As many of you know, my husband and I are adoptive/ foster parents. In fact, we are finalizing the adoption of our son Steven on July 22nd. We are thrilled to have this young man in our home as a part of our family. He has brought many gifts and hours of laughter to our home. This is the way God chose for us to be parents.
We take James 1:27 very seriously:
" True religion is this, to care for orphans and widows in their distress..." God has led us in the direction of taking care of our two very wonderful boys who have some challenges through no fault of their own. We have rejoiced in seeing them become free of their strongholds of the past and continue to walk with them day by day, moment by moment so that they can be healed.
Since we have been in Montgomery, the Lord has continually laid on my heart that taking care of kids who need forever families is the church's responsibility, not the government. Many people have been praying here that our Christian churches would become more involved in orphan care and fostering families. This year, we have begun to see in our Baptist churches a stirring of concern for these kids. Morningview Baptist held a foster parent training earlier this year training families in their churches to get ready to be foster parents. Another church here is in the beginning stages on creating an organization where kids all over the world, including Montgomery, will be taken care of. Many adoptive and foster parents here in the Montgomery area are Christians. God is on the move.
In Montgomery/Lowndes counties there are several hundred kids who are in foster care and quite a few who are legally free to be adopted. Most of these children are typically older and have been removed because of some trauma they have experienced because of someone else's choices. Contrary to what you hear or see(like in the awful movie Orphan)these kids are not removed because they are "damaged" "psychotic" or a"problem". They are children who have been hurt, abused or neglected and need a stable home environment so that they can heal and be the people that God intended them to be.
Pray today:1. For kids in Montgomery whom you may encounter who are in foster care or have been adopted. That they will be healed from any early trauma that they may have experienced. Pray for their "new" parents who have committed to walking the very difficult journey of healing with them.
2. For our churches to step up and become more proactive in supporting kids in foster care. Pray about how your church can support kids in foster care. Pray about whether you would be willing to be a foster or adoptive parent.
3. Pray for kids in Montgomery as they are our future leaders. Pray for families to step forward and become the permanent stability they need in their lives.
4. Pray that you will be transformed in the way you may see kids in foster care or adopted kids.
I won't lie to you. Being an adoptive or foster parent is not easy. Our kids have some extra baggage that they brought with them and we have the PRIVILEGE of helping them unpack it so they will be free and healed one day. It is a pleasure to serve our Lord in this way.....being a vehicle for God to transform these kids lives and help them be free. May you be blessed with continued transformation of the heart as we journey together to pray for our city and all the challenges we face together as believers in Christ.
Lisa C. Rose, Director of Church and Community Ministries, MBA
