Behind the Front Lines

Kendra Kunst, Education Specialist at Bethany’s Transitional Living Center for unaccompanied refugee minors and Andres Rodriguez, Life skills coordinator at Bethany’s Casa del Sol group home for unaccompanied minors join us from Grand Rapids, Michigan to share about myths and misconceptions surrounding the teenage boys in their care. They open up about their dreams, backgrounds, and how working with this population has changed them...

Jamie Minick, branch director of Bethany Christian Services of Central Pennsylvania, explains how permanency and stability are the goals for kids in foster care. The reality of making that happen before the COVID-19 pandemic was already a challenge. Now, there’s even more work to be done to prioritize permanency in the foster care system. Jamie shares the impact instability can have on a child’s well-being, and how her team is gett...

Naa Mohenu, Bethany’s Country Director in Ghana, shares insight into the challenges many families face in her country. Parents without stable income pray their children don’t get sick because they can’t afford life-saving medical care while keeping food on the table. She also shares the risk for children being placed in orphanages and how her team is working to keep kids in families. To learn more about Bethany's work in Ghana...

Teddy Maru, a Refugee Program Manager working in Ethiopia shares insight into the world of unaccompanied children and families living in Gambella’s refugee Camp during the coronavirus outbreak. Teddy shares how the pandemic has forced his team to be creative in how they’re able to care for the refugee population living in Gambella’s camps in the safest way possible. For more information or to learn how to help, visit Bethany.org/Et...

Daisy Cordero, an Unaccompanied Child Case Manager working in New York and New Jersey risks not only her own health but also that of her children and spouse in order to continue reuniting children with their loved ones. Daisy shares how the pandemic has made her even more passionate about her job—giving children safe and loving homes even with the world in disarray. For more information or to learn how to help, visit Bethany.org/TF...

Lisa Dominguez, a human trafficking social worker in Winter Garden, Florida, shares about the extreme vulnerability of trafficking survivors during this global pandemic. In many cases, she has become their sole source for basic resources to preserve their human dignity. Hear Lisa share about building trust and protecting and providing for individuals who find themselves exposed and alone in a new country. For more information or to...