Program

Real Talk — a systemic pathway and live coaching tool to prevent sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse — carries an anointed and urgent message of hope: (1) We cannot walk in our calling when we are trapped in our past. (2) Churches, families, and parents can become havens of hope. (3) Instead of walking alone with our secrets, we can be free to speak and pray about our traumas and abuses. We can learn the language so as to talk effectively with children and grandchildren about accessing help when they face such matters. We are blessed by being reminded “to ask for where the good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for our souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).

The pandemic, wars, disasters, and social inequalities have caused new challenges and vulnerabilities for children and families. But there are lessons from pandemic adaptations and innovations that can help all of us succeed in reaching those most in need. From parent texts to Parent Chat, to digital options, to church-linked phone mentoring, to in-person options, and across Christian-, Hindu- and Muslim-majority cultures — there is something that works for everyone in every place!

This session will address spiritual, relational, and practical aspects of our motivation and skills in caring for children and families in crisis. Phil will share inspiring principles from Viva’s 20 years of work on understanding God’s heart for children. Then Pachi will share fresh insights from Latin America on this topic. Finally, we will close by reviewing new evidence on the practical ways in which key spiritual values help protect children from violence and abuse. A moderated discussion will follow to help participants recognize how these principles can help guide their actions after the forum is over.

Phone and internet safety is a significant concern for our youth and children. We will discuss prevention strategies that our communities can take to safeguard our young people online. Raising community awareness of domestic violence, providing strategic training, and leveraging collaboration with law enforcement and community leaders are essential to prevent violence against women and children. We will review the impact of crises such as war, disasters, and displacement on the safety of women and children, and we will see how evidence-based interventions and skill building help to empower vulnerable families, children, and youth to stay safe in their relationships.

This workshop will be offered twice as Part 1 and Part 2. It is open to all who wish to explore what creativity means and can look like in our mission toward a world without orphans. The purpose of this workshop is to explore how art and media can become areas of positive impact for orphans and vulnerable children and channels of outreach for younger-generation leaders in the WWO ecosystem. This session will help you celebrate the gift of creativity given to us by the ultimate Creator — God — and explore the role that creative arts and media can play in driving collaborative initiatives that fulfill the WWO vision in your church, city and country.

This session will emphasize the vital role that intimacy with the Lord plays in the life of the believer. It will emphasize how prioritizing relational connection with the Lord is foundational to a thriving ministry life and spiritual growth. Attendees will gain an understanding of how we are wired for connection with God and how much he desires communion with us. We will illustrate ways to cultivate an abiding lifestyle, highlighting spiritual practices that lead us into deeper connection. The aim is that those attending will leave with renewed perspectives and practical ways to practice connection.

Hearing the voice of God is not only possible but necessary for a vibrant spiritual walk with God. Jesus said that we will live by every word that God speaks. In this session, we will investigate various ways in which God speaks and how we can respond in a mature way when we believe we have heard him. The session will include personal testimonies and an opportunity for practical application.

In many institutional care settings globally children with disabilities make up the majority and are often left behind while children without disabilities are prioritised for support. These children deserve a loving and safe family. Join us as we share learning and voices from children with disability from the Rwanda journey of systems change – showing that both reunifying children with disabilities with their families and supporting families to care for their children with disabilities is possible even in a low resource setting. We will also hear from Cambodia, supporting children with disabilities ensuring they can grow up in families. We’ll create space for session attendees to share their perspectives, ask and answer the tough questions, hopefully busting a few myths along the way and encouraging one another as we go.

In this workshop, we will use a critical thinking model (the 360° Model) to learn how to analyze issues facing a community, evaluate the dilemmas, and develop strategies that engage all parts of the community to collaborate in the best interest of children and their families. We will look at God's intentions for the child’s interaction with community stakeholders at multiple levels and at keys for engaging multifaith communities in minority-Christian nations. You will gain critical thinking skills and tools to evaluate your strategies and re-evaluate your practice.

Part 1 will cover critical thinking skills as applied within a biblical perspective.

With increasing crises in our world, children who are the most vulnerable, are increasingly put at risk of suffering developmentally from trauma exposure. This workshop will introduce OperationSAFE, a 5-day local church run mental health psychosocial support intervention that immediately reduces post-traumatic stress symptoms and connects children to ongoing support in their communities. I will share some key principles with working with 6-12 yr old children and strengthening their resilience by creating a resilient community.

War, natural disasters, crisis, trauma and world disorder are all producing extreme and violent situations in today’s world. This session will explore the recent program delivered in Ukraine, called Pathway to Healing — First Steps. Developed to address the crimes of violence, including rape and torture, that are perpetrated against civilians and prisoners of war, the program can now have an impact on others too. What can help those who suffer? How do we address body, mind and spirit for healing? Why are there 7 different pathways? The impact of this program has been very significant.

Trauma hinders child development, attachment, and a child’s capacity to be successful. This session will engage each participant in considering how to attach to a child and build resilience in the process. Resilience trumps trauma!

Innovations around the world are strengthening safeguarding for children. Zambian experts will showcase ways to strengthen community safeguarding through playground-based approaches (similar to play therapy). We will discuss an inspiring new global tool to strengthen safeguarding for refugee and displaced children. Ugandan and Ukrainian program leaders will share lessons on using camps to strengthen safeguarding and healing from trauma. Finally, we will learn from the Sri Lanka experience how legal reform is helping to protect children.

Parenting opens the door to discerning children’s identity and destiny, and to encouraging them positively to grow toward their God-given purpose. This session will focus on integrating positive parenting from a spiritual, relational, and practical angle. We will use a learning community approach with parents and humble leaders who are recognized and respected for multiplying their grace-informed and positive parenting approaches.

Interact with experts and program leaders on how to prevent violence before it happens! Every year, over one billion children — one of every two children globally — experience serious abuse. These numbers are growing as crises such as wars, pandemics, and disasters increase! This session will cover the internationally recognized evidence-based resource “INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children.” The strategies provide guidance on how to implement, adapt, and monitor programs to prevent violence against children. You will hear stories of how the strategies can be adapted for use in church or other faith settings.

This session will describe the damage that early pornography exposure causes to young people’s well-being, leading to harmful ideas about bodies, sexuality and relationships. The session will discuss practical ways in which we can protect our children. The presenter is an expert in the field and is co-founder and director of the grassroots movement Collective Shout, which seeks a world free of sexploitation.

The workshop is open to all who wish to explore what creativity means and can look like in our mission toward a world without orphans. The purpose of this workshop is to explore how art and media can become areas of positive impact for orphans and vulnerable children and channels of outreach for younger-generation leaders in the WWO ecosystem. This session will help you celebrate the gift of creativity given to us by the ultimate Creator — God — and explore the role that creative arts and media can play in driving collaborative initiatives that fulfill WWO vision in your church, city and country.

Those who missed Part 1 can still do this session.

There are moments in life when we feel lonely and weak, when it seems that everything has gone wrong, and when we feel as if we have misunderstood God's calling for us. All the heroes of faith in the Bible faced such moments, but they found comfort, light, truth, direction, and life in the words spoken by God. The Bible teaches us simple strategies that can make a huge difference in our lives. In this session, we will share practical pathways that lead us to find comfort in God's word.