Three unexpected phone calls. A verse in James that would not let go. A cargo van full of winter boots. That’s how April Jurgensen knew she had been called to act. As founder and executive director of The Boaz Project, April has spent more than 25 years serving orphans by strengthening caregivers and supporting whole homes instead of individual sponsorships. In this conversation, she shares the origin story, the power of trauma-informed care, the challenges of carrying heartbreaking stories, and why this work ministers to both children and the heart of God.

• · [00:03:05] Welcome and April’s origin story begins
• · [00:04:05] The 2020/60 Minutes calls and James 1:27
• · [00:08:05] First supply trip to Russia and the “cargo van” moment
• · [00:12:05] Building a trustworthy model and launching Boaz
• · [00:14:05] What makes Boaz different: caregivers and whole-home support
• · [00:17:05] Why no individual child sponsorships and the attachment cycle
• · [00:21:05] Guarding against unhealthy attachment while still loving kids
• · [00:23:05] Handling hard days, logic vs emotion, and therapy tools
• · [00:25:05] The hospital wing story and “feeling God’s heart”
• · [00:34:05] Suffering, justice, and ministering to God by loving orphans
• · [00:37:05] Nervous-system care: vagus, tapping, somatic work
• · [00:40:05] Common misconceptions and why Boaz works outside the US
• · [00:42:05] Culture-first partnerships and trauma training
• · [00:45:05] Legal realities and why most orphans are not adoptable
• · [00:48:05] How to help: prayer list, Orphan Advocate Training, trips, giving
• · [00:49:05] Boaz meaning and mission
• · [00:51:05] The future: growth across nations
• · [00:52:05] Finding your own calling
• · [00:53:05] Final word: God’s adopting love

🌿 Connect with April Jurgensen:

• Learn More: https://boazproject.org/
• Free Orphan Advocate Training (self-paced online)
• Books: The Orphan’s Abba and When God is Your Father

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

💬 Rate & Review

· Loved this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend!

#TheBeautyInTheMess #BoazProject #OrphanCare #TraumaInformedCare #FaithInAction #AprilJurgensen

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.