Welcome to Collaborate and the CAFO2025 Summit! My heart is filled with joy as we gather with dear friends and colleagues from around the world.
We trust the Lord to deepen relationships within our collaborative global community as we learn, grow, and worship together this week. We truly desire to glorify Christ as we seek to be Better Together for vulnerable children and families.
This year, our theme — Distinct: Different from the World, for the World — focuses on embracing uncommon gifts that flow from a life deeply rooted in God’s truth. As Jedd Medefind explained, what our world needs aren’t just more resources or louder voices, but “things in short supply, hard to come by. Uncommon gifts: different, unusual, even strange. In a word, distinct.”
These aren’t simply lofty ideals—they are deeply practical ways of life. Drawing from Scripture and the best of rigorous research, we recognize that God-given practices like thanksgiving, generosity, forgiveness, prayer, service, Sabbath rhythms, and regular worship and fellowship aren’t optional extras. These practices aren’t just effective—they’re inherently true. They align with the grain of reality itself, and when lived out, they radiate life, even in a culture where such lives are rare.
Over the next few days, I invite you to reflect on these questions:
How do we cultivate these distinct patterns in our own lives — spiritually, mentally, emotionally?
In what ways is your ministry, church, or community offering life and light that stands apart?
How can these uncommon gifts lift not only those you serve, but the broader world around you?
Whether you’re a pastor, ministry leader, nonprofit professional, adoptive or foster parent, or child welfare advocate, you belong here. Together, we are distinct not for isolation, but to bless others.
Thank you for joining this movement. Let’s listen, learn, and grow with bold confidence, humble hearts, and unwavering hope. Let’s be a people who live truly distinct lives… different from the world, for the world. Thanks to the Lord for those here in Houston, those gathering in their communities globally, and those connecting virtually. May our time together draw us closer to God, to one another, and to who He created us to be!
DIRECTOR, CAFO GLOBAL NETWORK
MEET TODAY’S SPEAKERS
David Hennessey CAFO, United States
Maher Abu-Lail SANADAK, Jordan
Sebilu Bodja DEBO Alliance for Children, Ethiopia
Mishame Desalegn DEBO Alliance for Children, Ethiopia
John Dongerdive One More Child, India
Alina Druta ACMO, Moldova
Bruce Graham BEB Global, United States
Nisreen Hawatmeh SANADAK, Jordan
Belay Gebru Hope for the Fatherless, Ethiopia
Jason
Elizabeth
Obed
Jedd
Jose Salazar Iglesia Reforma, Guatemala
Zawadi Morrow CAFO Artist in Residence
Jimmy Moore CAFO, United States
Rephat Nyarenda Zimbabwe Without Orphans, Zimbabwe
Ade Olowo Africa Coach, CAFO
Medefind CAFO, United States
Masese Victory Child Empowerment, Kenya
Mark Back2Back, Nigeria
Johnson CAFO, United States
Toni Steere
Houston’s First Baptist Church, United States
Josh Wilke Perú Por Los Niños, Peru
OUR SCHEDULE
8:00 am Session One | Cultivating Connection & Calling
Planting the Seed of Connection
Cultivating Our Unique Identity
Cultivating Faith Into Action
Cultivating Collective Impact in Ethiopia
10:15 am Break
10:45 am Session Two | Cultivating Collaboration in Action
Workshop: Cultivating Collaboration in Practice
12:00 pm Lunch Break
1:30 pm Session Three | Cultivating Strategic Growth
“Healthy collaboration doesn’t mean agreement on everything, but alignment on what matters.”
Collaborative Structures
STEERING TEAM
Provides and ____________________ . Must be ___________________ , passionate, _______________ , and influential. Keep it ____________________ , structured, and ____________________________ .
BACKBONE SUPPORT
Person/organization that keeps the engine running. Must be ___________________ , _______________ , and have capacity.
WORKING GROUPS
Focused on ______________________________ goals. Use goals to drive results.
SSPECIFIC
Be specific about what you want to achieve
Ask yourself questions about your goals following the five W’s - Who, What, When, Where, and Why
M MEASURABLE
Make sure that ou can measure your success
You’ll be able to track your progress by answering questions like how will you know when your goal is complete?
AACHIEVABLE
Ensure your goal is realistic and achievable - don’t set a goal that’s too easy or too difficult to complete
Look at your current situation and make sure you have what you need to achieve
RRELEVANT
Set yourself a goal that’s relevant to you
Is your goal worthwhile to you? Are you the right person to achieve it? Is your goal adjustable to your current situation or is it unrealistic?
TTIME-BOUND
Assign a start and end date to your goal to encourage yourself to reach it with a deadline
Think about what you can do today, tomorrow, months from now to achieve your goal
Shared Platforms
Use _______________________________ _______________________________ to stay aligned. Collaboration dies with _______________________________ , ____________________________ communication.
EXAMPLES: Google Drive, WhatsApp, Calendars, etc.
Build the Collaboration!
Now that you’ve seen the structure, let’s experience it!
STEP ONE: Around your table, each individual will choose a role from the list below:
• Local Pastor
• NGO Director - This individual will facilitate the discussion for your group
• Government Social Worker
• Youth Ministry Leader
• Community Volunteer
• Local Business Owner
• Backbone Support Candidate - This individual will act as the scribe for your group
STEP TWO: Use the name tag provided to denote your function within the group.
STEP THREE: Scenario | You’ve all come together to improve the well-being of children and families in your town. You want to form a collaboration. You must define your Steering Team, Backbone Support, Working Groups, and Shared Tools. *Remember, this is a simulation. Each individual should advocate from the perspective of their assigned role.
STEP FOUR: Work together with your group to answer the following questions:
Define your purpose in three words (why are you collaborating?) Choose one aspect of the puzzle AND define a simple project that would help move the needle in your community within the next 6 to 12 months.
Who’s on the Steering Team and why?
Who will provide Backbone Support?
What is your first Working Group’s SMART goal?
What tools/platforms will you use to communicate and coordinate?
What challenges might threaten your collaboration?
Mapping the Garden:
Imagine a town...
Now, imagine a different town...
Community Mapping
WHO IS DOING WHAT & WHERE
Create Your ______________________ Share ______________________________
Identify:
GAPS
REPLICATION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION
In your small groups, review the deck of cards, keeping in mind the puzzle shared earlier.
Talk through a Community Mapping project for District Two: Old Town
CONSIDER:
What services are available?
Where are the GAPS?
Where is there REPLICATION?
What are some opportunities for COLLABORATION?
Core Elements gives you the map.
Cut through the noise with an assessment built on global guidance and field-tested wisdom. See where you excel and what to strengthen across 21 key areas. Then turn insight into action with self-paced, actionable
BEB envisions a world where every child is known, safe, loved, and home.
LEARN MORE
Helping Families Flourish
helps churches and organizations best support families. We create and curate trusted, biblically rooted tools — practical, research-backed and designed for real life — to equip parents with daily habits that promote healing and long-term flourishing.
Sign up for monthly emails with key principles and practical tools to support the families you serve.
Help the people in your church find their “something” and turn compassion into action where you live.
INCLUDES:
• 2025 Pure Religion Sunday Guide
Printed Posters and Postcards
Booklets on “Preach” and “Leverage”
T-shirt Coupons and Stickers
Access to digital graphics packages, videos and more!
For more resources on uniting global networks to work Better Together, visit cafo.org/global
