They Feel So Alone
For as long as I can remember, children have intrigued me, inspired me, and brought my heart unmeasurable joy. I can remember being a child myself and dreaming of having a house full of children one day. Not only that, I wanted grandchildren…lots and lots of them! After my fourth child was born, I knew she would be the last child because of my health problems. It wasn’t long after that I had a strong desire to be a foster parent. Unfortunately, my husband didn’t agree with this decision. My head got it. He was tired because being responsible for the physical, mental, spiritual, and financial needs of just four children was quite overwhelming. However, my heart didn’t get it at all. I prayed long and hard about the situation.
One evening, I was sitting in my living room and thinking of a young girl that was in my classroom. To be honest, I was extremely worried about her. Ideas of what I could do for this child raced through my mind. I began to pray for her. Through that prayer, God spoke to me as plain as if he was standing directly in front of me in perfect sight. He said, “The kids in your classroom are your foster children. You will attend to their needs while they are in your care. You will mother them with love, attention, respect, discipline, and most of all compassion. If you see they need shoes, clothes, or supplies, take care of it. Faithfully, cover them in prayer every day.”
Excitedly, I began to think about each individual child in my classroom. I can’t explain it, but they now somehow seemed different to me. I began to imagine how I would help each child at their point of need. I didn’t see them as Below Level, At Level, or Above Level. I saw them as my children who WOULD learn and know that they are special.
From that year on, I always assured my students on the very first day of school that they were MY adopted children. I explained that was because they were with me more hours of the daytime than they were with their own parents. In addition, I promised to do everything in my power to keep them safe, happy, and successful. There were always giggles and grins. Yet, I had to assume that for many of them, there was a sigh of relief.
Now that I am a retired teacher, I still hold on to the dream of being a foster parent. I’m guessing that many of you have had the same desire at one time or another. Still, others of you have actually been blessed to have foster children live in your home. You aren’t blessed because you are highly respected by the authorities or parents. You aren’t blessed because it comes without tears, worries, stress, discomfort, or the unknown. You are blessed because you are taking care of God’s most precious and vulnerable…children. Today’s children become tomorrow’s adult leaders.
If you have looked around in the last few years, you have noticed the radical change in the behavior of society’s children. This generation has not been raised with the strong Christian education and influence of past generations. Many of these children have been born to drug addicts, in single parent homes where the one parent must work many hours, in abusive homes, in homes where the parents are not morally sound, in homes where a parent suffers from a severe sickness such as depression, in homes that prefer unlimited sports and constant recreation over church services. It is almost unthinkable, but many parents today see their children as commodities to be sold for an ongoing income.
If all of that was not enough, these children are bombarded daily, hour after hour with electronics. They have learned that to be popular, one needs to show their nude bodies, do foolish things on video for a laugh, and do what makes them happy at all cost.
Furthermore, in order to look strong, they must use vulgar words and blast whoever crosses their path, not only on social media, but also in person. They have been trained to make videos of beating someone up “bullying” and then posting the video to get a huge following.
There is so much more that today’s children face, but you get the idea. We can’t change the home lives for these kids. We can’t take the technology away. However, there is something that CAN do! We can be determined to become foster parents for all of America’s Children! You may ask,”How in the World?” I’m so very glad you asked! There are numerous ways in which you can foster America’s children:
- Pray for them specifically every single day. Pray for the children who are raising themselves basically, pray for the abused, the lonely, the academically slow, the hungry. As God puts them on your heart, pray for America’s children!
- Ask at the local school if there is a student who has a need for clothing, supplies, or tutoring.
- Offer to help a child or children in your area with a specific need.
- Become a mentor for a child.
- Keep your eyes open for the children that you can offer random acts of kindness.
- Offer to assist a child with a sport.
- Strike up a conversation with a child at the gym, mall, etc. Find out their dreams and let them know you will pray for them.
- Be available wherever a need arises. Don’t assume someone else will or what you have to offer isn’t good enough.
- Invite them to your church.
- Pray that God will allow you to be a foster to a child each day.
Remember, these children do not have the embedded morals and conscience that the children of our day were taught. Do not be offended at their actions, rather be broken hearted and offer your support with compassion.
They Are Misguided
15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doeth it profit?
James 2:15-16
Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psalm 82:3
