We've gone to 3 training classes. They have been very enlightening, and each one leaves me longing to help fulfill the Great Commission by becoming a foster parent. It has been very enlightening. I didn't even realize that I had misconceptions about foster care and the 'system'. I think I have said it before-the ultimate goal for foster care is reunification of the child with its birth family. This is the #1 goal. If for any reason the child cannot return home, either the child is adopted by the foster parents, or by another family seeking to adopt.
One thing that really became clear to me during our last session was how involved you actually are, as a foster parent, in the life of the child's birth family. At first, the typical response of the birth parent is anger. They tend to think that you are taking their child away. One foster mother (on a video we watched) pointed out two weeks ago "I'm not taking your child. I'm taking care of your child." This struck me and has really stuck with me. I think it is a good thing to remember. And so true. My job, as a foster parent, isn't to take a child away from its family. It's to care for the child until the birth family is capable of doing it on their own. And something I learned was that we will end up being very involved with the birth family, not just the child. Foster parenting is a team effort, made up of the birth parents, the foster family, caseworkers, lawyers, etc...it takes everyone working together to meet the goal, which again is reuniting the child with its birth family.
I'm not sure how this will all play out. I do know though that we are taking the steps God has called us to. Week #4 begins on Tuesday night. November 21st we have a day long training to become CPR and First Aid certified. In December we will spend a day being certified to administer medication.
The newest development is the date for our second home visit. We have officially been assigned a case worker. His name is Mark. And he will be coming over on Wednesday night (11/11) to go over our big 500 page questionnaire. Ok, it's not THAT long...but it was probably at least 15 pages long, full of questions, deeply personal questions. I think it is this questionnaire that they will use to gauge our mental/emotional/spiritual ability to provide a home for a child in need.
That is really about all I have right now. More to come as I know more. Continued prayers are appreciated!
I know that I've told you this before, but I think that it is amazing that you are opening your home to care for children in a way that their birth parents can not. You are amazing people, and any child will be lucky to have you caring for them.
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