Children every day in this city are taken from the homes that they know and love (even thought it’s an unsafe environment, it’s all they know) with nothing more than a garbage bag of their things (if that). They are taken to an office where strangers then find them a new place to stay for a while, in hopes that they’ll be reunited with their families. These kids are now foster kids. And they’re taken because they need a temporary and sometimes a permanent place to call home where they will be safe, cared for and loved in a healthy environment (that is the hope anyway).
When someone came to our MOPS group and told us about children who are taken from home and sometimes have nothing to call their own anymore putting together a Welcome Box was a tangible and easy project for our group to work on. It seems so small in the grand scheme of things but it’s something, and it means a child can open a box that says, You are Loved, You are Special, You are Important and have some things to call their own.
There was a recent article in the Oregonian (please read it) about the Foster Care system and how churches are beginning to get involved. This is how it should be and we have to keep doing more. Jesus would have it no other way. Multnohmah county is three times the national average for kids in foster care and the need is huge. There are 1,640 certified foster homes in the metro area. There’s a need for 884 more. That is crazy to me.
For some reason every time I turn around someone is talking about the foster care system. Is God trying to tell me something? I’m not sure what yet. I know that not every family can be a foster family but we can all pray for them, we can all be advocates for them in some way. We can all put together a Welcome Box. Even the small things God can use.
Would you join me in praying for the children of this city?
This is such a great idea. I’m not a foster parent, but one of my best friends growing up, her family did some fostering and mostly respite care. My dh worked in a boy’s home for a while and I have an uncle that works in one in our area now. What are some suggestions of things that would be best to put in these. I can’t do much, but have felt a pull on my heart for these kids for along time.
Thanks for spreading the word about this widespread need.
Jessie, they have a list of items that they like to have in the boxes. There are lots of options to choose from. If you go to http://www.imagodeicommunity.com/ I think you can find that information there. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Thanks for the info. I really enjoy doing the Operation Christmas Child thru church, but have always thought that we should do something closer to home too.