The Daily Signal - A True 'Lifeline' for Vulnerable Children

Episode Date: December 2, 2019

For the past 16 years, Herbie Newell has been the President and Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services, an organization that serves vulnerable children around the world. Newell shares his views on the child welfare system, how his organization approaches finding homes for kids in need and how they train and equip parents who want to adopt.  Newell also discusses Lifeline’s international outreach (un)adopted, a program that helps children right in their home country. Through powerful stories of children they have worked with, Newell explains how they are equipping children for successful futures. Whether you are looking to adopt or not, learn how you can be a part of changing the lives of vulnerable children. To learn more or be apart of their programs, go to Lifelinechild.org. Also on today's show:   We read your letters to the editor. You can leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write to us at [e-mail]. And we share a good news story about an act of kindness at a diner that reveals how hard times can allow us to support and connect with others.    The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app. All of our podcasts can be found at dailysignal.com/podcasts.   Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Daily Signal podcast for Monday, December 2nd. I'm Robert Blewey. And I'm Virginia Allen. Happy December to everyone. We hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Up on today's show, we'll be talking with Herbie Newell, the president of Lifeline, a child welfare organization that walks with families through their adoption and foster care journeys. We also share your letters to the editor and a good news story about a simple act of kindness

at a restaurant that inspired a new friendship. Before we get to today's show, Rob and I would like to tell you about a new podcast from the Heritage Foundation. It's called Millennial Myths. The show is created by members of the Heritage Foundation's Young Leaders Program for audiences of all generations. The podcast focuses on debunking some of the most common myths among young Americans. The host and producer of this season is Tiffany Roberts, a recent graduate of Cleveland State University. You can find millennial myths on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you like to listen. You'll find recent episodes on the so-called climate crisis, why the cost of rent is so high, and the truth about gender identity. Now stay tuned for today's show.

Coming up next. What the heck is trickle-down economics? Does the military really need a space force? What is the meaning of American exceptionalism? I'm Michelle Cordero. I'm Tim Desher. And every week on the Heritage Explains podcast, we break down a hot, button policy issue in the news at a 101 level. Through an entertaining mix of personal stories,

media clips, music, and interviews, we help you actually understand the issues. So do this. Subscribe to Heritage Explains on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcast today. I am joined on the Daily Signal podcast by Herbie Newell, president and executive director of Lifeline Children's Services. Lifeline is an organization that supports families, Your adoption, family reunification, counseling, training, and more. Herbie, thank you so much for joining me. Oh, it's a privilege. Thanks for having us and allowing us just to have this important discussion about child welfare.

Absolutely, absolutely. So you've been the executive director of Lifeline since 2003, and you have really worked hard over the past 16 years to broaden the work of Lifeline to help even more children. So can you explain a little bit about just how you go about, connecting children with families and placing, you know, whether it's in the case of adoption or foster care, how do you bring those individuals together? Yeah, well, I think first, and this is, I believe, what has been a big, you know, even just a part of the growth that we've seen in the ministry over the last 16 and a half years, and that is really identifying the children who are in need.

And I think a lot of times we do start that from a family has a desire or they have a calling to take care of a child. And then you kind of start with, unfortunately, at times, what kind of child are you looking for? What are the specifics of a child and a child background that you're looking for? And really what we've tried to focus on the last 16 and a half years is not necessarily what is a family looking for, but truly what are the children in need. And then going and recruiting families that can meet the needs of that child. And that has been really with just a lot of diligence and hard work, both internationally and here at home. It's sitting down with child welfare providers in every state that we're working in and saying, what are the children with the biggest need that if you could have a family for this child or these children that would make your day or make your week?

And then the same thing is as we travel internationally is meeting with the central authorities and saying, who are the children that are available for adoption, who probably are not going to find permanence here. in your own country, that you would say go to the top of the list of these are the children that we have the most need for. Now, certainly, we want to also ask them, are there others that are in that same category, but we want to advocate for those children and for those needs? And I think it does a lot of things. One, it helps truly find the children who have the biggest need families, but then it also

really sets expectations for families who are looking. You know, because a lot of times we, even on our state child welfare and foster care or from adopting from foster care, folks get frustrated. And they said, I've been in the process for a long time. And I hear there's all these kids that are waiting. But I can't seem to be matched with one of these children. And a lot of times I think it's because we have such a narrow focus on the child that we're available for. And that's really how we've tried to switch it in the last 16 years. That's such a very strategic approach.

I'm really smart. So have you seen that there has been an. increase in the number of children entering, you know, the foster care system and in need of adoption over, let's say, the past 16 years that you've been involved in Lifeline, or has that number actually decreased? You know, I think the number of kids in care has stayed pretty consistent. The number of kids that are available for adoption is certainly increased. Unfortunately, though, in the same 16 years, you've seen, and I don't want to say unfortunately, unfortunately for the kids here in the United States, you've seen the same amount of families

that have been willing to adopt. And a lot of those have adopted harder-to-place children, have adopted teenagers, and have adopted kids with some pretty severe special needs internationally, while a lot of those kids here in the United States have continued to languish and care. And so I think that our child welfare system and certainly have maybe a different approach, they are taxed, they don't have the resources that they need. And so, unfortunately, it's not necessarily that there aren't more kids that probably don't need the attention of our child. welfare system, we just don't have the resources to go and seek out and really help some of these kids that are in need.

So that number stayed consistent, but definitely have seen more and more children that are in the need of permanence through adoption. Now, the other thing with our child welfare system, and this is not at all throwing stones at the people who make up the child protective services, but it is to say the process is so long for a child who goes into care to finally get to the point. where their parental rights have been terminated and they're available for adoption. And unfortunately, many times those children have had traumatic experiences jumping from one foster home to the next or they're just a whole lot older and unfortunately also a lot more embittered because of this process and not having someone that they think is seeking after them. And so it is a harder process to adopt a child from foster care, but there are definitely a lot more children in need today in the U.S. system that need homes, that need.

moms and dads who are realizing that they're bringing in the suffering and the pain and the hardship of these children and who realize that it's going to be a long journey. But if you look at our country, if we don't aggressively do something good for these children, they're languishing in foster care that need permanency. If we don't wrap around them with families, then really, unfortunately, the statistics are true. They're just going to end up in our juvenile justice or they're going to end up in our criminal courts without families.

And I know families have adopted these old. older children. I know families have adopted children that have been harder to place out of our system. And a lot of times these children do have a lot of trauma. They do act out. They do end up in juvenile justice anyhow. The difference, though, is you have a family that's fighting for them. You have a family that's wrapping around them. And when they're released, they have a family that's waiting for them. And that's a big thing. And I believe it can actually start to transform a lot of the broken places in our society. If families would say, it's going to be hard, it's going to be difficult, but I'm willing to step up and wrap around.

a child in need here in our system. And at Lifeline, you all have been so strategic in trying to specifically, both internationally and domestically, but let's talk a minute about your programs domestically, really trying to walk with families through the adoption process to support them. So let's say if they do want to adopt an older child and they're meeting some of those barriers and those challenges of a child coming into their life and having baggage, you all really try and support them. Can you explain a little bit about how you do that?

Yeah, well, one of the things that we want to look at as we see any family that's called to adoption, especially adopting a harder to place child, an older child, is they need preparation. And the way that we would tell a family, because unfortunately, a lot of times the families come in and they think, well, I'm just uniquely qualified and I can do this. Like, I've got everything that I need. But the truth of the matter is we wouldn't travel tomorrow to Bangladesh, for instance, you know, this country in South Asia and not prepare and make sure where our passport is ready, not get ready to know, what do they speak? what kind of language they speak. Where are we going to stay? We make plans if we travel, but you're about to go on a destination and a journey with a child that's a lifetime destination and a journey.

And there's no way that you can be completely prepared, but we need to make sure that you have all the tools in your tool bag and that you're packing up in a sense your briefcase, your luggage, so that you have some tools to be able to help those children. And so what's funny is a lot of times on the front end, the family's resistant to the training. But what we have found is if we can equip them as much as possible, if we can give them as many resources as possible. They're not going to remember it all. It's going to fail them in some regards because once the road hits and the child's in

their home, they're going to forget some of those things. But if we could put little markers in their brain to say, ah, I think I remember this from training. And then we want to be there also not just to prepare families on the front end, but to walk with them on the back end. Because what we realize is this is a journey, and it does bring complexities. And in the same way, you know, today somewhere. in our country, someone's giving birth to a child with Down syndrome.

And they may not have been ready for it, but they probably looked into it. They probably got ready for what that looks like. But they're also going to need help throughout their entire growing and rearing this child. And what you really hope to do to prepare that family who knows they're about to give birth to a child with Down syndrome is all of the things that they're going to need. They're not going to remember them all, but they're going to be markers so that when they experience something, when heart issues come, which most folks that live with Down syndrome, We're going to have some type of heart issues.

You know, when that comes, they're reminded, ah, that's why I have that cardiologist. That's why I go there. That's the same thing we're trying to do with families is give them as much training as not to overwhelm them, not to bog them down, but enough training that will put little markers in their brain to say, I remember I heard about this. So they'll go seek the resources that they need so that they won't give up and they won't get frustrated, but they will continue to thrive and survive with that child. That's great.

And, you know, many people are just hesitant to pursue adoption because all they've really heard is that it's really expensive and there's a ton of paperwork involved. What would you say to those individuals that, you know, maybe would think, well, I'd love to adopt, but it just sounds way too difficult. Yeah. Well, first of foremost, I would say, unfortunately, it is difficult, right? And there is a lot of paperwork. And there is a lot of expense that goes with it. The good news is there are people to help you with that. So there are a lot of grant agencies that actually today sitting here in 2019 actually have more money than they have families to give that to.

And so if you will do your research and do your homework, there are a lot of organizations that want to help defray that cost. You know, the federal government gives most adoptive families, especially if they need it because the phase out income requirements are for those who would need the tax credit. There are tax credits to help defray that cost. But what I would say is, again, there's always a cost to what we do in life. And there's so much unfortunate red tape in that. And at one point, you can look at it and say, well, why all this cost? Why all this red tape? Why all these organizations that seem to, you know, as a family, you might say,

they just want a piece of this pie. They just want a piece of these dollars. Why are we having to pay all these different people just to do something good, to do something noble by bringing a child and need into our home? And unfortunately, where there are vulnerable children, there also lives corruption. And because of those corrupting practices, there's so many organizations, there's so many safeguards to make sure that this child really is orphaned, that this child really doesn't have parental support, and that this child really is getting the care that they need until they come

into that home. And again, you know, group homes, orphanages around the world are a whole lot more expensive to operate than our own homes. And so the care sometimes of these children is costly. The care of putting these children through school or helping these children to where they are, it is costly. And then, of course, if you're adopting internationally, you have travel expenses. The good thing, and I'll put another plug in about the system, is adopting out of foster care is currently without cost outside of the legal cost. And so you don't have to necessarily have a fee to your child welfare department or your county in order to adopt.

that is all underwritten by child protective services. And so if cost really is something that a family is thinking about, maybe defraise, they don't know how to defray that cost for intercountry adoption, you know, they can always adopt from foster care. And that cost is very much less than other adoptions. Yeah. Let's take a moment and talk a little bit about your work internationally. On your website, you report that there are over 153 million orphans around the world today. but less than 1% of these children will ever have the opportunity to be adopted.

So in response to this really sobering reality, you all launched the unadopted program, and that's to really help children specifically right where they are in their country of origin. Can you just explain a little bit about the unadopted program and what you all do and how it works? Yeah. So really what we looked at is, and UNICEF puts these numbers out, There's 153 million orphans. And I know a lot of times even today, we don't like that word orphan. And we have connotations that we think that go with that word. Well, that means that they've lost both parents to death or dismemberment.

And really what orphan means is a child that is without proper parental support, without proper support from a community. And what we found, as we've traveled around the world, is, yes, less than half of one percent of these children can be adopted. And so many times these children don't necessarily need to be adopted. They're plugged in into their community. they just are lacking that parental support. And so what we really felt like is we need to come around and not just institutionalize these children, put them in more institutions, but how do we raise up the community? And for us, specifically the local churches in their community, to wrap around these children,

to love on them, to care for them, and to teach them the life skills and the job skills that they need in order to grow into maturity. And so that was really, even over my last 16 years that I've seen, there's a lot of people doing a lot of really good things for vulnerable children and orphans around the world internationally. But so many times we look at that child that's two, four, six, and we say, we need to put them in a home. We need to put them in a place that's safe. But we're not making future plans for those children the way we would make for our own children. So I have three children and you have a child that's about to be 15 years old. And I'm thinking already as a

freshman in college, well, or a freshman high school, what are we going to do for college? What are we going to do? How do I encourage him to start thinking about the next steps? he's got to start thinking about what does it look like for adulthood, what does it look for maturity? And there are already ways that I'm training him up. You know, this weekend we went on a trip and we were able to borrow someone's car and after I borrowed their car, filled it up with gas. I'm thinking, you know what, I need to make sure my children know if you borrow something from someone, make sure you leave it better than the way you found it.

And so there's all these things that as we go along the way, I'm teaching them, hoping that one day when they become an adult, when they're out on their own, they're going to remember these skills, they're going to go back to those values that we've instilled in them. But a lot of times internationally, especially, as we do aid around the world, we only think about today. We think about how do we make sure they're fed, how do we make sure they're clothed, how do we make sure they're safe? But we're not making those plans for it when they're 18, when they're 19, what are we going

to do? And that's really what unadopted is all about is saying for this 99.5% of kids that are vulnerable and they'll live in their countries of origin. and how do we aggressively wrap around them to prepare them for what it looks like when they're no longer a child, but they're now an adult? And how do we get them to not just understand that there's going to be a day where they're going to age out of an institution, but how do we prepare them to say, this is how I'm going to make better my community, this is how I'm going to make better my country, and really see them as those that could be those that change the trajectory, even of their communities and their neighborhoods and their countries?

That's so great. Could you share maybe a story of a child or a family that you've worked with that you have seen, wow, this really works? Yeah, so there's a little boy. His name is Adam, and he's actually in Uganda. And he's the first one that comes to mind just because I was there this summer and saw so many of the things that he's doing. And so Adam is profoundly deaf. He lives in a Muslim community in Uganda. But this local evangelical church had started a tutoring program, which has become a school, now for these deaf orphans that were living on the streets or

living with strangers in the community. And Adam was one who has gone through the school. He's come through the school. And Adam, we have a computer lab at the school. He really took to AutoCAD. And so one of the things that Adam is doing already is getting classes now to become an architect. And it's been neat as well to see Adam also grow in maturity and leadership. Now he's leading a Bible study for other deaf members in the community.

He's taking a lead in things. And so I met Adam for the first time nine years ago, and I remember he didn't know how to sign. He didn't really have much identity. He was, I believe he was 11 years old, and he really just didn't have a belonging. And there was a sweet family, a sweet lady, and her daughter who were helping him, feeding him, taking care of him. But now to see Adam with dignity, to see him as a leader, to see him with language that he can sign, but also to see him now with a hope and a future. And that in nine years to see the difference between just trying to feed him and keep him warm and comfortable between really aggressively pouring into him.

And so the pastor at the church there, Pastor Rafael Kajubi meets with Adam, disciples Adam, Adam is talking to Adam about this is what it looks like when you get a job. You've got to be there on time. You've got to do these things. You've got to aggressively do something good. And the neat thing is here's a deaf kid who would have potentially had, no hope and no future. And now with so much growth that's happening throughout Africa, they need architects. They need folks that are well designed.

And Adam, because so many of his senses are not acute because of his deafness, he's had very other acute senses. And being able to learn computer skills and being able to pick up on things a lot more quickly has been just something that has really, you know, ushered him ahead. And then quickly, I also think of these two boys as well in Togo who were growing up. And again, they're growing up in an orphanage and by coming around them with this local church, they've now learned their twin boys. One is doing compost, and he's actually growing grain and wheat and the other is doing chickens. And they're working together to help each other's business.

So, you know, Winter is using the compost from Godwin's chickens, and Godwin is using the grain from Winter to be able to take care of his chickens. And so these are just two of the things. I can tell so many stories. but aggressively seeing children's lives be changed. And again, not just what are we going to do today, but really thinking futuristicly and planning and dreaming with these children to say, this is something that you could aggressively do. And for us as a Christian ministry, we never detach that from a local church

because we know that as Americans, as a foreign NGO in their country, we're going to go. We're not going to be there forever. But these local churches and some semblance will be there to wrap around these children. Yeah, so neat. We could spend hours talking about. all the programs that Lifeline provides from, you know, family restoration to counseling and education. We don't have time today to get into the weeds of everyone.

So I want to give you the opportunity just to share a little bit about, you know, where our listeners can find more information about all the services that Lifeline does offer and how they can go about maybe getting involved and even partaking in some of those services or getting assistance with adoption. So it's really easy if you want to get connected with us. You go to Lifelinechild.org. And then we've made it really easy on social media as well. Pretty much any social media platform you have, you look for Lifeline Child.

And so that's LifelineCold.org or Lifeline Child on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, whatever other social media networks that you may happen to be on. We're pretty much on most of them as Lifeline Child. And then just really, as we close, I just want to also put a plug in that as those who are called to do something, not everyone's called to adopt. And not everyone's called to do something internationally. but you mentioned just a minute ago family restoration. And I do believe as we started with foster care, a big component that's missing from our child welfare system is how do we reunify these children back with their families? Because a lot of the reason that some of these children are not available for adoption is that their families are doing just enough to keep them in the system, but not enough to get them back into their homes. And I believe as those that are conservative and those with faith, there's so much that we can do to aggressively wrap around these families.

So not everyone is called to adopt a child out of foster care, but we can all do something to aggressively help our child welfare problems that we have in our country and around the world. And again, if you want to get involved or know how to get involved or know how you could start to do something in your community, you can go to lifelinechild.org. Herbby, thank you so much for your time today. Really appreciate it. Absolutely. Thanks for having us. Tired of high taxes, fewer health care choices, and bigger government, become a part of the Heritage Foundation. We're fighting the rising tide of homegrown socialism while developing conservative solutions that make families more free and more prosperous.

Find out more at heritage.org. Thanks for sending us your letters to the editor. Each Monday, we feature our favorites on this show and in our Morning Bell email newsletter. Virginia, who's up first? In response to Daniel Davis's article, Chick-fil-A, your compromise is demoralizing. Randy Malcolm from Lyman, Colorado, writes, Thank you for Daniel Davis's outstanding commentary article with regard to Fortune 500 companies driving the culture war

and trying to out-virtue signal each other. That's exactly what's happening, and it's poisoning our culture and making it unfit for children. Davis's analysis is accurate and his use of words to describe it, excellent. Maybe it will convince Chick-fil-A to reconsider. Well, Virginia, we can certainly hope. hope so. Yes, we can. And Rex for Amos writes, Dear Daily Signal, I read your work on a regular basis.

It is clear, precise, informative, and enjoyable to read. I especially appreciate your journalists. You investigate, you hold yourselves accountable. You write clearly in the English language. Well, thank you for your letter. Your letter could be featured on next week's show. Send an email to letters at dailysignal.com or leave a voicemail message at 202, 608. 6205. Kiana Stedman, a Heritage Foundation intern, is back in studio with us today to share a good news story. Kiana, over to you. Thank you, Virginia. A family enjoying a weekend meal in a diner is in a rare sight, but for Amy Petenado and her family, this was a special occurrence.

Since being diagnosed with stage 1 cancer in May, Petinado has been battling breast cancer and kidney failure due to cancer treatment. In between working full-time at a bank, her days are interspersed with chemotherapy and dialysis. So this relaxing Sunday morning with her husband, Mike, and daughter Angelina, was something she treasured. However, she soon noticed a girl looking at her from a family beside them. Petinato had recently had to shave her head and thought that must be why the girl was looking at her. I got sad and teared up, she said. I went into self-conscious mode about my hair. It was the first time I'd been out since I'd shaved my head.

my head. But her tears were soon turned to ones of joy as the girl's mother walked over to Petenado. She told her that she was a 13-year breast cancer survivor. This kind woman then took the time to talk with her about her experience and reminded her to stay positive, but her kindness didn't stop there. Petenado wrote about what happened next on a Facebook post. We finished eating and asked for the check. The waitress said there is no check. We looked at her not understanding, and she stated the woman next to us paid our bill, the same woman who took five minutes out of her time to sit and comfort me and share her experience. With that, I began to cry. I thanked her for sitting and sharing her story, but never knew to thank for paying our bill. Maybe somehow this can

be shared, and who knows, maybe it can reach them somehow. While this post was shared over 1,000 times and did make its way to her restaurant angel, Carrie Holmes Valerio, and the two were reconnected. Holmes Valerio shared, when I saw her, I knew exactly what she was feeling. I remember the day my husband shaved my head. It was the hardest day of my life. When I saw her sitting there, I just wanted her to know that she isn't alone in her fight and that we as warriors are all here for each other. Panano says that she wants to pay the service forward and help others with her story. Throughout this whole journey, I've said I'm going through this for a reason. My journey is going to be somebody else's support system, and positivity is key.

There's so much I love about this story, but what really stood out to me is how both of these women showed that enduring the hard things in our lives can allow us to be a support for others and connect with those around us. That's such a powerful reminder and so true, Kiana. Thank you so much for sharing that. Thank you. All right. We are going to leave it there for today. the Daily Signal podcast comes to you from the Robert H. Bruce Radio studio at the Heritage Foundation. You can find it on the Rurcashay Audio Network. All of our shows can be found at dailysignal.com

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