Ep. 154: Elli Oswald on reimagining child welfare.
We say children belong in families—but our actions tell a different story. Nearly 90% of Christians believe kids thrive in a home, yet billions are still poured into orphanages. There’s a gap… between what we believe and what we build. That gap matters—and it’s shaping the lives of vulnerable children around the world.
In this episode, I sit down with Elli Oswald, Executive Director of Faith to Action, an organization equipping churches to move from institutional care to family-based solutions. Elli brings data, theology, and real-world experience to a conversation the Church can’t afford to ignore.
Here’s the tension: Nearly 70% of believers acknowledge that institutional care can actually hinder a child’s development, yet we keep supporting it. Why? Because it feels like the easiest way to help. But there aren’t silver bullets. Orphanages may meet physical needs—but they can’t replace family, connection, and belonging.
And the reality is more complex than we think. Eight out of ten children in orphanages have a parent. Poverty, lack of access, and broken systems—not lack of love—are often the real drivers. Which means the solution isn’t separation. It’s support.
Key Takeaways:
“We’re not called to keep an orphan an orphan.” We’re called to restore families.
This episode reframes orphan care, challenges outdated models, and offers practical ways the Church can lead in global child welfare—through family reunification, community support, and sustainable, faith-based solutions.
So here’s the invitation: rethink what you’ve been taught, realign your mission, and take one step toward family-based care. Because children don’t need better institutions—they need families.
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Listen to the full episode:
Learn more about Elli’s work at Faith to Action. Here is the book mentioned in the episode by Bryant Myers. We also referred to the MercyCast episode with Nabs.
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For more conversations like this one, check out my book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.