Throughout National Foster Care Month, we’ll be sharing “Blessings Found in Fostering.” We’ve asked Encourage families and staff to tell us what they’re learning and the God moments they’ve seen along the way. Today on the blog, seasoned foster parents Kathy and Bryant Smith share their heart to foster through faith. They are intentional about modeling God’s love in words and actions. Through the years, they have watched little seeds grow.
We have been foster parents for many years but more recently with Encourage after our move to Ohio from California. Through our connections with previous foster children who are now grown and have reached out to us recently, we have seen lives forever changed. Those little seeds of faith planted in young hearts have continued to grow. And these children have grown up to make personal choices in their faith and lives that make every trial and tear worth something. This is our ministry. We love giving these children love and connection.
In fostering, days will be physically and emotionally exhausting. There will be sleepless nights. There have been days I wonder if I am truly connecting–do these children feel loved? And then there are days or moments that you see their hearts open, they see God’s love and ours.
We will continue this ministry with fostering in the hopes that we can plant more seeds of faith, that we can give them a glimpse of God’s love through us. We pray that God can continue to use us to reach more children. We want to always be more than a warm dinner, a soft bed and a roof. While those are important, we want to be a warm hug, a soft shoulder and a trusted adult for these children.
If you have a blessing to share, or would you like to inquire about fostering with Encourage, please contact Heather Huebner, Recruitment and Engagement Specialist at huebnerh@ccho.org or 330.462.1118.
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