Together by AGCI

Today we're chatting with AGCI adoptive parents Jake and Kaitlyn Hoermann. Jake and Kaitlyn adopted their sweet son, Martin, from Bulgaria earlier this year. You don't want to miss their inspiring story of following God's call to bring their son home.

We are so excited about our conversation with Amanda Purvis, consultant with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University and AGCI Board member. At KPICD, her main focus is instructing systems, organizations, and professionals working with children who have experienced trauma, in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®). In addition to her incredible work with TBRI at KPICD, Amanda is the mother of five children, three of whom joined their family through adoption.This is a heartwarming episode filled with hope and the life-changing impacts of TBRI that Amanda has witnessed firsthand.

Today we're talking about all things sponsorship! I was lucky enough to chat with Amanuel Roba, AGCI's Associate Director of Sponsorship about this important program and the truly life-changing impact it can have on children and families. AGCI's one to one sponsorship in Ethiopia is truly unique and is a simple way for people to have a direct impact on children in need. If you would like to sponsor a child, it's easy to get started! Just head to our website and make a difference in a child's life for just $40 a month! https://www.allgodschildren.org

No matter where you are at in your parenting or grandparenting journey, this episode is a must listen. We are joined by educator and Certified Life Specialist, Keeley Machen, talking through how we can best support and empower our children as they overcome medical encounters.

We are so excited to be chatting today with Sarah, our Philippines Programs Officer, and Taylor, our Asia and Europe Program Director. Taylor and Sarah are hard at work building AGCI's programs in the Philippines that will impact children and families for generations to come.We are so inspired by their heart and dedication for this lifechanging work and we know you will be too. 

Today, we had the honor of chatting with some of our favorite people all the way from Bogota, Colombia! Angie and Taty are residents at AGCI's Independence Program Home and are incredible young women who are working towards their college degree while enrolled in AGCI's Independence Program. We are also joined by Wendy, who is part of AGCI's team and providing some support in the translation department—Angie and Taty are both native Spanish speakers so we extra impressed that they were willing to join us today—in English!This is a fun episode and gives you a little bit of an inside look of life at the Independence Program Home and the amazing work made possible through the support of people like you.

Today, our co-host Marisa Butterworth has an honest, funny, and vulnerable chat with her husband Jesse Butterworth about his journey being a biological and adoptive dad to their three kids and all that he has been working on as a father. Listen in to find out all that he has learned over the years.

Today we're chatting with the incredible Genet Roba. In this episode Genet shares her adoption story and what it was like to be adopted from Ethiopia as an older child. This episode is a must listen for anyone in the adoption community or thinking about becoming an adoptive parent. Genet's story is filled with miracles and she has so much wisdom to share!

Pastor Neely McQueen is the Co-Lead Pastor of Overlake Church in Redmond, WA and has led for over 25 years in the church and parachurch organizations. She is a wife and mom to three young adults and today, she is going to share about what she's learned about parenting after years of Biblical study. 

Hear more about the incredible work that our team in Ethiopia is doing at the All God's Children International and Tim Tebow Foundation House of Hope. We are joined by a very special guest, one of our Child & Family Social workers, Hosseana Solomon, to share about her experiences at our reunification home and what she hopes for the future of Ethiopia and Africa.

Today, we have the honor of talking to Pastor Doug Frazier. In addition to being the pastor at Living Hope Church, Doug is also married to AGCI President, Hollen Frazier and has had a front row seat to this work for decades.  We're talking about God's heart for children in need, suffering, and how to get quiet and discern where the Lord is calling you. I really enjoyed our conversation and hope it challenges you to step up and care for those in need. 

Co-host Melissa Rush was recently in Ethiopia and had the opportunity to visit an Ethiopian Institution for the first time. Due to rules, we cannot photograph or video anything that we see but listen in as Melissa does a beautiful job explaining what she saw, experienced, and how it impacted her. 

We are up to some really exciting stuff these days and wanted to share with you about a new way for YOU to be involved in breaking the cycle for vulnerable children around the world! AGCI's Jep Robertson (you may also know him from Duck Dynasty and Duck Family Treasure) and Campbell Haug share about why they do this work and how you and your family can be involved in seeing real lasting healing in the world around you. 

Today, we're chatting with Special Education Coach Jessica Monteverde. Jessica has a master's degree in education and in-classroom experience as well as experience working with parents and professionals navigating IEPs for the children in their care.  Links to resources:http://understood.orghttp://pacer.orghttp://readingrockets.orghttps://schoolchoiceweek.com/how-to-continue-your-iep-if-you-start-homeschooling/Spedhomeschool.comhttps://www.wrightslaw.com/

Today, we're chatting with Dr. Jana Hunsley about how to create connected foster and adoptive families. Dr. Hunsley is an Assistant Professor of instruction at University of Texas Dallas and studies family trauma, adoptive sibling support, and adoption therapeutic interventions. She is also the Executive Director of Project 1025, which offers effective resources to create connected foster and adoptive families. Dr. Hunsley has a unique perspective—she studies family systems and experienced the effects of adoption first hand when her parents adopted her 7 youngest siblings. 

Today, we're celebrating all of the AGCI miracles of 2022! I can't think of anyone more equipped to speak to this than AGCI President, Hollen Frazier. We're chatting about all that God provided, answered prayers, and what's next for 2023. 

Ethical adoption is a huge part of who we are as an organization and this year we have seen so much change and growth. Join us as we take a look at what adoption looked like in 2022, celebrate all of the miracles, and find out how we can be praying for 2023.   

Of all the gifts to receive, we can't think of anything better than your child coming home. Adoption is a journey full of ups and downs, but today, we get to celebrate kids coming home, the absolute BEST GIFTS EVER! 

We're back with another mind-blowing episode with Jill Crewes, MSW, AGCI's Director of US Child Advocacy Services. Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experiences working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community. This episode literally blew my mind. You don't want to miss Jill explain sensory needs and how it impacts kids and adults. She also offers a ton of practical tools for caregivers of children with sensory processing needs. Don't miss this! 

Today we're chatting with AGCI adoptive parents Lisa and Nick. Nick and Lisa adopted their adorable son William from Colombia earlier this year and their beautiful story is inspiring. If this story tugs on your heart, this is the perfect time to begin your adoption journey. This November we're celebrating Adoption Month with a $500 adoption grant. These grants are available for families who complete an application for one of AGCI's international adoption programs by 11/30 and go under contract by 12/31. 

We're back with another enlightening conversation with Jill Crewes, MSW, AGCI's Director of US Child Advocacy Services! Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experience working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community. This might be our favorite episode to date. Jill and Melissa dove into Abandonment History and its Impact on Future Behavioral Needs and how this affects children. This is a must-listen for anyone who cares for kids from hard places.  

Age is nothing but a number...particularly when it comes to understanding chronological age vs. developmental age. AGCI's Director of US Child Advocacy Services, Jill Crewes, MSW, explains the difference between these two often conflated subjects and dives into how this can manifest for children. Jill is an adoptive mom and has decades of experience. Working within the child welfare system and foster/adoption community.

We have the opportunity to meet AGCI Ethiopia adoptive moms Kerri Dawson and Camille Bendick. They have recently returned from visiting the Tim Tebow Foundation &AGCI House of Hope in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Today we get to hear stories about what they experienced, all they learned, and why they believe this home will make a positive difference in the beautiful country of Ethiopia.

We feel so incredibly blessed to be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the official opening of the AGCI & Tim Tebow FoundationHouse of Hope in Ethiopia! In the last year, the House of Hope has served 34girls and successfully reunified 14 girls with their families. On today's episode, we get to talk to AGCI'sEthiopia Program Director, Angelyn Salyer, and hear stories about the difference the House of Hope is making in the lives of the girls it serves, local communities, and the country as a whole. Here's to another year of God doing big things!

Melissa and Marisa are joined by a very special guest—Jep Robertson! You might know Jep from Duck Dynasty fame but we know him for his incredible heart for vulnerable children and families. In today's episode, Jep shares why AGCI's work matters to him on a personal level, and how the people he's met and the stories he's watched unfold have changed the trajectory of his life.

An estimated 2 million children in Colombia are victims of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect each year but our AGCI Colombia team and family preservation partners are working every day to provide life-saving therapy for children who have survived sexual violence. We are joined today by AGCI's Latin America Executive Director, Andrea Leon. She shares about what they are currently seeing in Colombia, how this impacts kids and families and tells stories of lives changed. Because of the generosity and support of so many, children are finding hope, healing, and joy after surviving sexual violence.

Adoption is beautiful. It's also really, really hard. For many families, the first year home is particularly challenging. Our very own Marisa Butterworth welcomed her third child home through adoption just over 10 years ago. In today's episode, Marisa shares her tips for surviving the first year home. If you're IN IT right now, take a deep breath—the first step to surviving a trying time is to give yourself some grace!

There is a definite art to traveling to the developing world and who better to hear from than locals! Whether you're in the adoption process or planning a trip to another part of the world, AGCI's Stefania Montaña and HectorChacon have you covered with everything from how to prepare, what questions to ask, and what food to try if you ever find yourself in their native countries of Colombia andEcuador. They are a wealth of important information, and you don't want to miss this fun episode!

Today we're chatting with AGCI's Director of Adoption: Latin America and the Caribbean, SamMoore. We are so excited to share our conversation about waiting children. We dove into every aspect of this important topic, including what it means for a child to be classified as waiting, and the incredible hope that we have for these amazing kids.

Today Together by AGCI co-hosts Marisa Butterworth and Melissa Rush are talking about our recent travels to Colombia. After several years away it was such a gift to be back with our Colombia team and see the kids and life-changing work firsthand. It was also at times, really really hard.  We hope you enjoy our open, honest conversation. Spoiler: we both cry a little bit so thank you in advance for your grace.  If you'd like to get involved in AGCI's life-changing work, please reach out to us! There are so many ways that you can make a difference for kids. 

Description: In honor of Father's Day, adoptive dad David Maibach shares with us about the joys of becoming a father through adoption. He shares some of his family's journey, what he's most proud of, and his best advice for any new or future adoptive dads. You don't want to miss this inspirational episode. 

Do you have children struggling with challenging behaviors? Are you a foster or adoptive parent and feel at your wits end? There is so much hope in our conversation with David Randall, AGCI's Director of Social Services. In this episode, we're talking about all things TBRI—what it is, how to begin implementing it, and why it's an incredibly powerful tool for caregivers.  If this is your first introduction to TBRI, I know you're going to want to know more! Families Are Forever, an incredible online learning platform for parents, has classes specifically on TBRI. 

Do you have children struggling with challenging behaviors? Are you a foster or adoptive parent and feel at your wits end? There is so much hope in our conversation with David Randall, AGCI's Director of Social Services. In this episode, we're talking about all things TBRI—what it is, how to begin implementing it, and why it's an incredibly powerful tool for caregivers. If this is your first introduction to TBRI, I know you're going to want to know more! families are Forever, an incredible online learning platform for parents has classes specifically on TBRI.

There are so many ways to bless an adoptive family, no matter where they are at in the process. Listen in as parents from all over the country share how God used everyday people to help in big ways. 

Today, we're talking about all things mom. This Mother's Day episode is a celebration of moms everywhere. Whether you're an adoptive mom, bio mom, mom-to-be, or praying that motherhood is part of your journey, this episode is a celebration of you! In this episode, we chatted with Brook, AGCI's adoptive mother 6 about her motherhood journey.

AGCI President Hollen Frazier shares a bit about how AGCI was founded by herfamilyand shares her own personal calling. Join us in taking an inspiring look at the Spiritual Calling of AGCI and how our team navigates where we serve and what God has for us next

Have you ever wondered why adoption can be so expensive? We chatted with AGCI's Director of Adoption, Sam Moore, to break down the cost of adoption. In this episode, we dive into why adoption costs what it does and all of the important pieces that go into ensuring that children receive the care they need and families are prepared to parent them.

As a child-centered orphan care ministry, we are deeply dedicated to ensuring that everything we do is in the best interest of the children we serve—even when it's not the easiest. We'll be the first to say it—adoption should never be our first choice for children. At AGCI, it never is. While adoption is beautiful, it's also inherently traumatic. It's the result of deep loss—the adopted child will not grow up in their first family. We chatted with AGCI's Director of Adoption, Sam Moore, about the complexities and ethics of adoption.

Post adoption depression is extremely common but rarely discussed. While up to 32% of adoptive parents struggle with this condition, stigma and lack of information and support can make post adoption depression feel incredibly isolating. Our very own Marisa Butterworth struggled with post adoption depression after her daughter, Harper, came home from Ethiopia. In this enlightening episode, Marisa shares her journey and offers resources for parents navigating post adoption depression.

We chatted with AGCI's VP of International Programs, Kiersten Luginbill, about how AGCI knows where we're needed next. If you've ever wondered how we decide what countries to serve in and what programs to implement, this is the episode for you! 

God makes families in such vibrant ways and when a family opens themselves up to adopt, they are often opening their lives up to another culture as well. We spoke with adoptive mom and passionate advocate, Erica Manz to talk about her family's inspiring journey to adoption and how their entire family has opened the hearts to their children's culture and country. 

We spoke with Dr. Sarah Yee about how to advocate for your adopted and biological kids within the public school system. Dr. Yee is a former K-8 educator and currently serves on the education team at the Center for Equity and Inclusion in Portland, OR. Tune in and listen today. 

Bringing a new child into your family—however you do it—is never easy. Often, this transition is particularly difficult for “resident” children. We chatted with Gail Heaton, Founder of Suddenly Siblings about how to make this transition a little easier. Whether you're preparing to bring a child home, or your adoption was finalized a decade ago, you don't want to miss this enlightening episode. 

After visiting a government run orphanage in Ethiopia, God took Jesse's personal heartbreak for the kids he met and opened him up to share the need with his immediate community and beyond. This week, learn about how becoming an adoptive father ended up leading to an entire movement. We hope that this story inspires you today. 

The AGCI & Tim Tebow Foundation House of Hope has opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and we get to hear about the home, why AGCI opened it, who it serves, and how we think that this home and model of care will bring hope and healing to vulnerable children and families both in Ethiopia, and all around the world. We hope you will tune in to find out how together, we can create pathways to faith, family, and independence for those in desperate need. 

Adoption requires adoptive parents to hold space for a lot of unknowns and adopting an older child can often add another layer of complexity. Thankfully, we can learn from other parents and Jacqui has so much wisdom to offer to this conversation. We are so excited for you to hear a bit about the Gustafson family's adoption story and how they have been intentional in championing their children's unique stories through every stage of their lives. 

November is National Adoption Month! We are celebrating by sharing the stories of AGCI adoptive families. Ashley and Stan Felts followed God's call to adopt their daughter from the Philippines—even when they didn't know how all the pieces were going to come together. Adoption has completely transformed the Felts family! Listen to their story of tremendous faith and obedience—we know you'll be inspired.

Ethiopia is a country in crisis after being hit with the Covid crisis, locust infestation, and now a war. Tune in now for a special update from AGCI's Angelyn Salyer, the Ethiopia Program Director, on what is going on in Ethiopia and how AGCI has been able to help vulnerable children and families throughout the country because of our partners and their continued support. Tune in and find out more about our new Child Advocacy Center, the AGCI & Tim Tebow Foundation House of Hope, and how you can be praying and supporting this work.

October is Disability Awareness Month! To celebrate, we chatted with Washington State 2020 Teacher of the Year, Amy Campbell! Amy's focus is special education, advocacy, and inclusion. Tune in and learn more about how you can better advocate for children living with disabilities.