Denise McKinney wrote an excellent article for Youth Worker Journal this month about foster care. As someone who grew up with no fewer than 4 foster children in her home, she experienced foster care from behind the front door. I found her challenge quite strong as she suggested a couple of things that could help churches "do something, anything!" to reach these "fragile strangers." [Article not yet released online]
- Get involved with caring for adolescents in the foster care system by being a mentor or volunteering at a local temporary shelter.
- Become an emergency placement shelter yourself.
- Be a part of encouraging a few families in your church to become foster parents.
As I think about that list I realize how much more we could and should be doing for the many kids in the system around our area. While I am not certain that this would be the right time for our family to start foster parenting, Kristen and I have long desired to do that long term. But I know for a fact that the other 2 options… I can do that. While I know of a single family in our church family, I can think of a few others that I’d like to see considering it. These are families who have been excellent at raising adolescents in their home that now could use their skills to reach our to bruised but not crushed adolescents.
As for the inevitable problem of "how can I let people into my life that I know may not appreciate it or may even break my heart, McKinney writes, "I’ve heard people say that they couldn’t bear to form a strong attachment to a child and then have to abruptly say goodbye. But I believe that regardless of how painful the goodbye is, the hello and everything in between can be life changing."
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