The Growing (and Diminishing) Support for Orphanages with Julie Walton & Elli Oswald

There is a bit of dissonance when it comes to the trajectory of Christian support of global orphan care. More Christians are accurately understanding that kids in orphanages have families AND they are increasing the amount of financial support towards that residential care. In this episode Brandon Stiver is joined by Elli Oswald of the Faith to Action Initiative and Julie Walton of the Martin James Foundation. Together, they explores the recent Barna study on U.S. Christians' perceptions and support of orphanages and family-based care, highlighting shifts in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors over the last five years. If you have a heart to see kids in families and Christian orphan care progress beyond putting kids in orphanages, you've gotta listen in on this important conversation.

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Resources and Links from the show

Faith to Action Online

Martin James Foundation Online

Barna Report on Residential Care: U.S. Christian Giving and Missions (2026)

Jump into more conversations around child protection, global health, and ethical mission on the Optimistic Voices Podcast - Link

Conversation Notes (AI Generated)

• 03:19 Understanding the Barna Study and Its Goals
• 05:24 The Importance of Family-Based Care
• 09:17 Knowledge Gaps and Misconceptions
• 14:22 Support and Funding Trends in the U.S.
• 21:14 Behavior Change and Emotional Connections
• 26:09 Next Steps for Care Reform and Donor Engagement
• 34:07 The Role of Faith and Cultural Mindsets
• 41:44 Impact of Global and Political Changes
• 51:49 Practical Strategies for Application and Collaboration
• 01:01:07 Personal Stories and Case Examples
• 01:05:16 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Theme music Kirk Osamayo. Free Music Archive, CC BY License