End of an Era
kimnjed
November 19, 2012
Along this journey to Ukraine there are many things we have had to let go, or will have to let go. This month we are letting go of something very important, and along with that comes the end of an era. We are letting go of our foster care license. Of course, we know we can’t still be state-certified foster parents while living in Ukraine, and we haven’t been open to taking any kiddos since we made the decision to move our family to Ukraine, but…we still held on to our certification. We were still foster parents.
We ran into our certifier (our fabulous assigned “go-to” person at DHS) at the store a week or so ago. She mentioned that she has been following our story through our blog and is excited about what God is doing in and through our fam. Hi Judi! 🙂 She asked if she should just go ahead and close out our file, and we had to tell her yes. If we were to stay certified we would have to have DHS come out and check out Luke’s house, Luke would have to be fingerprinted and all that jazz. That would all be okay, except for a promise we made to ourselves when we first started fostering.
Back in 2006, when our foster parenting journey began, we promised ourselves if we took a child into our home we would keep them in our home, no matter what, unless someone else decided they should move. We wouldn’t give up on a child when the going got tough. That was tested a time or two, but with God’s help, we kept our word. If we were to take a child at this time I’m not sure we would be able to keep our word. When you receive a child from DHS you never know how long they will stay with you. Seth was supposed to be a “short placement”, and here he is, 2 1/2 years later, our son for life. 🙂 We plan to move in a year, so we just know we can’t take any more foster kiddos at this time.
 |
| Foster Baby #1- always extra special to us |
So, I guess this is so long to an era. Our foster parenting era has been life-changing, to put it mildly. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, foster parenting is one of the best and definitely the most difficult thing we’ve ever done in our lives. (Yet!)
It shaped our family, it grew us as people, it taught us reliance on the Lord instead of our own strength (still learning that!), it built our faith, and it gave us a son.
Yes, there are problems with the foster care system. Yes, it is tiring. Yes, it is putting yourself out there, knowing your heart will be broken. Yes, it is infuriating. Yes, it is worth it.
Because if you can look past the broken system and see the broken lives that God has given us, the church, to care for, it’s a no-brainer.
The children are worth it. They are worth fighting for.
The parents are worth it. They are worth loving and believing in.
The system is broken and it fails people every day. That is a problem. But the bigger problem is that God has given the responsibility of caring for these lives to His Bride, the church, and we have passed them off to the state. People will fail. But God’s love never fails, and no matter who they are and what they’ve done or have failed to do- no one is beyond hope. No one is beyond His grasp. The state can’t fix these lives and these broken situations, but God can. He can mend, heal, lift up, restore- and He asks us to be His hands and feet.
We have come to the end of our fostering journey (for now!). As we exit stage left, I would just ask you to prayerfully consider your part in caring for the orphans in your town. How can you be His hands and feet to the broken lives around you?
Could you foster?
Could you give respite for a weary foster parent in the thick of it?
Could you bring a meal to a foster family?
Could you donate clothes or gently used children’s gear to your local Child Welfare office?
Could you pray?
Our torch is being set down, will you take it up?
Trust me, if we can do it, broken and human as we are, you can do it too!
Just be prepared to never be the same. 🙂
You can read more about our story of foster care here:
Foster Care Ponderings: Part 1, Our Story
Foster Care Ponderings: Part 2, Our Story
Foster Care Ponderings: Part 3, Biological Parents
Related Posts
I love reading your blogs and hearing about the work you are doing and your passion for kids Kim! ( I remember you taking care of the babies in the nursery at church!) Since I have done emergency foster care…I know how you feel, about doing your best to keep the kids because they have had to move around so much and I can only guess at how they will blame themselves. And I admire your honesty when you have decided that if you don't feel you can keep that promise you are now willing to say we can't do foster care right now.Vonnie and Gary should be really proud to have raised a kid who is compassionate, loveing and letting there light shine in a world that is so dim to some of his youngest children!God Bless you and your family!! I am praying!!
opps sorry that was me kim! Sherri dougan
You brought me tears. Such a beautiful testament to your faith and how we are called to love.
I wish we could foster. I am not sure I truly have the physical stamina BUT I am ever ready to support fostering families. I would really like to do respite. Currently my outgrown clothes mostly go to Women's Space – for battered women and children but I will keep CWO in mind!
Hi Sheri! Thank you so much for your kind words! I didn't know you did emergency care. How wonderful. Thank you for praying 🙂 We really appreciate and I love love loved hearing from you!!!
Oops *Sherri* 🙂 Spelled your name wrong! Ha!
Aww thanks Sarah. Love you tons 🙂
You would be awesome at respite! It is so hard to find good respite. Let me know if you have any questions about it!
Ok having computer issues… Ben and I Loved this Post… !!! Really touched our hearts.We love you all… Squeeze those awesome Johnson kids for me please!