Resource Family Training #1504

Have you ever stood at the bottom of a really long staircase and thought "Wow! It's a long way up there!" And then slowly, one step at a time you began to climb and eventually you made it all the way to the top. Since November, we have worked towards the goal of becoming foster parents (also called resource parents). One step at a time, we jumped through all the hoops. Paperwork, home study, medical exams, finger printing, background checks, references. It seemed we would never actually make it.When resource family training class #1504 ended at about 6 p.m. yesterday evening, Jay and I made it all the way to the top of the stairs! We had fulfilled all the requirements to care for children in our home.

After 27 hours of training crammed into 3 long days, we finally reached the top of that long daunting set of stairs. Honestly, we had dreaded these classes. The prospect of sitting through that much class time did not appeal to me in the least. But, we prepared ourselves the best we could and headed to class. And, wouldn't you know it, God completely blessed my socks off!

Story after story proved to us that God is working in a mighty way among His church on behalf of the orphan and the oppressed. Of the 24 people who attended RFT #1504, I heard 16 give the glory to God for their decision to foster or adopt precious children in the system or who had answered that unexpected call to take a kinship placement.

I met a single woman who serves overseas each year who is planning to foster. I met a homeschool family with 3 girls who have radically changed the direction of an entire family because of their obedience to take in 2 boys. I met a young newly married couple, who led by the vision of their church and the leading of the husband are pursuing the care of foster children before having any children of their own. I met a couple whose children have gone onto college and now are planning to bring foster children into their empty nest. I met a couple who found out a young boy in their church was taken from his home and there was no kinship placement available for him. They called DHS and became his foster parents. The stories go on and on. They are humbling and amazing.

By 6 p.m. yesterday, while most of me was running out of that place as fast as my feet could take me, a part of me wanted to stay. I felt a strange connection to these people that were strangers to me on Thursday morning. It is amazing what a common vision and purpose can do. I am so excited to hear what God does in each one of these obedient families. God truly is raising up a remnant to meet the dire need for foster parents in Oklahoma.