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This weekend we went to the grand opening of the Michigan Heart Gallery. As we listened to the welcome, the speaker asked for any kids in the audience, waiting for a family, to raise their hand. LJ's shot up in the air. I tickled his tummy and said, "LJ! Put your hand down - you have a family!"
He pointed and said, "But, mom, I want to go up there - "
The kids were lining up to tell their stories.
God is going to use our little man in big ways. LJ loves people.
I cried through the entire event.
Tristan got up and shared his story. 16 years old. 8 homes in 3 years. He graduates next year and holds out hope for a family. He talked about how he wasn't on stage to advocate for himself...but for all of his friends in the system. I nearly sobbed when he finished with, "I want to make a change in my legacy. I'm going to be a good dad. I want my kids to know...I will never give up on them."
Rachel read a poem she wrote. 17 years old. Beautiful girl. I stood to my feet when she fought her experience with these powerful words, "You can't bring me down - You can't control my destiny."
One by one, each child shared his dream. I want to be an astronaut. I want to go to Disney World. I want to go to college. I want to be hugged every night before I go to bed.
Seriously. I could barely move from my seat, I was so racked with emotion. I have to do more. We walked through the gallery as a family and took our picture next to our picture - LJ is a story of success...he found his family. Ben was mesmerized with a picture of three boys. I couldn't stop staring at a teenage girl with hair like mine.
I knew they were real. I knew their stories existed...but seeing their sweet faces and listening to their dreams, in person, lit a fire in my heart. I have to do something.
We, of course, will adopt as many kids as we can (first we have to move out of our teeny condo), but I need to do more. Start a support group? Volunteer for MARE? Advocate with Dave Thomas? I don't know what the answer is, yet, but I trust God will bring it.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the president of the Judson Center, Cameron Hosner, said, "You each have someone who is irrationally crazy about you. Help us help these kids."
"These children are not someone else's responsibility. They are our responsibility." - DAVE THOMAS
Monday, April 22, 2013
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In tears reading your post and hearing the brief stories you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteOur 10 month old has lived in 3 homes. Glad God is moving you to do more. Your family will do a mighty work for many children.
Love this...love your story and cannot wait to see how your story unfolds in the future!
ReplyDeleteTEARS! We took an emergency placement last night, two little boys. It struck me, their dad was in and out of foster care and juvenile places...I don't know what the answer is. It's such a sad cycle. These boys will go back to their parents, but sadly, it's likely the will be back in foster care. Such raw emotions here. Wish I had more answers....but I do have two little boys to cuddle while I can. Thanks for the video. People need to see that.
ReplyDelete-Mrs. T @ notofourhands.blogspot.com
Hey Rebekah - I really loved this post. Keep making a difference in the world!
ReplyDeleteI know every state doesn't have volunteer Guardians ad Litem or great CASA workers but I encourage anyone to volunteer with either organization if possible. My state has a great volunteer GAL program! When people tell me they just can't imagine foster care and letting children go, I quickly let them know there are many other ways to help foster children! And each role, no matter how small, is important! The Heart Galleries always tug at my heart.
ReplyDeleteMichigan doesn't have a strong CASA program (it does exist), but my mom volunteers in Texas. It's a GREAT way to get involved and advocate.
DeleteThis post/video ripped my heart out!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! Adoption has been on my heart for as long as I can remember. I just need to learn to follow what God is telling me and go where he says go. I clicked the link and just randomly picked a Heart Gallery and there was a sibling group just calling out to me. We are not home study ready, but rest assured we will be ASAP.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying, yes, Jessica! God bless you! Don't ever hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need encouragement! :)
DeleteI cannot quit crying...this post, that video. God is doing something on my heart...its funny, we were so unsure about open adoption and then I found your blog. Now we are so blessed by our open adoption. Then I started wondering about foster care, and God put you on that journey...I feel like I am just learning all along the way watching you guys guy. And YES to needing a bigger house for all the kiddos out there! Its just so hard to trust, for me, with these kiddos whose rights are not termed, with uncertain futures. Our state has a 30 day period for birth mom to change her mind, and I was a basketcase all 30 days. I cant imagine years of that...how do you cope?
ReplyDeleteMeg, if you pursue the foster care route, you can adopt state wards (kids that already have their parental rights terminated). There is absolutely a need for godly families to foster children for reunification, too, but we feel like our place in the system is to adopt state wards. In the cases of state wards, birth parents do not have an option of having their kids returned because the judge has already made the final ruling and request for a family to be found. LJ was a state ward, looking for a family on MARE.org.
DeleteI had other reasons for be a crying mess, but it wasn't over the fear of LJ being removed from our home! :)
Hon..... you are already advocating with your blog. I found it a few months ago while we were in the process of paperwork for foster/adoption. We are approved, but it has been 8 weeks and no call, no match, and children wait. It frustrates us. Do we need to adjust our list? Is there something mentioned in the homestudy that we need to correct? Right now, I spend the time reading my foster blogs, and working on different parts of the house to redecorate/renovate, and I continue to pray for our son(s) who are hopefully going to meet us soon.
ReplyDeleteKelly, have you hooked up with your state's adoption resource exchange? You can go to Michigan's to get a list of participating states: http://mare.org/Links.html. Not every state has one, but if yours does it's a must for networking! I would also check out the Dave Thomas Foundation. They have a bunch of free literature and resources. They have a really nice booklet that walks you through the process and provides a number of national resources available. Feel free to send me an email if you want more information. There's a lot you can do while you wait!
DeleteGod bless you for saying, yes!!
I feel moved too, I don't know where it will head. I work within the system so I AM supporting these kids in some ways - and I do provide so many trainings to community organizations to help them serve these kids better. But I want to do more. Also, I interned at the Judson Center many years ago when I got my Master's Degree:) . Crazy to see their agency name again after so long!
ReplyDelete