarks regarding Callie’s decisions we just want you to know they will be removed, as this is a place for an open and honest discussion and not a place for politics. Also, if you’re in the room or car with your adopted children and they aren’t familiar with the terms adoption, birth mother, placement or abortion this is just a heads up that all of these topics will be covered in today’s episode.
We’re so inspired by Callie’s testimony and desire to love expectant mothers and to help make teach all birth mothers about adoption and parenting. If you know someone who is a birth mom or who might be facing and unexpected or unwanted pregnancy please share this podcast with them as it’s cloaked with lots of resources. We’ll also have links to Callie’s website and social media outlets on our website, www.thearchibaldproject.com/podcast under episode 9.
Today we introduce you to Colleen, a 22 year old, volunteer foster mom to 6 handicapped orphans in India.
In our podcast we learn from the Rices about domestic, private adoption and hear their journey of finding the best way for them to start their family. They share raw honesty about fears and hopes and the relationship they've formed with their son’s birth mother.
Meet Sara and BJ Brawner. In this podcast you hear the realness behind two foster parents trying to daily navigate a hard system in a broken world. If you've ever wondered if you could do it, if you could foster, please take a moment to listen to this important and inspiring podcast.
We sit down with Kendell and her husband Patrick and learn about their private adoption, future foster care process and their heart for children. Often times we hear the term 'foster to adopt', but the organization the Borkowskis' have chosen to work with promotes family reunification.
In our fourth episode of Around the World with The Archibald Project we sat down the night before Gotcha Day and interviewed Stephen and Wellon! We were able to hear their heart and excitement and learn from some of the hard things they had to walk through during the adoption process.
We met Mary and JP McLeod in 2013 in Uganda.
Listen to find out why Mary and JP are moving to Uganda, how you can learn more about their story and a few of their favorite things about one another! You guys will seriously want to listen to their wisdom, they have a lot to offer!
In this episode you will be introduced to Petru Solca, president of NOROC (New Opportunities for Romanian Orphaned Children).
We will be introducing you more to NOROC and the children they serve in Romania over the next few weeks.
In the first episode of Around the World with The Archibald Project, co-founders Whitney and Nick Runyon talk about who they are, their careers before The Archibald Project, how the organization came to be, and share some interesting facts you might not know about The Archibald Project!