So Why Foster Care? (part 1 of 2)

The germination of the idea occurred years ago, when I first emerged from college and reentered society. I found that I loved children, in general. I also noticed, as I spent more time out in the world, doing things like shopping for groceries, that a lot of parents don't seem terribly enthusiastic about having kids. Some seem downright put out by it. I don't mean to be judgmental of people after observing them only 10 seconds in a grocery store. My point is that it kept me thinking about the fact that there are kids out there who aren't wanted, who aren't loved, and that's just sad. So as early as my first year out of college, I'd decided that if and when I got married, I would be very open to adopting children.

In early 2008, almost two years ago now, I met a young woman--younger than me even--who was a foster parent along with her husband. She spoke passionately about providing a home, even just temporarily, for kids who have been ripped from their own families. She acknowledged that the foster care system catches a lot of flak, and that some of it's probably valid. And yet, she pointed out, whatever one thinks about the system, there's a very clear need for loving people to open not just their homes but their lives to these kids, to be a good influence in their lives for as long as possible. That was the first time I'd ever met someone who fostered, at least as far as I could remember; since that time, it seems like people have come out of the woodwork. Regardless, I've been actively thinking--and praying--about doing so myself, ever since that conversation.