Just over a week ago we said goodbye to this little guy,
(the one in the brown jumper).
No, he wasn't living with our family, but my sister-in-law's family. They were his foster parents. He came to them shortly after being born and was only supposed to be with them for a week or two. Six months later they have finally found him a family and we had to say good bye. Only it was hard to explain to my children, especially the younger ones, why he had to leave. The process of finding him a family took soooooo long because he is part Navajo, and there are tribal laws that say such children are to be placed with parents who are direct relatives or who are of Native American descent. And because it took six months we all became quite attached to him. That is a blessed family who get to call him theirs.
Beyond all that I just find the Foster Care program intriguing. I have known quite a few families throughout my life that have participated in foster care and who have benefited from the opportunities given them and I have also heard horror stories, mainly in the media, about people who abuse the foster care program and the precious children who by no fault of their own have ended up in the system.
When I think about these children all that comes to mind is that THEY are Children of our Heavenly Father, just as much as I am and THEY deserve to belong to and feel a part of a loving family just as much as my children. And a part of me wants to jump in and bring as many of these kids into my home as possible and then I come back to reality and wonder if I could really handle that. I am so impressed and proud of those families who reach out to these children who are in need. And although circumstances don't seem appropriate at the moment for me and my family to do so, I do hope that one day our home will be open to a child or two that needs us and who in return will bless our family.
