We first heard about The CALL shortly after moving into our home over four years ago. Our neighbors, David and Caryl Watson, invited us over for dinner, and that night our lives were forever changed. We witnessed the love in their home, and everywhere we looked God was pulling us to this ministry. We didn’t feel that this was a calling, but rather one of the main reasons that God put us on this earth - saying no was a direct disobedience to God and just wasn’t an option. We have been beyond blessed for listening to God and following the purpose He has set forth for our lives.
When you are fostering there are times when you are on top of a mountain, like when your child pulls their first tooth, makes an A on their first spelling test, or is dropped off at your house for the first time. You are there to experience it with them and love them in person while you can, and remotely when you can’t. Does it hurt when they leave? Of course…..if it didn’t you aren’t doing it right. These children need every ounce of love you can give them and more. When they return home, or are transferred, or whatever other circumstances arise that you don’t understand, you will experience a hurt like you have never experienced before…but, you will know that you have made a huge impact in their lives. That is what it is about - unconditional love through the ups and downs.
It is an emotional rollercoaster, but it has been amazing to watch God work. There is a lot of uncertainty, but one thing is absolutely certain: the smile on their faces when you pick them up from school, the times you tuck them in at night and they kiss you and say, “I love you”, the times when they truly trust you and can tell that you will never do anything to hurt them. Those times make all of the uncertainty, turmoil, and heartache worth it!
When the girls were placed in our home, we were fostering a little boy that was waiting to go back home. We were not approved for 4, so we could only take the twins until our foster child went home. The Watsons opened up their home and fostered our youngest for 6 weeks until we could have all of the girls together. We have seen God take three hurt and scared little girls with very broken lives and build a new family full of hopes and dreams. Nothing can replace the day that the judge said, “Congratulations, you are the proud parents of 3 beautiful angels!”
In foster care and adoption, if you just pause and look, you will see God working miracles every day. God will rain showers of blessing on you, if you let Him.
