Think about this idea for a minute—do you know the foster care community? Truly. Do you know the people, their experiences, emotions, and trauma?
It’s an important question because if we want to support the foster care community, we must first see, understand, and care for—know—who this community is made up of.
Seeing our TFI Advocates equip churches across the country to make the foster care community known in the ways that they did, was inspiring! Awareness truly does lead to action, and seeing these events happen reminded me of three important things:
1) There’s a big problem in front of us.
As it says in Isaiah 58:10-12:
“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.”
2) We have a big solution.
At TFI, we believe that the solution to this problem is to equip churches to engage with and support the foster care community. There are about 380,000 churches in the U.S. and approximately 200 million Christians in the country today, which means we have the potential to make a huge impact! We raise awareness by sharing the stories of those in foster care, we provide encouragement by coming alongside those in the trenches, and we increase advocacy by developing leaders who mobilize their communities to care for those who feel forgotten.
We believe the local church is uniquely positioned to care for vulnerable children and families. We equip churches to make the foster care community known by providing resources and support to individuals and leaders who are passionate about caring for the vulnerable. We believe every Christian and every church can play a part in caring for the foster care community, regardless of experience, awareness, or access to resources.
3) Everyone has a (different) role to play.
I hope this thought is liberating for you: Everyone has a role to play, but not all roles are for everyone.
Please read that again. It has the potential to really empower us all.
While becoming a foster parent is one way to support the foster care community, it’s not the only way. Everyone can do something, and we believe that every follower of Jesus can make a significant difference in the lives of the foster care community. Ask yourself, “How can I be a part of supporting the foster care community?” and “What does that need to look like for me?”
