To foster or not to foster?

My wife and I have been married now for almost 18yrs. We both grew up here in Alamance

County and graduated from Alamance Christian School in 2001. Just before we got married my wife found out that she had Endometriosis. After having multiple surgeries found that she

would not be able to carry a child. While this was heartbreaking to hear, God still had plans to use us to grow our family. We now have a son, who we adopted through foster care now 12yrs old. We first got the call only giving us a few hours notice of a 4-month-old born with testing positive for drugs needing 2 yr fostering until the mother was released from prison. I was very hesitant to take on this challenge, but I guess my wife was listening to God say he will be your son. While it hasn’t been easy raising a child that we didn’t biologically have we wouldn’t trade him for the world.

Over the years we have fostered many kids and several different ages, from twin 2-year-old

girls to 14-year-olds. Our last 2 foster situations were very tough. Recently we had twin 2-year-old girls and had them for a year and a half. They were beautiful and so sweet but a lot of work! After about a year and a half an aunt spoke up asking to take custody. This was a very hard time for us, we committed so much love and effort to these girls giving them a loving home. The girls had 3 other older siblings and the aunt had their 13yr old sister, so it felt reasonable for them to be together. When they left us, we did 1 short term foster that didn’t work out due to behavioral issues and we needed to protect our home. After this we decided to just do Respite care and take a break.

My wife’s cousin ended up in foster care due to her mother being on drugs and an abusive

relationship at home. We figured we would inevitably get a phone call when we heard about

this, so we already started praying together and having the conversation of what God would

have us do if we got the phone call. Through advice of many others, we were told no don’t do it. However, we were really feeling like God laid it on our hearts to say “YES”. In James 1:27 it tells us “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” After praying and seeking God for clear direction we have opened our hearts and home to this 17yr old girl. My wife and I look at it this way….. We have 1 year to pour our hearts and love into this girl. If we can show her Jesus in this last year of her being a “child”, this one year could change the rest of her life forever. She has never been shown what real love is, with many of kids in foster care. My challenge to other fellow foster parents would be this… Always pray together and be open to what God has in store. It may not be easy but if God is in it everything is possible. As we start this endeavor with this 17 year old we ask that you pray for us and her that we could show her Godly love and let her enjoy being a child. She has always had to take care of her younger siblings and hasn’t ever really gotten a chance to enjoy life. We hope that she can attend a Christian school this coming year for her senior year to also give her a good positive environment.