Thursday, April 4, 2013

I just couldn't give them back. Thoughts on foster care.







"I would LOVE to do Foster Care, but I just don't think I could give them back."

If I had a nickel.

Imagine with me for a moment:

Imagine you and your husband (or boyfriend, or friend) are cooking in the kitchen. He spins around to put something in the sink and accidentally nails your child right in the eye with his elbow. Child falls backwards and hits her head on the corner of the cabinet. Ouchie. You take a trip to the ER. Child checks out fine, but a social worker has to talk to the family about the "incident" because it is protocol.

A few weeks later you are on your way home from work and you get pulled over. You have an expired tag ticket from years ago you forgot to pay. And you were speeding. Woops.

What if (we are imagining here...work with me), you get taken to jail. What if your husband (boyfriend, friend) is out of town on business. You have no family in town. Babysitter has to go home. Kids have no where to go DHR is called. 

I know this is a big stretch on normal events, but my point is very simple:

IF something happened to YOU and YOUR CHILD was placed in Foster Care for some crazy reason, whether it be for an hour, a day, or a week, who would you want to be caring for your child while you couldn't? 

AND......would you hope that they would be willing to give YOUR CHILD BACK?

Not one of us is immune to the effects of this fallen world. "But by the grace of God go I" is what keeps playing over and over in my head.

Giving a child back that has been in my care for a hour, much less a year or more..................... IS GOING TO BE HARD. 

But, when did we decide that God doesn't call us to do the hard? 

Quite the opposite if you look at scripture. To be Jesus to a child, whether it be for a day or a year or forever. The opportunity to pour love in to a child who has never experienced the love of Jesus. A child who may never again experience the loves Jesus. It is life changing stuff people. It can be eternity changing. Just think about that.

So then why doesn't the church do it?

Why don't you do it? 

It doesn't cost a dime to get started. You simply attend classes that will teach you more than you thought you could learn about Foster Care. Once you have completed the training you are not obligated to anything. You can move forward or decide to wait a while. You can do respite care for Foster families (a huge need). There are so many ways you can help. Contact Alabama Baptist Children's Homes to learn more.

The need is great and the CHURCH should be meeting it. We are not.

"It's too hard" is not a good excuse.

If God is tugging at your heart strings, I suggest you just take one tiny step toward Him....it may not be easy, but I promise it will be worth it!




Blessings,

jennymo




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