"every good and
perfect gift,
is from above..."
James 1:17
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Last year, 11,238 children spent at least one day in some kind of foster care in Oregon (2015).
An average of 7,570 children were in foster care on a daily basis.
56.1% of these children were reunited with
their families.
A total of 814 children had adoptions finalized in 2015.
Information From: 2015 Child Welfare Data Book
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"...to look after
orphans...in their distress..."
James 1:27
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These are the numbers, these are the truths, these are children.
These are the children that we have been praying for specifically. Praying that one of them would come out of their brokenness, brokenness they did not ask for or seek, and find a new family through adoption. We have submitted our family for a handful of little lives, and have fervently prayed that regardless if they end up with us, that they would end up in a forever home.
The last two years, we've had the privilege of serving foster families, and foster kids through the programs, 'Foster Parent Night Out.' Once a month, we spend four hours on a Saturday evening, pouring love into the lives of foster kids local to the area. Their foster parents then get some time to spend together. It's a beautiful thing to witness each month. We've seen kids grow, change and become part of a family, due to living in a stable environment, some for the first time in their young lives. Perhaps the most encouraging thing we've witnessed getting to serve in this way, is the change in our own hearts.
We always knew we loved these sweet children. We don't view them as broken, their lives might be, but they are beautiful. We have the desire to adopt.
But, what do we do while we wait?
That is where the change came about. It's not about us. It's not about our feelings. It's truly about the children. That being said, starting in June, we are going to begin fostering children. More specifically, young children. We will be fostering children that have a higher potential to become adoptable.
There are no guarantees.
Yes, it will be hard.
But, it will be so worth it.
What we can guarantee, is that whether a child is in our home for one day, six months, or forever, they will know they are loved, they will know they are safe. Even though it may be hard, what these children have endured is far worse, and they won't have to endure it on their own. It will be worth it, not for what we can offer, or what we will gain, but because we will see little lives change for the better. It will be worth it because this might be how we meet our next child. What a blessing it would be to meet them, care for them and love them from the moment they come into care, from the moment they come into our home.
Regardless if we meet our next child through foster care to eventual adoption, or through adoption, we know this is the path we need to take for our family. It might seem scary to some, maybe even crazy, but honestly it used to seem that way to me too when I would see another family fostering. But it doesn't anymore. Which is why we are so confident in this choice. We aren't sure on how long, what it will look like or what children we will have, but we do know this is right where we are suppose to be.
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